the conquest of new france-第23章

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If　this　plan　succeeded；　all　else　would　succeed。　Montcalm　must

just　hold　on；　conduct　a　defensive　campaign　and；　above　all；　retain

some　part　of　Canada　since；　as　the　Duke　said　with　prophetic

foresight；　if　the　British　once　held　the　whole　of　the　country　they

would　never　give　it　up。　Montcalm　himself　had　laid　before　the

court　a　plan　of　his　own。　He　estimated　that　the　British　would　have

six　men　to　his　one。　Rather　than　surrender　to　them；　he　would

withdraw　to　the　far　interior　and　take　his　army　by　way　of　the　Ohio

to　Louisiana。　The　design　was　a　wild　counsel　of　despair　for　he

would　be　cut　off　from　any　base　of　supplies；　but　it　shows　the

risks

he　was　ready　to　tale。　In　him　now　the　court　had　complete

confidence。　Vaudreuil　was　instructed　to　take　no　military　action

without　seeking　the　counsel　of　Montcalm。　〃The　King；〃　wrote

Belle…Isle　to　Montcalm；　〃relies　upon　your　zeal；　your　courage　and

your　resolution。〃　Some　little　help　was　sent。　The　British　control

of　the　sea　was　not　complete；　since　more　than　twenty　French　ships

eluded　British　vigilance；　bringing　military　stores；　food　（for

Canada　was　confronted　by　famine）；　four　hundred　soldiers；　and

Bougainville　himself；　with　a　list　of　honors　for　the　leaders　in

Canada。　Montcalm　was　given　the　rank　of　Lieutenant…General　and；

but　for　a　technical　difficulty；　would　have　been　made　a　Marshal　of

France。



All　this　reliance　upon　Montcalm　was　galling　to　Vaudreuil。　This

weak　man　was　entirely　in　the　hands　of　a　corrupt　circle　who

recognized　in　the　strength　and　uprightness　of　Montcalm　their

deadly　enemy。　An　incredible　plundering　was　going　on。　Its　strength

was　in　the　blindness　of　Vaudreuil。　The　secretary　of　Vaudreuil；

Grasset　de　Saint…Sauveur；　an　ignorant　and　greedy　man；　was　a

member　of　the　ring　and　yet　had　the　entire　confidence　of　the

Governor。　The　scale　of　the　robberies　was　enormous。　Bigot；　the

Intendant；　was　stealing　millions　of　francs；　Cadet；　the　head　of

the　supplies　department；　was　stealing　even　more。　They　were　able

men　who　knew　how　to　show　diligence　in　their　official　work。　More

than　once　Montcalm　praises　the　resourcefulness　with　which　Bigot

met　his　requirements。　But　it　was　all　done　at　a　fearful　cost　to

the　State。　Under　assumed　names　the　ring　sold　to　the　King；　of

whose　interests　they　were　the　guardians；　supplies　at　a　profit　of

a　hundred　or　a　hundred　and　fifty　per　cent。　They　made　vast　sums

out　of　transport。　They　drew　pay　for　feeding　hundreds　of　men　who

were　not　in　the　King's　service。　They　received　money　for　great

bills　of　merchandise　never　delivered　and　repeated　the　process

over　and　over　again。　To　keep　the　Indians　friendly　the　King　sent

presents　of　guns；　ammunition；　and　blankets。　These　were　stolen　and

sold。　Even　the　bodies　of　Acadians　were　sold。　They　were　hired　out

for　their　keep　to　a　contractor　who　allowed　them　to　die　of　cold

and　hunger。　Hundreds　of　the　poor　exiles　perished。　The　nemesis　of

a　despotic　system　is　that；　however　well…intentioned　it　may　be；

its　officials　are　not　controlled　by　an　alert　public　opinion　and

yet　must　be　trusted　by　their　master。　France　meant　well　by　her

colony　but　the　colony；　unlike　the　English　colonies；　was　not

taught　to　look　after　itself。　While　nearly　every　one　in　Canada

understood　what　was　going　on；　it　was　another　thing　to　inform

those　in　control　in　France。　La　Porte；　the　secretary　of　the

colonial　minister；　was　in　the　service　of　the　ring。　He　intercepted

letters　which　should　have　made　exposures。　Until　found　out；　he　had

the　ear　of　the　minister　and　echoed　the　tone　of　lofty　patriotism

which　Bigot　assumed　in　his　letters　to　his　superiors。




History　has　made　Montcalm　one　of　its　heroesand　with　justice。　He

was　a　remarkable　man；　who　would　have　won　fame　as　a　scholar　had　he

not　followed　the　long　family　tradition　of　a　soldier's　career。

Bougainville　once　said　that　the　highest　literary　distinction　of　a

Frenchman；　a　chair　in　the　Academy；　might　be　within　reach　of

Montcalm　as　well　as　the　baton　of　a　Marshal　of　France。　He　had　a

prodigious　memory　and　had　read　widely。　His　letters；　written　amid

the　trying　conditions　of　war；　are　nervous；　direct；　pregnant　with

meaning；　the　notes　of　a　penetrating　intelligence。　He　had　deep

family　affection。　〃Adieu；　my　heart；　I　believe　that　I　love　you

more　than　ever　I　did　before〃；　these　were　the　last　words　of　what

he　did　not　know　was　to　be　his　last　letter　to　his　wife。　In　the

midst　of　a　gay　scene　at　Montreal；　in　the　spring　of　1759；　he

writes　to　Bourlamaque；　then　at　Lake　Champlain；　with　acute　longing

for　the　south　of　France　in　the　spring。　For　six　or　seven　months　in

the　year　he　could　receive　no　letters　and　always　the　British

command　of　the　sea　made　their　expected　arrival　uncertain。　〃When

shall　I　be　again　at　the　Chateau　of　Candiac；　with　my　plantations；

my　oaks；　my　oil　mill；　my　mulberry　trees？　O　good　God。〃　He　lays

bare　his　spirit　especially　to　Bourlamaque；　a　quiet；　efficient；

thoughtful　man；　like　himself；　and　enjoins　him　to　burn　the

letterswhich　he　does　not；　happily　for　posterity。　Scandal　does

not　touch　him　but；　like　most　Frenchmen；　he　is　dependent　on　the

society　of　women。　He　lived　in　a　house　on　the　ramparts　of　Quebec

and　visited　constantly　the　salons　of　his　neighbor　in　the　Rue　du

Parloir；　the　beautiful　and　witty　Madame　de　la　Naudiere。　In　two　or

three　other　households　he　was　also　intimate　and　the　Bishop　was　a

sympathetic　friend。　His　own　tastes　were　those　of　the　scholar；　and

more　and　more；　during　the　long　Canadian　winters；　he　enjoyed

evenings　of　quiet　reading。　The　elder　Mirabeau；　father　of　the

revolutionary　leader　of　1789；　had　just　published　his　〃Ami　des

Hommes　〃　and　this　we　find　Montcalm　studying。　But　above　all　he

reads　the　great　encyclopaedia　of　Diderot。　By　1759　seven　of　the

huge　volumes　had　been　issued。　They　startled　the　intellectual

world　of　the　time　and　Montcalm　set　out　to　read　them；　omitting　the

articles　which　had　no　interest　for　him　or　which　he　could　not

understand。　C　is　a　copious　letter　in　an　encyclopaedia；　and

Montcalm　found　excellent　the　articles　on　Christianity；　College；

Comedy；　Comet；　Commerce；　Council；　and　so　on。　Wolfesoon　to　be

his　opponenthad　the　same　taste　for　letters。　The　two　men；　unlike

in　body；　for　Wolfe　was　tall　and　Montcalm　the　opposite；　were　alike

in　spirit；　painstaking　students　as　well　as　men　of　action。



At　first　Montcalm　had　not　realized　what　was　the　deepest　shadow　in

the　life　of　Canada。　Perhaps　chiefly　because　Vaudreuil　was　always

at　Montreal；　Montcalm　preferred　Quebec　and　was　surprised　and

charmed　by　the　life　of　that　city。　It　had；　he　said；　the　air　of　a

real　capital。　There　were　fair　women　and　brave　men；　sumptuous

dinners　with　forty　or　fifty　covers；　brilliantly　lighted　salons；　a

vivid　social　life　in　which　he　was　much　courted。　The　Intendant

Bigot　was　agreeable　and　efficient。　Soon；　however；　Montcalm　had

misgivings。　It　was　a　gambling　age；　but　he　was　staggered　by　the

extent　of　the　gambling　at　the　house　of　the　Intendant。　He　did　not

wish　to　break　with　Bigot；　and　there　was　perhaps　some　weakness　in

his　failure　to　denounce　the　orgies　from　which　his　conscience

revolted。　He　warned　his　own　officers　but　he　could　not　control　the

colonial　officers；　and　Vaudreuil　was　too　weak　to　check　a　man　like

Bigot。　Whence　came　the　money？　In　time；　Montcalm　understood　well

enough。　He　himself　was　poor。　To　discharge　the　duties　of　his

position　he　was　going　into　debt；　and　he　had　even　to　consider　the

possible　selling　of　his　establishment　in　France。　He　had　to　beg

the　court　for　some　financial　relief。　At　the　same　time　he　saw

about　him　a　wild　extravagance。　There　was　famine　in　Canada。　During

the　winter　of　1758…59　the　troops　were　put　on　short　rations　and；

in　spite　of　their　bitter　protests；　had　to　eat　horse　flesh。

Suffering　and　starvation　bore　heavily　on　the　poor。　Through　lack

of　food　people　fell　fainting　in　the　streets。　But　the　circle　of

Bigot　paid　little　heed　and　feasted；　danced；　and　gambled。　Montcalm

pours　out　his　soul　to　Bourlamaque。　He　spends；　he　says；　sleepless

nights；　and　his　mind　is　almost　disordered　by　what　he　sees。　In　his

journal　he　notes　his　own　fight　with　poverty　and　its　contrast　with

the　careless　luxury　of　a　crowd　of　worthless　hangers…on　making

four　or　five　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　and　insulting　decency

by　their　lavish　expenditure。　One　of　the　ring；　a　clerk　with　a

petty　salary；　a　base　creature；　spends　more　on　carriages；　horses；

and　harness　than　a　foppish　and　reckless　young　member　of　the

nouveaux…riches　would　spend　in　France。　Corruption　in　Canada　is

protected　by　corruption　in　France。　Montcalm　cries　out　with　a

devotion　which　his　sovereign　hardly　deserved；　though　it　was　due

to　France　herself；　〃O　King；　worthy　of　better　service；　dear

France；　crushed　by　taxes　to　enrich　greedy　knaves！〃



The　weary　winter　of　1758…59　at　length　came　to　an　end。　In　May　the

ships　already　mentioned　arrived　from　France；　bringing

Bougainville　and；　among　other　things；　the　news　that　Pitt　was

sending　great　forces　for　a　decisive　attack　on　Canada。　At　that

very　moment；　indeed；　the　British　ships　were　entering　the　mouth　of

the　St。　Lawrence。　Canada　had　already　been　cut　off　from　France。

Montcalm　held　many　councils　with　his　officers。　The　strategy

decided　upon　was　to　stand　at　bay　at　Quebec；　to　strike　the　enemy

if　he　should　try　to　land；　and　to　hold　out　until　the　approach　of

winter　should　force　the　retirement　of　the　British　fleet。







CHAPTER　X。　The　Strategy　Of　Pitt



During　four　campaigns　the　British　had　suffered　humiliating

disasters。　It　is　the　old　story　in　English　history　of　caste

privilege　and　deadly　routine　bringing　to　the　top　men　inadequate

in　the　day　of　trial。　It　has　happened　since；　even　in　our　own　day；

as　it　has　happened　so　often　before。　It　seems　that　imminent

disaster　alone　will　arouse　the　nation　to　its　best　military

effort。　In　1757；　however；　England　was　thoroughly　aroused。　Failure

then　on　her　own　special　element；　the　sea；　touched　her　vitally。

Admiral　Byngthrough　sheer　cowardice；　as　was　chargedhad　failed

to　attack　a　French　fleet　aiding　in　the　siege　of　the　island　of

Minorca　which　was　held　by　the　English；　and　Minorca　had　fallen　to

the　French。　Such　was　the　popular　clamor　at　this　disaster　that

Byng　was　tried；　condemned；　and　shot。　There　was　also　an　upheaval

in　the　government。　At　no　time　in　English　history　were　men　more

eager　for　the　fruits　of　office；　and　now；　even　in　a　great　crisis；

the　greed　for　spoils　could　not　be　shaken　off。　The　nation　demanded

a　conduct　of　the　war　which　sought　efficiency　above　all　else。　The

politicians；　however；　insisted　on　government　favors。



In　the　end　a　compromise　was　reached。　At　the　head　of　the

government　was　placed　a　politician；　the　Duke　of　Newcastle；　who

loved　jobbery　and　patronage　in　politics　and　who　doled　out　offices

to　his　supporters。　At　the　War　Office　was　placed　Pitt　with　a　free

hand　to　carry　on　military　operations。　He　was　the　terrible　cornet

of　horse　who　had　harried　Walpole　in　the　days　when　that　minister

was　trying　to　keep　out　of　war。　He　knew　and　even　loved　war；　his

fierce　national　pride　ha