Benedict Arnold’s March to Quebec, 250 Years Later

Presented by Tom Desjardins.

Before Benedict Arnold was branded a traitor, he was one of the colonies' most valuable leaders. In September 1775 (250 years ago this fall), eleven hundred colonial soldiers boarded ships in Massachusetts, bound for the Maine wilderness. They had volunteered for a secret mission, under Arnold's command, to march and paddle nearly two hundred miles through the impenetrable wilderness of Maine and Quebec to seize British-held Quebec City. Before reaching the Canadian border, however, scores of them died from hypothermia, lightning strikes, exposure, disease, and starvation. The survivors were forced to eat everything from dogs to lip salve just to survive, all the while struggling — undaunted — through a hurricane and then a blizzard to attack Quebec and almost take Canada from the British. Despite its apparent failure, Arnold’s expedition to Quebec paved the way for the colonial victory in the American Revolution.

EVENT DETAILS
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Doors Open: 2:15 PM
Event Starts: 3:00 PM
Address: Historical Museum, 505 Main Street, Springvale, ME
The museum is handicapped accessible.

FREE ADMISSION
Admittance to this event is FREE to the public, although donations are always welcomed. Signing up in advance is not required but does help us prepare for the number of attendees. For questions, please call 207-490-1028 or email info@sanfordhistory.org.

This lecture is generously supported and sponsored by: Harry A. Mapes Charitable Trust.

We are proud to feature the Maine Semiquincentennial Commission logo across our 2026 lectures and events, joining the statewide celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence.