Mr. James Price, a resident of Montreal who served the Continental force as a quartermaster, noted that the brutal winter conditions and the difficult routes of approach stacked the odds against American troops who were trying to fight their way into Quebec City.
"The attack was made in a terrible snow storm. The snow 4½ f. deep, about 6. o’clock in the morning, Montgom. had to go 4 miles [ar]ound to make his attack. The men could only go in Indian file. They made a line of 2 or 3 miles (having between 4 and 500 men) Montgom., McPherson and Cheeseman were at the head. Never more than 10 came to the place of action before these three were shot. Their peices would not go off. Colo. Campbell immediately ordered a retreat. He was induced to attack at the place he did because he was informed the enemy trusting to the difficulty of access there, kept no guard in that quarter. We had about 400. taken and killed in the whol. About 30 of them were killed. Doubtful whether Campbell could have got throug to Arnold’s party. "
Mr. Price's Testimony Concerning the Canadian Campaign, 10 July 1776www.founders.archives.gov