December 1775 – American History

December also saw the British Parliament pass an act prohibiting trade with the colonies, a move that was later addressed by the Continental Congress.

• Battle of Quebec:  On December 2, General Richard Montgomery's troops joined Colonel Benedict Arnold's forces outside Quebec City. Their subsequent attack on December 31 resulted in a major defeat for the Americans, with General Montgomery killed, Arnold wounded, and over 400 men captured.

• Knox's Expedition:  On December 6, Henry Knox began the arduous task of transporting heavy cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. He used 42 sleds and 80 oxen to move the artillery 300 miles over frozen lakes and rivers, a journey that took until January 25, 1776, and proved vital for the American victory at Boston.

• Dunmore's Proclamation:  On December 6, a copy of Lord Dunmore's proclamation, issued earlier, was printed in the Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser. The proclamation had offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British troops, a move that inspired many enslaved people to seek freedom behind British lines throughout the war. 

• British Parliament's Act:  On December 22, the British Parliament passed an act banning all trade with the American colonies, further escalating tensions.