When General Montgomery left Montreal for Quebec City, he had left the administration of the city in the hands of Connecticut's Brigadier General David Wooster.

While Wooster at first had decent relations with the community, he had taken a number of steps that had caused the local population to come to dislike the American military presence.

After promising American ideals to the population, he had begun arresting Loyalists and threatening arrest and punishment of anyone opposed to the American cause.

He had also disarmed several communities, and attempted to force local militia members to surrender their Crown commissions.

Those who refused had been arrested and imprisoned at Fort Chambly.

These and similar acts, combined with the fact that the Americans are paying for supplies and services with paper money rather than coin, serve to disillusion the local population about the entire American enterprise.

On March 20, Wooster had left to take command of the forces at Quebec City, leaving Moses Hazen, who had raised the 2nd Canadian Regiment, in command of Montreal until Arnold arrives on April 19