Late in the Winter--that is to say, early in 1776--we learned of the
dire failure of the night attack made by the combined forces of
Montgomery and Arnold upon Quebec at the end of December, 1775; that
Arnold had been wounded, his best officers taken prisoners, and
Montgomery killed. The first reports said nothing of Winwood. When
Margaret heard the news, she turned white as a sheet; and at this
triumph of British arms my joy was far outweighed, Mr. Faringfield's
grief multiplied, by fears lest Philip, who we knew would shirk no
danger, had met a fate similar to his commander's. But subsequent news
told us that he was a prisoner, though severely wounded. We comforted
ourselves with considering that he was like to receive good nursing
from the French nuns of Quebec. And eventually we found the name of
Captain Winwood in a list of rebel prisoners who were to be exchanged;
from which, as a long time had passed, we inferred that he was now
recovered of his injuries; whereupon Margaret, who had never spoken of
him, or shown her solicitude other than by an occasional dispirited
self-abstraction, regained all her gaiety and was soon her old,
charming self again. In due course, we learned that the exchange of
prisoners had been effected, and that a number of officers (among whom
was Captain Winwood) had departed from Quebec, bound whither we were
not informed; and after that we lost track of him for many and many a
month.
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