Through a Howling Wilderness : Benedict Arnold's March to Quebec, 1775

A great military history about the early days of the American Revolution, Thomas A. Desjardin's Through a Howling Wilderness is also a timeless adventure narrative that tells of heroic acts, men pitted against nature's fury, and a fledgling nation's fight against a tyrannical oppressor.

The Story Behind the Mission

Before Benedict Arnold was branded a traitor, he was one of the colonies' most valuable leaders. In September 1775, eleven hundred soldiers boarded ships in Massachusetts, bound for the Maine wilderness. They had volunteered for a secret mission under Arnold's command:

• To march and paddle nearly two hundred miles
• To seize British Quebec

Challenges Faced

The journey was fraught with unimaginable hardships:

• Hundreds died before reaching the Canadian border
• A hurricane destroyed canoes and equipment
• Many soldiers deserted

Despite these obstacles, the remaining troops pressed on. In the midst of a howling blizzard, they launched an attack on Quebec — almost taking Canada from the British and simultaneously weakening the British hand against Washington.

With the enigmatic Benedict Arnold at its center, Desjardin has written one of the great American adventure stories.