broad,-while it is divided by the Isle of Orleans into two, both considerable streams, -it suddenly contracts above that Isle, and above the inlet of the St. Charles, so that opposite Quebec it is scarcely one mile over. Hence the name of Quebec has been derived from a word of similar sound, and denoting a strait, in one of the Indian tongues; while other writers deem it of French extraction, and perhaps only a corruption of the Norman Caudebec.* At this period the town (divided into the Upper and Lower) might contain 7,000 souls; it held a Cathedral, a Bishop's Palace, and other stately buildings; and was crowned by the castle of St. Louis. In front of the harbour there spreads a considerable sandbank, so as to prevent the close approach or attack of any hostile fleet. Beyond the city, the rugged ridges on which it is built. continue steep and precipitous for many miles along the river, and are there called the Heights of Abraham. In the opposite direction, again, from the mouth of the St. Charles down the left bank of the St. Lawrence, the ground is scarcely less difficult and rugged during several miles, until nearly opposite the point of the Isle of Orleans, where the stream of Montmorency, after flowing through the upper country, descends into the St. Lawrence by a

fall of 300 feet.

To defend this strong country the Marquis de Montcalm had lately solicited and received fresh reinforcements from home. More than twenty ships, laden with supplies and recruits, had sailed before the blockade of the French ports, and entered the St. Lawrence before the arrival of the English armament. Montcalm had, however, few regular soldiers, but many Canadians and Indians, in all about 10,000, — a numerous body of "armed men," says Wolfe, " for I cannot cail it an army. - If the Marquis," he adds, "had shut himself up in "the town of Quebec it would have been long since in our possession, because the defences are inconsiderable, " and our artillery very formidable."† But the skilful and

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* Colonial Library, by R. M. Martin, Esq., vol. i. p. 80.

†To Lord Holderness, September 9. 1759. Chatham Correspondence. See also in the Annual Register (p. 241.) his letter to Mr. Pitt of September 2.

1759.

THE MARQUIS DE MONTCALM.

159

wary Frenchman had resolved to trust to the strength of the country rather than of the ramparts. He drew up his army on what was supposed the only accessible side of Quebec, on the line called Beauport, between the St. Charles and the Montmorency, communicating with Quebec by a bridge of boats over the St. Charles, and this ground, steep as it was by nature, he further entrenched at every open spot. On his front were the river and its sandbanks; on his rear impenetrable woods. Thus posted he was able, without running any risk or hazard, to prevent either an investment of the city or a battle upon equal terms.

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The first measure of Wolfe, such being the state of things, was to raise batteries at the points both of Levis and of the Isle of Orleans. From hence his artillery began to play upon Quebec, -to the damage of the Upper town, -to the destruction of the Lower, - but without any tendency or progress towards the reduction of the place. Montcalm remained entirely on the defensive, except on one occasion, when he sent 1,600 men across the St. Lawrence to attack the English batteries on Point Levis. "Bad intelligence, no doubt, of our strength," writes Wolfe, "induced him to this measure; however, the detachment judged better than their "General, and retired."-Some works for the security of the British hospitals and stores were meanwhile constructing on the Isle of Orleans; after which, in the night of July the 9th. Wolfe caused his troops to be transported to the left bank, and encamped opposite the enemy, the river Montmorency flowing between them. During this time the enemy made repeated attempts against our ships by fire-rafts and other combustibles, but their designs were constantly baffled by the skill and vigilance of Saunders. A squadron was also despatched under Admiral Holmes, to pass by Quebec, and fix its station further up the St. Lawrence, so that the river might be blockaded both above and below the town.

The great object of the English General was now to entice or decoy the enemy from their strong camp to an engagement. Not only did he endeavour to alarm them for Quebec on the opposite side, by means of Holmes's squadron, but he repeatedly sent detachments along the

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Montmorency to make a feint of passing that river further from the falls. But no stratagem sufficed to draw the French commander from his advantageous post. Wolfe had also the mortification of seeing no effect from a Manifesto which he had issued at his first landing, to assure the Canadians of protection in their persons, property, and religion, provided, they remained quiet, and took no part in the war. Now, on the contrary," as he states himself, we have continual skirmishes; old people, seventy years of age, and boys of fifteen, fire at our detachments, and kill or wound our men, from the edges of the woods."* Incensed at such conduct, the General adopted, or at least connived at, a cruel retaliation. All the detached houses, the barns, the stables, — nay, even the standing corn, were devoted to utter destruction, and thus both banks of the river began immediately to display a most dismal aspect of fire and smoke. Still, however, Montcalm, wisely intent on final triumph, remained immoveable.

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Nothing, therefore, remained for Wolfe but to attack the French in their entrenchments. The day he fixed for this hazardous attempt was the 31st of July; the place he selected was the mouth of the Montmorency, as the only quarter where his artillery could be brought into play, and from whence his retreat, in case of a repulse, could be secure. Accordingly the boats of the fleet were filled with grenadiers, and rowed towards the shore at the proper time of tide. As they drew near many of the boats grounded upon a ledge of rocks; an accident that caused some disorder and great delay. On their reaching land the grenadiers had been directed to form themselves upon the beach, and to halt until other troops on their right had passed the Montmorency ford, and were ready to assist them. But, whether from the noise and hurry of their landing, or from their own ill-regulated ardour, they rushed at once and impetuously towards the enemy's entrenchments. The enemy, from the summit of the heights, received them with a galling fire, which threw them presently into confusion, and obliged them to seek shelter behind

* To Lord Holderness, September 9. 1759.

1759.

SIEGE OF QUEBEC.

161

a deserted redoubt. In this situation, — unable to rally under so severe a fire,—while the night drew on,—while a tempest was gathering, while the tide began to make, the General saw no other resource than to order a retreat. This retreat he conducted with skill, everywhere exposing his person with characteristic intrepidity. "The "French," he says, "did not attempt to interrupt our "march. Some of their savages came down to murder "such wounded as could not be brought away, and to scalp the dead, as their custom is."

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In this check the troops had sustained no inconsiderable loss, and, what was worse, had become downcast and dispirited. There seemed no longer any hope of forcing the French lines. The prospect of co-operation from Amherst or from Johnson, on which they had confidently reckoned, grew daily fainter and fainter. They learned, indeed, from some prisoners, that Niagara had been taken, that Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been abandoned, but week after week passed on, - the season wasted apace, and no auxiliaries appeared. Wolfe himself, fatigue and anxiety preying on his delicate frame, fell violently ill of a fever. No sooner was his health in some degree restored, than he proceeded with the Admiral and the Chief Engineer to inspect, as closely as they could, the works of Quebec, with a view to a general assault; but there seemed to them no hope of success from such an enterprise. Wolfe had also summoned to council his second and third in command, - Brigadiers Monckton and George Townshend, the brother of Charles. It was their unanimous opinion, that no other chance remained than to carry the troops above the town, and thus again endeavour to draw Montcalm from his inaccessible post. In pursuance of this determination the camp at Montmorency was broken up, and the army moved across the river to Point Levis. From thence,-again going on board their transports, they passed Quebec, and proceeded several miles up the St. Lawrence, when they once more disembarked on its right bank. So much had their ranks been thinned by death or by disease, that, after providing for the necessary defence of the Isle of Orleans, and of Point Levis, there remained scarcely more than 3,600 effective men

for action. To conceal in some degree their scanty numbers, and to spread doubts and alarms among the enemy, Admiral Holmes's squadron was directed to make movements up the river for several successive days, as if threatening more than one point above the town. The Marquis de Montcalm was not, however, induced to quit his lines; he merely despatched M. de Bougainville, with about 1,500 men, to watch the motions of the English army, and to keep alongside with it on the opposite shore.

*

It was under such circumstances, and on the 9th of September, that Wolfe addressed his last letter to the Secretary of State. His own view of his prospects was most gloomy; he writes as if anxious to prepare the public mind in England for his failure or retreat, and as if his main motive for still remaining were to keep the French army in play, and divert it from other quarters. Here are his own concluding words: "I am so far "recovered as to do business, but my constitution is entirely ruined, without the consolation of having done any considerable service to the state, or without any prospect of it."- Let him who reads these words, and their event, learn from them never to lose hope of success in an honourable cause. The aid of Providence, as it should never be presumed on, so it should never be despaired of. Within five days from the date of that letter the name of WOLFE had become immortal to all ages!

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It does not seem certain at what period or by what accident the English General first conceived the daring thought to land his troops beneath the heights of Abraham, on some point less guarded than the rest. But the honour of that first thought belongs to Wolfe alone; and, once conceived, it was no less ably and boldly pursued. The ships under Admiral Saunders were directed to make a feint opposite the French camp at Beauport, as if

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* His previous despatch of Sept. 2. ends as follows: "Happy if our efforts here can contribute to the success of His Majesty's arms in other parts of America!"-(Ann. Reg. 1759, p. 246.) Thus also Admiral Saunders writes on the 5th of September: "Let the " event be what it will, we shall remain here as long as the season of the year will permit, in order to prevent their detaching troops from bence against General Amherst." (Entick's History, vol. iv. p. 112.)