Hazen is living on half-pay in Saint-Jean in 1775 at the start of the Revolutionary War.

When Benedict Arnold raided Fort Saint-Jean on May 18, Hazen had reported the news of that raid (as well as the capture of Fort Ticonderoga) first to the military authorities in Montreal, then to Governor Guy Carleton in Quebec, before returning home to consider the consequences the conflict might have on him and his lands.

The American invasion of Quebec arrives near his home at Saint-Jean on September 6.

On this day, Hazen meets with General Philip Schuyler, explaining to him that Fort Saint-Jean is well-defended and unlikely to be taken by siege, and that the local habitants are unlikely to assist the American effort.

This gloomy portrait leads Schuyler to consider retreating; but the arrival of additional American troops, and a more optimistic assessment from James Livingston, a grain merchant living near Chambly, encourages the Americans to renew the attack.

Livingston will go on to form the 1st Canadian Regiment in November 1775.

Brigadier General Richard Montgomery, now commanding the American forces, begins to besiege Fort St. Jean on September 17.

The next day, a detachment of American forces under the command of John Brown arrests Hazen north of the fort.

However, a British sortie from the fort forces Brown's men to retreat; Hazen ends up in British hands.

Major Charles Preston, the British commander, is mistrustful of Hazen, and sends him to Montreal under the guard of Claude de Lorimier.

Brigadier General Richard Prescott, unhappy with Hazen's explanations of his movements, imprisons him.

Congress, even before it learned of the defeat at Quebec, had authorized as many as sixty-five hundred additional troops for service here.

Throughout the winter, troops had trickled into Montreal and the camp outside Quebec City.

By the end of March, the besieging army has grown to almost three thousand, although almost one quarter of these are unfit for service, mainly due to smallpox.

Furthermore, James Livingston and Moses Hazen, commanding the five hundred Canadians in the army, are pessimistic about the loyalty of their men and the cooperation of the population due to persistent Loyalist propaganda.

Congress had been conflicted about requests that Arnold made for a more experienced general officer to lead the siege effort.

They had first chosen Charles Lee a major general with experience in the British Army, to lead the troops in Quebec in January.

One week later, they had retracted the step, and instead sent Lee into the southern states to direct efforts against an anticipated British attack there. (The British attempt will be thwarted in the June 1776 Battle of Sullivan's Island.)

They had finally settled in March 1776 on Major General John Thomas, who had served in the army besieging Boston.

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