14. Montgomery’s attack was not followed by a second assault
After the advance party led by Montgomery was decimated, most of the officers remaining alive were both inexperienced and demoralized. After a hasty council of war, what was left of the command structure decided that a second attempt to storm the Lower Town would be futile. Montgomery’s command was led by the remaining officers back to the Plains of Abraham. They could hear the firing from Arnold’s assault, but did nothing to support the attack. The withdrawal by the remains of Montgomery’s command doomed the rest of the attack to fail.
It has been postulated many times that had Montgomery not been killed at the outset of the attack the Americans would have captured the city of Quebec. It’s likely that they would have captured the Lower Town, but the idea that Carleton would have surrendered the Upper Town remains open to question. Montgomery’s death certainly contributed to the American defeat, but speculation that his survival would have led to victory is specious. The attack failed due to a spirited and well-managed defense of the city by militia, marines, sailors, and the small contingent of regulars, coordinated by Carleton.