For 124 years, from 1690 to 1814,Americans were besotted with
the notionthat it would take "a mere matter ofmarching" (in Th
omas Jeff erson´s words)to seize Canada and add it to their
union.Th e marching began in colonialtimes, in 1690, when
Americans, angeredby French-led Indian attacks on theirfrontier
outposts, retaliated by sendingan expedition to lay siege to
Quebec, thecapital of New France. Th ey sailed homewhen they ran
out of ammunition andrum. In 1745, another, and much
larger,colonial expedition set sail with the helpof the British
Royal Navy, to attack thegreat French fortress at Louisbourg,
andmanaged to capture it, leading Americansto believe for years
to come they werebetter soldiers than they really were.Serious
marching, this timeagainst the new British rulers of Canada,took
place during the American Revolutionand the War of 1812. Ethan
Allen startedit all in 1775 by attacking Quebec with ascratch
force of untrained soldiers. He wascaptured and thrown in
prison. RichardMontgomery and Benedic