Could the Americans hold Quebec in 1776?

[galanx]

The Battle of Quebec in 1775 was a near-run thing which could have gone the other way (Carleton gets captured, among others).

If the Americans had taken it, presumably they would have received some reinforcements and supplies after such a morale-building event.
Could they have held it against the British counter-attack in 1776?

I'm assuming here the French-Canadians remain miltarily neutral/ineffective; the elite especially may have been hostile, but would they intervene wholeheartedly or effectively enough?

So, strictly on military grounds, can the Rebels hold out long enough to force the British to withdraw in favour of more direct attacks in the actual 13 Colonies?

 

[EnglishCanuck]

I wouldn't exactly call it a close run thing, the Americans really only got by through plucky determination and the fact that Benedict Arnold was an exceptional commander. The Francophone population was not overly receptive to the Americans, and the planning was not very well thought out.

However, I concede that the rebels may have been able to take the city, holding it is another matter entirely since the British control the sea and even going by OTL when after the siege 9,000 or so soldiers were dropped off, and most of the them would go on to take part in the Hudson Valley campaign. I don't see it likely that the Americans could hold out against such a force.