the conquest of new france-第24章

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

fierce　national　pride　had　been　stirred　to　passion　by　the　many

humiliations　at　the　hand　of　France；　and　now　he　was　resolved　to

organize；　to　spend；　and　to　fight；　until　Britain　trampled　on

France。　He　had　the　nation　behind　him。　He　bullied　and　frightened

the　House　of　Commons。　Members　trembled　if　Pitt　turned　on　them。　By

his　fiery　energy；　by　making　himself　a　terror　to　weakness　and

incompetence；　he　won　for　Britain　the　Seven　Years'　War。



Though　Pitt　became　Secretary　of　State　for　War　in　June；　1757；　not

until　1758　did　the　tide　begin　to　turn　in　America。　But　when　it　did

turn；　it　flowed　with　resistless　force。　In　little　more　than　a　year

the　doom　of　New　France　was　certain。　The　first　great　French

reverse　was　at　a　point　where　the　naval　and　military　power　of

Britain　could　unite　in　attack。　Pitt　well　understood　the　need　of

united　action　by　the　two　services。　Halifax　became　the　radiating

center　of　British　activities。　Here；　in　1757；　before　Pitt　was　well

in　the　saddle；　a　fleet　and　an　army　gathered　to　attack　Louisbourg…

…an　enterprise　not　carried　out　that　year　partly　because　France

had　a　great　fleet　on　the　spot；　and　partly；　too；　on　account　of　the

bad　quality　of　British　leadership。　



Only　in　the　campaign　of　1758　did　Pitt's　dominance　become

effective。　With　him　counted　one　quality　and　one　alone；

efficiency。　The　old　guard　at　the　War　Office　were　startled　when

men　with　rank；　years；　influence；　and　every　other　claim　but

competence　for　their　tasks；　were　passed　over；　and　young　and

obscure　men　were　given　high　command。　To　America　in　the　spring　of

1758　were　sent　officers　hitherto　little　known。　Edward　Boscawen；

Commander　of　the　Fleet；　and　veteran　among　these　leaders；　was　a

comparatively　young　man；　only　forty…seven；　Jeffrey　Amherst；　just

turned　forty；　was　Commander…in…Chief　on　land。　Next　in　command　to

Amherst　was　James　Wolfe；　aged　thirty。

　

These　young　and　vigorous　men　knew　the　value　of　promptness　or　they

would　not　have　been　tolerated　under　Pitt。　Before　the　end　of　May；

1758；　Boscawen　was　in　Halifax　harbor　with　a　fleet　of　some　forty

warships　and　a　multitude　of　transports。　On　board　were　nearly

twelve　thousand　soldiers；　more　than　eleven　thousand　of　them

British　regulars。　The　colonial　forces　now　play　a　minor　part　in

the　struggle；　Pitt　was　ready　to　send　from　England　all　the　troops

needed。　The　array　at　Halifax；　the　greatest　yet　seen　in　America；

numbered　about　twenty　thousand　men；　including　sailors。　Before　the

first　of　June　the　fleet　was　on　its　way　to　Louisbourg。　The　defense

was　stubborn；　and　James　Wolfe；　who　led　the　first　landing　party；

had　abundant　opportunity　to　prove　his　courage　and　capacity。　By

the　end　of　July；　however；　Louisbourg　had　fallen；　and　nearly　six

thousand　prisoners　were　in　the　hands　of　the　English。　It　was　the

beginning　of　the　end。　



In　the　autumn　Wolfe　was　back　in　England；　where　he　was　quickly

given　command　of　the　great　expedition　which　was　planned　against

Quebec　for　the　following　year。　Admiral　Sir　Charles　Saunders；　who

seems　almost　old　compared　with　Wolfe；　for　he　was　nearly　fifty；

was　in　chief　command　of　the　fleet。　Amherst　had　remained　in

America　as　Commander…in…Chief；　and　was　taking　slow；　deliberate；

thorough　measures　for　the　last　steps　in　the　conquest　of　New

France。



To　be　too　late　had　been　the　usual　fate　of　the　many　British

expeditions　against　Canada。　No　one；　however；　dared　to　be　late

under　Pitt。　On　February　17；　1759；　the　greatest　fleet　that　had

ever　put　out　for　America　left　Portsmouth。　More　than　two　hundred

and　fifty　ships　set　their　sails　for　the　long　voyage。　There　were

forty…nine　warships；　carrying　fourteen　thousand　sailors　and

marines；　and　two　hundred　other　ships　manned　by　perhaps　seven

thousand　men　in　the　merchant　service；　but　ready　to　fight　if

occasion　offered。　Altogether　nearly　thirty　thousand　men　now　left

the　shores　of　England　to　attack　Canada。



There　is　a　touch　of　doom　for　France　in　the　fact　that　its　own　lost

fortress　of　Louisbourg　was　to　be　the　rendezvous　of　the　fleet。

Saunders；　however；　arrived　so　early　that　the　entrance　to

Louisbourg　was　still　blocked　with　ice；　and　he　went　on　to　Halifax。

In　time　he　returned　to　Louisbourg；　and　from　there　the　great　fleet

sailed　for　Quebec。　The　voyage　was　uneventful。　We　can　picture　the

startled　gaze　of　the　Canadian　peasants　as　they　saw　the　stately

array；　many　miles　long；　pass　up　the　St。　Lawrence。　On　the　26th　of

June；　Wolfe　and　Saunders　were　in　the　basin　before　Quebec　and　the

great　siege　had　begun　which　was　to　mark　one　of　the　turning…points

in　history。



Nature　had　furnished　a　noble　setting　for　the　drama　now　to　be

enacted。　Quebec　stands　on　a　bold　semicircular　rock　on　the　north

shore　of　the　St。　Lawrence。　At　the　foot　of　the　rock　sweeps　the

mighty　river；　here　at　the　least　breadth　in　its　whole　course；　but

still　a　flood　nearly　a　mile　wide；　deep　and　strong。　Its　currents

change　ceaselessly　with　the　ebb　and　flow　of　the　tide　which　rises

a　dozen　feet；　though　the　open　sea　is　eight　hundred　miles　away。

Behind　the　rock　of　Quebec　the　small　stream　of　the　St。　Charles

furnishes　a　protection　on　the　landward　side。　Below　the　fortress；

the　great　river　expands　into　a　broad　basin　with　the　outflow

divided　by　the　Island　of　Orleans。　In　every　direction　there　are

cliffs　and　precipices　and　rising　ground。　From　the　north　shore　of

the　great　basin　the　land　slopes　gradually　into　a　remote　blue　of

wooded　mountains。　The　assailant　of　Quebec　must　land　on　low　ground

commanded　everywhere　from　heights　for　seven　or　eight　miles　on　the

east　and　as　many　on　the　west。　At　both　ends　of　this　long　front　are

further　natural　defensesat　the　east　the　gorge　of　the

Montmorency　River；　at　the　west　that　of　the　Cap　Rouge　River。



Wolfe's　desire　was　to　land　his　army　on　the　Beauport　shore　at　some

point　between　Quebec　and　Montmorency。　But　Montcalm's　fortified

posts；　behind　which　lay　his　army；　stretched　along　the　shore　for

six　miles；　all　the　way　from　the　Montmorency　to　the　St。　Charles。

Wolfe　had　a　great　contempt　for　Montcalm's　army〃five　feeble

French　battalions　mixed　with　undisciplined　peasants。〃　If　only　he

could　get　to　close　quarters　with　the　〃wily　and　cautious　old　fox；〃

as　he　called　Montcalm！　Already　the　British　had　done　what　the

French　had　thought　impossible。　Without　pilots　they　had　steered

their　ships　through　treacherous　channels　in　the　river　and　through

the　dangerous　〃Traverse〃　near　Cap　Tourmente。　Captain　Cook；

destined　to　be　a　famous　navigator；　was　there　to　survey　and　mark

the　difficult　places；　and　British　skippers　laughed　at　the

forecasts　of　disaster　made　by　the　pilots　whom　they　had　captured

on　the　river。　The　French　were　confident　that　the　British　would

not　dare　to　take　their　ships　farther　up　the　river　past　the

cannonade　of　the　guns　in　Quebec；　though　this　the　British

accomplished　almost　without　loss。　



Wolfe　landed　a　force　upon　the　lower　side　of　the　gorge　at

Montmorency　and　another　at　the　head　of　the　Island　of　Orleans。　He

planted　batteries　at　Point　Levis　across　the　river　from　Quebec；

and　from　there　he　battered　the　city。　The　pleasant　houses　in　the

Rue　du　Parloir　which　Montcalm　knew　so　well　were　knocked　into

rubbish；　and　its　fascinating　ladies　were　driven　desolate　from　the

capital。　But　this　bombardment　brought　Wolfe　no　nearer　his　goal。

On　the　31st　of　July　he　made　a　frontal　attack　on　the　flats　at

Beauport　and　failed　disastrously　with　a　loss　of　four　hundred　men。

Time　was　fighting　for　Montcalm。　



By　the　1st　of　September　Wolfe's　one　hope　was　in　a　surprise　by

which　he　could　land　an　army　above　Quebec；　the　nearer　to　the

fortress　the　better。　Its　feeble　walls　on　the　landward　side　could

not　hold　out　against　artillery。　But　Bougainville　guarded　the　high

shore　and　marched　his　men　incessantly　up　and　down　to　meet

threatened　attacks。　On　the　heights；　the　battalion　of　Guienne　was

encamped　on　the　Plains　of　Abraham　to　guard　the　Foulon。　This　was　a

cove　on　the　river　bank　from　which　there　was　a　path；　much　used　by

the　French　for　dragging　up　provisions；　leading　to　the　top　of　the

cliff　at　a　point　little　more　than　a　mile　from　the　walls　of　the

city。　On　the　6th　of　September　the　battalion　of　Guienne　was　sent

back　to　the　Beauport　lines　by　order　of　Vaudreuil。　Montcalm

countermanded　the　order；　but　was　not　obeyed；　and　Wolfe　saw　his

chance。　For　days　he　threatened　a　landing；　above　and　below　Quebec；

now　at　one　point；　now　at　another；　until　the　French　were　both

mystified　and　worn　out　with　incessant　alarms。　Then；　early　on　the

morning　of　the　13th　of　September；　came　Wolfe's　master…stroke。　His

men　embarked　in　boats　from　the　warships　lying　some　miles　above

Quebec；　dropped　silently　down　the　river；　close　to　the　north

shore；　made　sentries　believe　that　they　were　French　boats　carrying

provisions　to　the　Foulon；　landed　at　the　appointed　spot；　climbed

up　the　cliff；　and　overpowered　the　sleeping　guard。　A　little　after

daylight　Wolfe　had　nearly　five　thousand　soldiers；　a　〃thin　red

line；〃　busy　preparing　a　strong　position　on　the　Plains　of　Abraham；

while　the　fleet　was　landing　cannon；　to　be　dragged　up　the　steep

hill　to　bombard　the　fortress　on　its　weakest　side。



Montcalm　had　spent　many　anxious　days。　He　had　been　incessantly　on

the　move；　examining　for　himself　over　and　over　again　every　point；

Cap　Rouge；　Beauport；　Montmorency；　reviewing　the　militia　of　which

he　felt　uncertain；　inspecting　the　artillery；　the　commissariat；

everything　that　mattered。　At　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　one

of　these　days　he　wrote　to　Bourlamaque；　at　Lake　Champlain；　noting

the　dark　night；　the　rain；　his　men　awake　and　dressed　in　their

tents；　everyone　alert。　〃I　am　booted　and　my　horses　are　saddled；

which　is　in　truth　my　usual　way　of　spending　the　night。　I　have　not

undressed　since　the　twenty…third　of　June。〃　On　the　evening　of　the

12th　of　September　the　batteries　at　Point　Levis　kept　up　a　furious

fire　on　Quebec。　There　was　much　activity　on　board　the　British

war…ships　lying　below　the　town。　Boats　filled　with　men　rowed

towards　Beauport　as　if　to　attempt　a　landing　during　the　night。

Here　the　danger　seemed　to　lie。　At　midnight　the　British　boats　were

still　hovering　off　the　shore。　The　French　troops　manned　the

entrenched　lines　and　Montcalm　was　continually　anxious。　A　heavy

convoy　of　provisions　was　to　come　down　to　the　Foulon　that　night；

and　orders　had　been　given　to　the　French　posts　on　the　north　shore

above　Quebec　to　make　no　noise。　The　arrival　of　the　convoy　was

vital；　for　the　army　was　pressed　for　food。　Montcalm　was　therefore

anxious　for　its　fate　when　at　break　of　day　he　heard　firing　from

the　French　cannon　at　Samos；　above　Quebec。　Had　the　provisions　then

been　taken　by　the　English？　Near　his　camp　all　now　seemed　quiet。　He

gave　orders　for　the　troops　to　rest；　drank　some　cups　of　tea　with

his　aide…de…camp　Johnstone；　a　Scotch　Jacobite；　and　at　about

half…past　six　rode　towards　Quebec　to　the　camp　of　Vaudreuil　to

learn　why　the　artillery　was　firing　at　Samos。　Immediately　in　front

of　the　Governor's　house　he　learned　the　mo