 He was held in poor conditions for 54 days . Following the fall of Fort St. Jean , the British withdrew from Montreal , transporting prisoners on one of the many ships used in the evacuation . Most of this British fleet was captured by the Americans , who released Hazen and other political prisoners who had supported them . Unhappy with the treatment he received by the British , Hazen joined the American forces , which were on their way to Quebec City . He did this in spite of the fact that the Americans had done significant damage to his estate during the siege , plundering the estate for supplies , and using his house as a barracks . 
