USA > New York > The history of New York from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 13
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The resolute and sagacious Montcalm instantly seized advantage of the error. Stripping off his coat, he drew his sword, and forbidding, under
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penalty of death, a single musket to be fired until he gave the word, he waited silently until the English had become embarrassed by the limbs of the trees and by the loose logs and other entangling rubbish of which the abatis had been formed. Then, at the given signal, the fire of his artillery and musketry opened, and swept off the assailants by hundreds. Checked for the moment, but not dismayed, the troops returned to the assault, and for four hours persevered in their desperate attempt to force a passage over the breastwork; while the French, covered by their intrenchments, kept up an incessant and destructive fire with but little loss to themselves. Daring even to the extreme of rashness, the re- gulars, entangled at every step they took, made successive attempts upon the centre, upon the left, and upon the right ; but at length becoming bewildered by the prodigious slaughter, they commenced to fire upon each other, when Aber- crombie ordered the attack to be abandoned, and retreated precipitately across the lake, with a loss, in killed and wounded, of nearly two thousand men.
The army, disheartened and discontented, had no sooner reached Fort William Henry, than Bradstreet solicited permission to lead a strong force of provincials against Fort Frontenac. A detachment of three thousand men being relue- tantly placed at his disposal, he proceeded at
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once, by forced marches, from Lake George to Albany, ascended the Mohawk River, crossed the portage to Oneida Lake, embarked at Oswe- go in open boats, sailed down Lake Ontario, en- tered the St. Lawrence, and landing within a mile of the fort, invested it on the 26th of Au- gust; and on the following day compelled the astonished garrison to surrender. By this bril- liant exploit, thirty pieces of cannon, sixteen small mortars, and nine armed vessels, employed in supplying Duquesne and the other southern forts with military stores, fell into the hands of Bradstreet. Fort Frontenac, a strong stone structure, was laid in ruins ; and of its garrison, one hundred men became prisoners of war, as many more having previously sought safety by flight. In twenty-four days Bradstreet was back at the Oneida portage, having lost but few men by the enemy, though some five hundred of his detachment, principally from New York, died soon after of sickness.
In the mean time, General Forbes was on his way to Fort Duquesne, marching slowly, cutting a new road as he went, greatly to the indigna- tion of Washington, who would have pushed for- ward by the old route opened for Braddock's army. It was not until the 5th of November that the main body of the troops succeeded in reaching the camp at Loyal Hanna. The sea- son being so far advanced, and a distance of
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fifty miles of unbroken forest yet remaining to be traversed, it was decided by a council of war to relinquish the expedition until the following year. Fortunately, at this juncture three pri- soners were brought in, from whom it was ascer- tained that the garrison, cut off from their usual supplies by the capture of Fort Frontenac, had been deserted by their Indian allies, upon whose fidelity the hope of a successful defence had mainly depended. Inspirited by these tidings, Forbes resolved to leave behind him the heavy baggage and artillery, and press forward at once. Washington, at his own solicitation, was thrown in advance to clear the way for the main army. But the obstacles were many and the progress slow; and it was not until the 25th of November that the troops took peaceable pos- session of the ruins of Fort Duquesne, the French having fired and abandoned it the day previous. The structure was immediately ordered to be re- newed and strengthened, and having been sup- plied with a garrison of four hundred and fifty men, was named Fort Pitt, in honour of the mi- nister whose energy and decision had so greatly contributed to the general success of the cam- paign.
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CHAPTER XVII.
Campaign of 1759-Plan of conquest-Prideaux marches against Fort Niagara-Invests it-Is killed -- Attempts of the French to raise the siege-Their defeat-Capitulation of the garrison-March of Amherst -Ticonderoga and Crown Point deserted -- Wolfe sails for Quebec-Takes possession of the Isle of Orleans --- Quebec-Its situation and defences- Defended by Montcalm-His encampment-Attempt to fire the British fleet frustrated-Occupation of Point Levi- Wolfe encamps on the east bank of the Montmorenci- Battle of Montmorenci-The English repulsed-Murray ordered up the St. Lawrence-The heights of Abraham- Plan of attack-Daring movement of Wolfe-Its success- Incredulity of Montcalm-Preparations for battle-The English victorious-Death of Wolfe-Montcalm mortally wounded-Capitulation of Quebec-De Levi attempts to recapture it-Capture of Montreal-Final conquest of Canada.
EMBOLDENED by the advantages already gained, Pitt now resolved upon the entire con- quest of Canada. Ilis call upon the colonies for additional levies for the campaign of 1759 was met with alacrity. New York voted her previous quota of two thousand six hundred and eighty men, and appropriated one hundred thou- sand pounds for their levy and equipment.
The plan of conquest embraced three expedi- tions, separately commanded. While Prideaux marched against the fort at Niagara, Amherst, who had succeeded Abercrombie as commander-
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in-chief, was to advance upon Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and, after reducing those places, was to proceed, by way of Lake Champlain and the Sorel River, to the assistance of Wolfe, who, supported by a powerful fleet under Admiral Saunders, had been ordered to attempt the re- duction of Quebec.
The first blow was struck by Prideaux. Leav- ing a portion of his troops at Oswego to recon- struct a fort at that place, he embarked on Lake Ontario with about two thousand regulars and provincials, reinforced by several hundred Iro- quois warriors led by Sir William Johnson; and landing on the 6th of July; without opposition, a few miles east of the peninsula upon which the ruins of Fort Niagara are yet to be seen, in-> vested it in form.
Anxious to preserve a station of so much im- portance to the safety of the interior posts, detachments from the garrisons at Detroit, Le Bœuf, Venango, and Erie, to the number of twelve hundred men, accompanied by a strong body of Indian auxiliaries, hastened to the relief of the besieged.
Receiving early intelligence of the danger by which he was menaced, Prideaux made his ar- rangements to meet it. Being killed on the 15th of July by the bursting of a cohorn, the chief command devolved upon Sir William Johnson, who, faithfully following out the plans of his
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predecessor, posted his troops between the fort and the cataract, so as to intercept the advance of the French. On the morning of the 24th of July the latter made their appearance, and the war-whoop of their Indian allies was the signal for battle. The contest was sustained with great firmness and determination for nearly an hour ; but the Iroquois, gaining the flanks of the French, succeeded in throwing them into confu- sion, and the English charging at the same mno- ment, a panic ensued which ended in the total rout of the relieving force, large numbers of whom, hotly pursued, were killed in the sur- rounding forests. The next day the garrison, six hundred and seven in number, capitulated ; and communication with Erie, Le Boeuf, and Ve- nango being thus cut off, those posts were aban- doned soon after.
While the western army was investing Fort Niagara, Amherst marched for Ticonderoga. With eleven thousand regulars and provincials he descended Lake George in four columns of boats, and on the 22d of July disembarked his troops on the eastern shore of the outlet, nearly opposite to the point where Abercrombie had landed previously. The French being defeated the same evening in a skirmish at the Saw-mills, Bourlamarque, their commander, abandoned the lines from behind which Montcalm had repulsed his assailants with so much slaughter, leaving
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. behind him four hundred men to garrison the fortress. Cautiously advancing, Amherst took possession of the deserted works ; but, before his batteries were completed, the garrison blew up their magazines, and on the 26th retreated to Crown Point. On the 31st, they evacuated the latter fort also, and fell back to Isle-aux-Noix, where, thirty-five hundred in number, well fur- nished with artillery, and having a naval supe- riority on the lake, they proceeded to entrench themselves. The repair of the abandoned forts, and the construction of vessels of sufficient strength to cope with those of the enemy, occu- pied the attention of Amherst until the 10th of October, when, not knowing that Quebec had already fallen, he set sail for the purpose of co- operating with Wolfe; but being bafiled by adverse winds, he returned to Crown Point on the 21st, and disposed of his troops in winter quarters.
As soon as the harbour of Louisburg was free from floating ice, Wolfe, having under him Bri- gadiers Monckton, Townsend, and Murray, all three of whom were young men of station and affluence, had embarked his army of cight thou- sand men under convoy of a fleet of forty-four ships of the line, frigates, and armed vessels, commanded by Admiral Saunders, and, ascend- ing the St. Lawrence, had landed his forces on
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QUEBEC.
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the 27th of June upon the Isle of Orleans, a few miles below Quebec.
The defence of the latter city had been under- taken by the Marquis Montcalm, whose troops, although superior in numbers to the British, con- sisted of less than two thousand regulars, the remainder being militia and Indians. He there- fore wisely determined to avoid a battle, if pos- sible, and to depend upon the natural strength of the country. The advantages which this gave him he had sedulously improved to the utmost.
Situated upon a point of land formed by the junction of the St. Charles with the St. Law- rence, Quebec consisted of an upper and a lower town, which, besides being protected on the north and south by those rivers, were fortified with great care and art. The lower town, washed by the river, nestling at the base of a bold and rocky precipice, forty-eight feet in height, was over- looked by the upper town and citadel, which crested the summit. This rocky and precipitous wall, extending for a considerable distance west- wardly along the St. Lawrence, opposed an almost impracticable barrier to any attempt which might be made to surmount it; and for nine miles above and below the city, or from Cape Rouge to the Falls of the Montmorenci, every weak point had been strengthened and protected. To guard these extensive lines, Montcalm had encamped his troops behind in-
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trenchments along the shore below Quebec, the centre of his position being the village of Beau- port, while his wings extended to the St. Charles on the one side and the Montmorenci on the other. Such were the obstacles which it was required of Wolfe to overcome before he could hope to obtain possession of the city.
The troops had scarcely disembarked, before a furious storm arose, in the midst of which several of the smaller craft foundered. Some of the vessels of war also lost their anchors, and several of the transports sustained serious da- mage. Taking advantage of the confusion arising from this occurrence, the French let loose, on the night of the 28th, a fleet of fire- ships, which, floating down with the tide, created considerable alarm; but the sailors resolutely boarded them, and towing them ashore, freed the shipping in the river from the danger by which they had been menaced.
On the next night, Brigadier Murray, with four battalions, was despatched across the south channel to take possession of Point Levi, oppo- site to Quebec, and to commence the construc- tion of batteries for mortar and cannon. While these works were in progress, sixteen hundred of the citizens of Quebec, foreseeing the destruc- tion which must ensue, volunteered to cross the river and destroy them; but, being seized with a panic, they fell into confusion, fired on one
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another, and retreated in disorder. The artil- lery opened soon after with great effect; shells and red-hot balls entirely destroying the lower town, and considerably damaging the upper. The distance being found too great to make any impression upon the citadel, and the strong river- works protecting the place from assault, Wolfe, eager to bring Montcalm to battle, crossed the north channel on the night of the 9th of July, and encamped on the eastern bank of the Mont- morenci, opposite to the left wing of the French encampment.
On an examination of the river, a ford was discovered about three miles from its mouth ; but the opposite bank was intrenched, and so steep and woody, that the passage was pro- nounced impracticable. A reconnoissance was next made of the St. Lawrence, above Quebec, but the bold shore was found equally well pro- tected by nature and art. Notwithstanding the obstacles which everywhere presented themselves, Wolfe projected an attempt to be made at St. Michael's Cove, three miles above the city ; but Montcalm foiled the design by planting a mortar and artillery at that point to play upon the ship- ping. A landing at the cove being thus rendered too hazardous, Wolfe returned to his camp on the Montmorenci, and adopted the desperate resolu- tion of crossing that river below the falls, where it was fordable for several hours between the
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latter part of the ebb and the beginning of the flood tide.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 31st of July, the brigades of Townsend and Murray were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to take advantage of the tide and pass the river on foot, while a detachment of grenadiers and a part of Monckton's brigade were descending from Point Levi to co-operate with them.
At the proper time of the tide, the signal be- ing made, Townsend's corps was put in motion, and at the same moment the boats crossed the St. Lawrence; but the latter grounding on a ledge, were thrown into confusion, and consider- able time was lost before they could be gotten off. During this interval, the march of Town- send's corps was delayed, while Wolfe, accom- panied by several naval officers, pushed off in a flat-bottomed boat, and selected a better place for the troops to land. Thinking it, even then, not too late to make an attack, a disembarkation was ordered. Thirteen companies of grenadiers and two hundred of the second Royal American battalion being the first to reach the shore, were directed to form and begin the assault, so soon as Townsend's corps had crossed the ford, and the forces under Monckton had arrived within supporting distance.
But, without waiting even to form, the advance party rushed forward in impetuous disorder to
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ATTACK ON . QUEBEC. . 229
storm the intrenchments. Great numbers of them being swept away by the close and well-directed fire which immediately opened upon them, the remainder were driven to seek shelter in and around a redoubt which the French had aban- doned on their approach. Unable to organize under so destructive a fire, they were compelled to remain under cover until the approach of night, when Wolfe directed their recall, fearing that the returning tide would expose the troops which had crossed the Montmorenci to the dan- ger of being cut off by the enemy. The retreat was effected in good order and without loss ; but five hundred men had previously been killed and wounded; such of the latter as could not be brought off, were subsequently murdered and scalped by the savages.
Immediately after this severe repulse, Mur- ray, with twelve hundred men, assisted by a por- tion of the fleet under Rear-Admiral Holmes, was sent up the river to endeavour to destroy some French ships, and open a communication with Amherst. Two different attempts made by this detachment to effect a landing on the north shore were repulsed ; but on a third, Mur- ray succeeded in surprising a weak military guard at Deschambault, and in burning a maga- zine containing provisions and military stores. From some prisoners captured at the latter place, Wolfe learned for the first time that Niagara had
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surrendered, that the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been abandoned, and that Bourlamarque, with three thousand men, was fortifying himself at Isle-au-Noix.
For a long time Wolfe waited hopefully for the approach of Amherst, until, chafing at his own ill success, and worn down by toil, watch- ing, and anxiety, he fell ill of a fever. Even during this period of physical prostration, the ardour of his mind remained unabated, and he proposed to his principal officers several despe- rate plans of attack, which were respectively abandoned. At length it was resolved to pro- ceed up the river, and attempt, by an assault on the city, to bring on a general engagement. The troops were accordingly transported from the camp at Montmorenci to Point Levi; but, after a long and careful examination, the approaches to the citadel were found to be so strongly intrench- ed and fortified, that although the batteries of the lower town might have been silenced with ease from the ships, the latter would have been subjected to considerable damage from the mor- tars planted on the heights ; and so dangerous and unpromising did the undertaking appear, that Wolfe would not propose it to the admiral.
By this time the month of September had set in, and there remained only one hazardous chance of success. A close scrutiny of the north shore had revealed to the quick eyes of Wolfe, at a
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short distance above the city, a narrow in- trenched path, very difficult of ascent, winding up the steep acclivity from the beach formed by a small cove of the river, and terminating in the IIcights of Abraham. This path was protected by a battery of four guns, supported by a small force of Canadian militia, whose tents gleamed whitely on the summit of the heights. Here Wolfe resolved to disembark five thousand men secretly by night, and, climbing the bank, to form them on the plain above in the rear of the town, where the fortifications were weakest ; although the rapidity of the stream, the narrow- ness of the landing-place, and the numerous sen- tinels posted watchfully along the shore, added greatly to the danger of the enterprise and the probability of an early discovery.
The troops destined for this service were ac- cordingly transported to a considerable distance up the river, and all the necessary preparations having been made, at one o'clock on the morn- ing of the 13th they dropped silently down the river in boats, without using oar or sail, but trusting to the force of the current only. The ships followed shortly after to cover the landing. " Who goes there ?" shouted a sentinel from the shore, as the boats were gliding quietly down with the stream. ". La France !" promptly re- sponded an English captain, in the language of the challenger. " What regiment ?" demanded
Hạ Tên dier. ma
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the sentinel. " De la Reine !" replied the cap- tain, who recollected that such was the name of a regiment which had been sent up the river under Bougainville to watch the movements of the English. "Pass on !" said the guard. They were subsequently hailed again several times, but averted detection by similar replies. One of the sentinels, however, was more suspicious. Run- ning down to the water's edge, he exclaimed, "Why don't you speak louder ?" "Hush ! we shall be overheard !" said the captain, signi- ficantly, and the boats were suffered to pass without further interruption. Some struck the landing-place, and others fell a little below it. The troops from the latter, among whom was Wolfe, aided by bushes and projecting roots, clambered up the precipitous wall of rock, nearly two hundred feet in height, and dislodging the guard intrusted with the defence of the pathway, were speedily joined by their companions. By daybreak the whole of the troops had surmounted the obstacles which had impeded their progress, and stood in battle array upon the Plains of Abraham.
When the intelligence first reached Montcalm, he received it with incredulity, for he had never conceived the possibility of any large body of men succeeding in so daring and perilous an en- terprise. The tidings being confirmed soon after, he sent swift messengers to Bougainville and De
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Vaudreuil, the one commanding fifteen hundred and the other two thousand men, to join him with all possible despatch; but after waiting im- patiently for some time without being reinforced by either, he crossed the St. Charles to dare the issue which had been thus suddenly forced upon him. By ten o'clock the two armies, cach about five thousand in number, stood opposed to each other in order of battle.
The advantage of the ground was with Mont- calm, but his troops, composed partly of militia and Indians, were far inferior to the English. Aftor a cannonade of nearly an hour, from threc small field-pieces on the part of the French, and two on that of the English, Montcalm, hav- ing posted fifteen hundred irregulars under cover of the corn-fields and bushes in front, advanced with the intention of outflanking the British. This movement being frustrated by Wolfe, who despatched Townsend with the regiment of Am- herst to form on the left, so as to present a dou- ble front to the enemy, Montcalm, taking his station on the left of his line, opposite to where Wolfe stood at the head of his grenadiers, ad- vanced with a dashing intrepidity to the attack.
The English troops, disregarding the skir- mishers, by whom they were considerably an- noyed, reserved their fire until the main body of the enemy approached within forty yards, when they opened with such a regular, incessant, 20*
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and destructive discharge of musketry, that the French soon exhibited signs of faltering. Mont- calm was wounded, and his second in command killed. Profiting by the terrible check which his adversary had sustained, Wolfe ordered a charge with fixed bayonets, himself leading the twenty- eighth and the grenadiers. At this prompt and well-timed movement the French gave way; but as Wolfe moved forward in advance of his sol- diers, he received a musket-ball in the wrist. Wrapping his handkerchief about the wound, he continued to lead his men. He was soon after struck more dangerously by a second bullet, but intent only upon securing the victory, he con- cealed the knowledge of it from those about him, and still pressed on. Just as the French were becoming completely disorganized, a third bullet pierced his breast, and he was carried to the rear mortally wounded. While reclining upon the ground, supported by one of his officers, he questioned him eagerly respecting the progress of the battle. Being told that the French ranks were greatly disordered, he desired to be lifted up, that he might once more view the field, but his eyes were already growing dim. Suddenly the officer exclaimed, " They run ! they run !" " Who run ?" said Wolfe. "The French !" re- plied the officer. "What, do they run already ?" he responded; and for a few moments the ap- proach of death was suspended by the tidings he
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had heard. He gave rapid directions that Webb's regiment should be marched to Charles' River to intercept the fugitives, and then exclaiming, " Now, God be praised ! I die happy !" he fell back in the arms of his attendants, and expired.
Monckton being dangerously wounded, the chief command fell upon Townsend. The pur- suit of the fugitives was stayed soon after, and the troops recalled. This was scarcely effected before Bougainville, hastening to the assistance of Montcalm, made his appearance upon the field with a reinforcement of two thousand men ; but the victory was already won. After some sharp skirmishing, he secured the safety of his detach- ment by withdrawing into the neighbouring woods and swamps.
The fate of Quebec was now no longer doubt- ful, for Montcalm, the only man whose genius might yet have saved it from capture, had also been wounded mortally while attempting to rally a party of fugitives. Expressing himself thank- ful that he should not live to see the surrender of the city, he wrote the same evening to Town- send, recommending the French prisoners to his humanity, and died early the following morning. In this important battle the French lost five hundred in killed and a thousand in wounded and prisoners. The loss of the English amounted only to fifty men killed, though their wounded numbered upward of five hundred.
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