Quick question all?
Why, in 1776 when Great Britain was sending a massive invasion force across the Atlantic (one of the great logitical triumpths in that era), did they send nearly 1/3 of the army to Canada?
The US forces invading from the south were effectively beaten the previous winter of 1775 in the Battle of Quebec and were retreating to Montreal and would soon retreat back into New York. Adding 10,000 British soldiers to this northern garrison seemed to be overkill especially when the main rebellion was to the south.
Many of these soldiers would be captured a year later after the ill-planned and ill-advised Burgoyne expedition at the battle of Saratoga but why were these soldiers stationed in Canada in the first place?
The British could have used another 10K soldiers to stifle the rebellion in the south, to nip it in the bud.
Was it overconfidence, the belief that the British forces sent to New York in 1776 were adequate to force a peace?
Was it that there was some massive resources in Canada that Britain desperately wanted to protect (timber, grain)?
Was it that Quebec was a monster fortress and it was better to preserve it now than have to retake later by force?
Were they afraid of a French invasion that would receive support of the still largely French population of Canada?
Was it just because that was one of the few toeholds in North America that Britain had left and sent soldiers there for that reason?
Any ideas?
Why, in 1776 when Great Britain was sending a massive invasion force across the Atlantic (one of the great logitical triumpths in that era), did they send nearly 1/3 of the army to Canada?
The US forces invading from the south were effectively beaten the previous winter of 1775 in the Battle of Quebec and were retreating to Montreal and would soon retreat back into New York. Adding 10,000 British soldiers to this northern garrison seemed to be overkill especially when the main rebellion was to the south.
Many of these soldiers would be captured a year later after the ill-planned and ill-advised Burgoyne expedition at the battle of Saratoga but why were these soldiers stationed in Canada in the first place?
The British could have used another 10K soldiers to stifle the rebellion in the south, to nip it in the bud.
Was it overconfidence, the belief that the British forces sent to New York in 1776 were adequate to force a peace?
Was it that there was some massive resources in Canada that Britain desperately wanted to protect (timber, grain)?
Was it that Quebec was a monster fortress and it was better to preserve it now than have to retake later by force?
Were they afraid of a French invasion that would receive support of the still largely French population of Canada?
Was it just because that was one of the few toeholds in North America that Britain had left and sent soldiers there for that reason?
Any ideas?