the conquest of new france-第25章

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of　the　Governor's　house　he　learned　the　momentous　news。　The

English　were　on　the　Plains　of　Abraham。　Soon　he　had　the　evidence

of　his　own　eyes。　On　the　distant　heights　across　the　valley　he

could　see　the　redcoats。



No　doubt　Montcalm　had　often　pondered　this　possibility　and　had

decided　in　such　a　case　to　attack　at　once　before　the　enemy　could

entrench　and　bring　up　cannon。　A　rapid　decision　was　now　followed

by　rapid　action。　He　had　a　moment's　conversation　with　Vaudreuil。

The　French　regiments　on　the　right　at　Vaudreuil's　camp；　lying

nearest　to　the　city；　were　to　march　at　once。　To　Johnstone　he　said；

〃The　affair　is　serious；〃　and　then　gave　orders　that　all　the　French

left；　except　a　few　men　to　guard　the　ravine　at　Montmorency；　should

follow　quickly　to　the　position　between　Quebec　and　the　enemy；　a

mile　away。　Off　to　this　point　he　himself　galloped。　Already；　by

orders　of　officers　on　the　spot；　regiments　were　gathering　between

the　walls　of　the　city　and　the　British。　The　regiments　on　the

French　right　at　Beauport　were　soon　on　the　move　towards　the

battlefield；　but　two　thousand　of　the　best　troops　still　lay

inactive　beyond　Beauport。　Johnstone　declares　that　Vaudreuil

countermanded　the　order　of　Montcalm　for　these　troops　to　come　to

his　support　and　ordered　that　not　one　of　them　should　budge。　There

was　haste　everywhere。　By　half…past　nine　Montcalm　had　some　four

thousand　men　drawn　up　between　the　British　and　the　walls　of

Quebec。　He　hoped　that　Bougainville；　advancing　from　Cap　Rouge；

would　be　able　to　assail　the　British　rear：　〃Surely　Bougainville

understands　that　I　must　attack。〃



The　crisis　was；　over　in　fifteen　minutes。　Montcalm　attacked　at

once。　His　line　was　disorderly。　His　center　was　composed　of　regular

troops；　his　wings　of　Canadians　and　Indians。　These　fired

irregularly　and　lay　down　to　reload；　thus　causing　confusion。　The

French　moved　forward　rapidly；　the　British　were　coming　on　more

slowly。　The　French　were　only　some　forty　yards　away　when　there　was

an　answering　fire　from　the　thin　red　line；　for　Wolfe　had　ordered

his　men　to　put　two　balls　in　their　muskets　and　to　hold　their　fire

for　one　dread　volley。　Then　the　roar　from　Wolfe's　center　was　like

that　of　a　burst　of　artillery；　and；　when　the　smoke　cleared；　the

French　battalions　were　seen　breaking　in　disorder　from　the　shock；

the　front　line　cut　down　by　the　terrible　fire。　A　bayonet　charge

from　the　redcoats　followed。　Some　five　thousand　trained　British

regulars　bore　down；　working　great　slaughter　on　four　thousand

French；　many　of　them　colonials　who　had　never　before　fought　in　the

open。　The　rout　of　the　French　was　complete。　Some　fled　to　safety

behind　the　walls　of　Quebec；　others　down　the　Cote　Ste。　Genevieve

and　across　the　St。　Charles　River；　where　they　stopped　pursuit　by

cutting　the　bridge。　Both　Wolfe　and　Montcalm　were　mortally　wounded

after　the　issue　of　the　day　was　really　decided；　and　both　survived

to　be　certain；　the　one　of　victory；　the　other　of　defeat。　Wolfe

died　on　the　field　of　battle。　Montcalm　was　taken　into　a　house　in

Quebec　and　died　early　the　next　morning。　It　is　perhaps　the　only

incident　in　history　of　a　decisive　battle　of　world　import　followed

by　the　death　of　both　leaders；　each　made　immortal　by　the　tragedy

of　their　common　fate。



At　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　day　of　defeat；　Vaudreuil

held　a　tumultuous　council　of　war。　It　was　decided　to　abandon

Quebec；　where　Montcalm　lay　dying　and　to　retreat　up　the　St。

Lawrence　to　Montreal；　to　the　defense　of　which　Levis　had　been　sent

before　the　fight。　That　night　the　whole　French　army　fled　in　panic；

leaving　their　tents　standing　and　abandoning　quantities　of　stores。

Vaudreuil　who　had　talked　so　bravely　about　death　in　the　ruins　of

Canada；　rather　than　surrender；　gave　orders　to　Ramezay；　commanding

in　Quebec；　to　make　terms　and　haul　down　his　flag。　On　the　third　day

after　the　battle；　the　surrender　was　arranged。　On　the　fourth　day

the　British　marched　into　Quebec；　where　ever　since　their　flag　has

floated。



Meanwhile；　Amherst；　the　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　British　armies

in　America；　was　making　a　toilsome　advance　towards　Montreal　by　way

of　Lake　Champlain。　He　had　occupied　both　Ticonderoga　and　Crown

Point；　which　had　been　abandoned　by　the　French。　Across　his　path

lay　Bourlamaque　at　Isle　aux　Noix。　Another　British　army；　having

captured　Niagara；　was　advancing　on　Montreal　down　the　St。　Lawrence

from　Lake　Ontario。　Amherst；　however；　made　little　progress　this

year　in　his　menace　to　Montreal　and　soon　went　into　winter

quarters；　as　did　the　other　forces　elsewhere。　The　British　victory

therefore　was　as　yet　incomplete。



The　year　1759　proved　dire　for　France。　She　was　held　fast　by　her

treaty　with　Austria　and　at　ruinous　cost　was　ever　sending　more　and

more　troops　to　help　Austria　against　Prussia。　The　great　plan　of

which　Belle…Isle　had　written　to　Montcalm　was　the　chief　hope　of

her　policy。　England　was　to　be　invaded　and　London　occupied。　If

this　were　done；　all　else　would　be　right。　It　was　not　done。　France

could　not　parry　Pitt's　blows。　In　Africa；　in　the　West　Indies；　in

India；　the　British　won　successes　which　meant　the　ruin　of　French

power　in　three　continents。　French　admirals　like　Conflans　and　La

Clue　were　no　match　for　Boscawen；　Hawke；　and　Rodney；　all　seamen　of

the　first　rank；　and　made　the　stronger　because　dominated　by　the

fiery　Pitt。



They　kept　the　French　squadrons　shut　up　in　their　own　ports。　When；

at　last；　on　November　20；　1759；　Conflans　came　out　of　Brest　and

fought　Hawke　at　Quiberon　Bay；　the　French　fleet　was　nearly

destroyed；　and　the　dream　of　taking　London　ended　in　complete

disaster。







CHAPTER　XI。　The　Fall　Of　Canada



Though　Quebec　was　in　their　hands；　the　position　of　the　British

during　the　winter　of　1759…60　was　dangerous。　In　October　General

Murray；　who　was　left　in　command；　saw　with　misgiving　the　great

fleet　sail　away　which　had　brought　to　Canada　the　conquering　force

of　Wolfe　and　Saunders。　Murray　was　left　with　some　seven　thousand

men　in　the　heart　of　a　hostile　country；　and　with　a　resourceful

enemy；　still　unconquered；　preparing　to　attack　him。　He　was

separated　from　other　British　forces　by　vast　wastes　of　forest　and

river；　and　until　spring　should　come　no　fleet　could　aid　him。　Three

enemies　of　the　English；　the　French　said　exultingly；　would　aid　to

retake　Quebec：　the　ruthless　savages　who　haunted　the　outskirts　of

the　fortress　and　massacred　many　an　incautious　straggler；　the

French　army　which　could　be　recruited　from　the　Canadian

population；　and；　above　all；　the　bitter　cold　of　the　Canadian

winter。　To　Murray；　as　to　Napoleon　long　afterward　in　his　rash

invasion　of　Russia；　General　February　was　indeed　the　enemy。　About

the　two　or　three　British　ships　left　at　Quebec　the　ice　froze　in

places　a　dozen　feet　thick；　and　snowdrifts　were　piled　so　high

against　the　walls　of　Quebec　that　it　looked　sometimes　as　if　the

enemy　might　walk　over　them　into　the　fortress。　So　solidly　frozen

was　the　surface　of　the　river　that　Murray　sent　cannon　to　the　south

shore　across　the　ice　to　repel　a　menace　from　that　quarter。　There

was　scarcity　of　firewood　and　of　provisions。　Scurvy　broke　out　in

the　garrison。　Many　hundreds　died　so　that　by　the　spring　Murray　had

barely　three　thousand　men　fit　for　active　duty。



Throughout　the　winter　Levis；　now　in　command　of　the　French　forces；

made　increasing　preparations　to　destroy　Murray　in　the　spring。　The

headquarters　of　Uvis　were　at　Montreal。　Here　Vaudreuil；　the

Governor；　kept　his　little　court。　He　and　Levis　worked

harmoniously；　for　Uvis　was　conciliatory　and　tactful。　For　a　time

Vaudreuil　treasured　the　thought　of　taking　command　in　person　to

attack　Quebec。　In　the　end；　however；　he　showed　that　he　had　learned

something　from　the　disasters　of　the　previous　year　and　did　not

interfere　with　the　plans　made　by　Levis。　So　throughout　the　winter

Montreal　had　its　gayeties　and　vanities　as　of　old。　There　were

feasts　and　dancesbut　over　all　brooded　the　reality　of　famine　in

the　present　andthe　foreboding　of　disaster　to　come。



By　April　20；　1760；　the　St。　Lawrence　was　open　and；　though　the

shores　were　cumbered　with　masses　of　broken　ice；　the　central

channel　was　free　for　the　boats　which　Levis　filled　with　his

soldiers。　It　was　a　bleak　experience　to　descend　the　turbulent

river　between　banks　clogged　with　ice。　When　Levis　was　not　far　from

Quebec；　he　learned　that　it　was　impossible　to　surprise　Murray　who

was　well　on　guard　between　Cap　Rouge　on　the　west　and　Beauport　on

the　east。　The　one　thing　to　do　was　to　reach　the　Plains　of　Abraham

in　order　to　attack　the　feeble　walls　of　Quebec　from　the　landward

side。　Since　Murray's　alertness　made　impossible　attack　by　way　of

the　high　cliffs　which　Wolfe　had　climbed　in　the　night；　Levis　had

to　reach　Quebec　by　a　circuitous　route。　He　landed　his　army　a

little　above　Cap　Rouge；　marched　inland　over　terrible　roads　in

heavy　rain；　and　climbed　to　the　plateau　of　Quebec　from　the　rear　at

Sainte　Foy。　On　April　27；　1760；　he　drew　up　his　army　on　the　heights

almost　exactly　as　Wolfe　had　done　in　the　previous　September。

Murray　followed　the　example　of　Montcalm。　He　had　no　trust　in　the

feeble　defenses　of　Quebec　and　on　the　28th　marched　out　to　fight　on

the　open　plain。　The　battle　of　Sainte　Foy　followed　exactly　the

precedents　of　the　previous　year。　The　defenders　of　Quebec　were

driven　off　the　field　in　overwhelming　defeat。　The　difference　was

that　Murray　took　his　army　back　to　Quebec　and　from　behind　its

walls　still　defied　his　French　assailant。　Levis　had　poor

artillery；　but　he　did　what　he　could。　He　entrenched　and　poured　his

fire　into　Quebec。　In　the　end　it　was　sea　power　which　balked　him。

On　the　15th　of　May；　when　a　British　fleet　appeared　round　the　head

of　the　Island　of　Orleans；　Levis　withdrew　in　something　like　panic

and　Quebec　was　safe。



Levis　returned　to　Montreal；　and　to　this　point　all　the　forces　of

France　slowly　retreated　as　they　were　pressed　in　by　the

overwhelming　numbers　of　the　British。　At　Oswego；　the　scene　of

Montcalm's　first　brilliant　success　four　years　earlier；　Amherst

had　gathered　during　the　summer　of　1760　an　army　of　about　ten

thousand　men。　From　here　he　descended　the　St。　Lawrence　in　boats　to

attack　Montreal　from　the　west。　From　the　south；　down　Lake

Champlain　and　the　Richelieu　River　to　the　St。　Lawrence；　came

another　British　force　under　Haviland　also　to　attack　Montreal。　At

Quebec　Murray　put　his　army　on　transports；　left　the　city　almost

destitute　of　defense；　and　thus　brought　a　third　considerable　force

against　Montreal。　There　was　little　fighting。　The　French　withdrew

to　the　common　objective　as　their　enemy　advanced。　Early　in

September　Levis　had　gathered　at　Montreal　all　his　available　force；

amounting　now　to　scarcely　more　than　two　thousand　men；　for

Canadians　and　Indians　alike　had　deserted　him。　The　British　pressed

in　with　the　slow　and　inevitable　rigor　of　a　force　of　nature。　On

the　7th　of　September　their　united　army　was　before　the　town　and

Amherst　demanded　instant　surrender。　The　only　thing　for　Vaudreuil

to　do　was　to　make　the　best　terms　possible。　On　the　next　day　he

signed　a　capitulation　w