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CHAPTER XI.
Death of Gen. Montgomery.—Burr's return home.—Miss Margaret Moncrieffe, the young English girl.
Captain Burr soon exchanged love for war, and instead of warm kisses from amorous lasses, he received the welcome of grape-shot and musket balls.
Burr was equally at home in either station. The wars of Venus, or those of Mars, always found him ready and effective.
The attack on Quebec was made on the morning of December 31st, 1775, before daylight. The snow was falling fast at the time. Burr and other officers had endeavored to dissuade General Montgomery from leading in the attack; but the gallant Irishman persisted in his first resolve to take up his station in the front of the battle.
While they were advancing, a piece of artillery in the British battery went of accidently. A fortunate accident it was for the British, but a most deplorable one for us. The brave Montgomery, and every other person in the front, excepting Captain Burr and a French guide, were killed. When Montgomery received his death wound, he was within a few feet of Captain Burr, who was his aid-de-camp at the time.
General Arnold now assumed the command of the army, and young Burr was called upon to perform the duties of brigade major.
In the spring of 1776, Burr left the army under Arnold, and started for home.
When our hero arrived at Albany, he received a message from General Washington, that it would be agreeable to him if he would visit New York. Burr set out accordingly, and reached the city of New York on the 20th of May, 1776. Washington invited him to join his family at head-quarters, till he received an appointment. This was at Richmond Hill.
Burr was dissatisfied, and wrote to John Hancock, The President of Congress, who offered him the appointment of aid-de-camp to Major-General Putnam. Burr accepted it, and removed from the head-quarters of the Commander-in-Chief to those of Major-General Putnam, which were also in New York, in the large brick house at the corner of Broadway and the Batery.
Although Burr was now much engaged with his military duties, yet it would appear that he had some leisure to attend to the fair sex also.
