the conquest of new france-第7章

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French　flag　was　hauled　down　and　in　its　place　floated　that　of

Britain。　Port　Royal　was　renamed　Annapolis　and　Vetch　was　made　its

Governor。　Three　times　before　had　the　English　come　to　Port　Royal

as　conquerors　and　then　gone　away；　but　now　they　were　to　remain。

Ever　since　that　October　day；　when　autumn　was　coloring　the

abundant　foliage　of　the　lovely　harbor；　the　British　flag　has　waved

over　Annapolis。　Because　the　flag　waved　there　it　was　destined　to

wave　over　all　Acadia；　or　Nova　Scotia；　and　with　Acadia　in　time

went　Canada。



A　partial　victory；　however；　such　as　the　taking　of　Port　Royal；　was

not　enough　for　the　aroused　spirit　of　the　English。　They　and　their

allies　had　beaten　Louis　XIV　on　the　battlefields　of　Europe　and　had

so　worn　out　France　that　clouds　and　darkness　were　about　the　last

days　of　the　Grand　Monarch　now　nearing　his　end。　In　America　his

agents　were　still　drawing　up　papers　outlining　grandiose　designs

for　mastering　the　continent　and　for　proving　that　England's　empire

was　near　its　fall；　but　Europe　knew　that　France　in　the　long　war

had　been　beaten。　The　right　way　to　smite　France　in　America　was　to

rely　upon　England's　naval　power；　to　master　the　great　highway　of

the　St。　Lawrence；　to　isolate　Canada；　and　to　strangle　one　by　one

the　French　settlements；　beginning　with　Quebec。



There　was　malignant　intrigue　at　the　court　of　Queen　Anne。　One

favorite；　the　Duchess　of　Marlborough；　had　just　been　disgraced；

and　another；　Mrs。　Masham；　had　been　taken　on　by　the　weak　and

stupid　Queen。　The　conquest　of　Canada；　if　it　could　be　achieved

without　the　aid　of　Marlborough；　would　help　in　his　much　desired

overthrow。　Petty　motives　were　unhappily　at　the　root　of　the　great

scheme。　Who　better　to　lead　such　an　expedition　than　the　brother　of

the　new　favorite　whose　success　might　discredit　the　husband　of　the

old　one？　Accordingly　General　〃Jack〃　Hill；　brother　of　Mrs。　Masham；

was　appointed　to　the　chief　military　command　and　an　admiral

hitherto　little　known　but　of　good　habits　and　quick　wit；　Sir

Hovenden　Walker；　was　to　lead　the　fleet。



The　expedition　against　Quebec　was　on　a　scale　adequate　for　the

time。　Britain　dispatched　seven　regiments　of　regulars；　numbering

in　all　five　thousand　five　hundred　men；　and　there　were　besides　in

the　fleet　some　thousands　of　sailors　and　marines。　Never　before　had

the　English　sent　to　North　America　a　force　so　great。　On　June　24；

1711；　Admiral　Walker　arrived　at　Boston　with　his　great　array。

Boston　was　impressed；　but　Boston　was　also　a　little　hurt；　for　the

British　leaders　were　very　lofty　and　superior　in　their　tone

towards　colonials　and　gave　orders　as　if　Boston　were　a　provincial

city　of　England　which　must　learn　respect　and　obedience　to　His

Majesty's　officers　〃vested　with　the　Queen's　Royal　Power　and

Authority。〃



More　than　seventy　ships；　led　by　nine　men…of…war；　sailed　from

Boston　for　the　attack　on　Canada。　On　board　were　nearly　twelve

thousand　men。　Compared　with　this　imposing　fleet；　that　of　Phips；

twenty…one　years　earlier；　seems　feeble。　Phips　had　set　out　too

late。　This　fleet　was　in　good　time；　for　it　sailed　on　the　30th　of

July。　Vetch；　always　competent；　was　in　command　of　the　colonial

military　forces；　but　never　had　any　chance　to　show　his　mettle；　for

during　the　voyage　the　seamen　were　in　control。　The　Admiral　had

left　England　with　secret　instructions。　He　had　not　been　informed

of　the　task　before　him　and　for　it　he　was　hardly　prepared。　There

were　no　competent　pilots　to　correct　his　ignorance。　Now　that　he

knew　where　he　was　going　he　was　anxious　about　the　dangers　of　the

northern　waters。　The　St。　Lawrence　River；　he　believed；　froze

solidly　to　the　bottom　in　winter　and　he　feared　that　the　ice　would

crush　the　sides　of　his　ships。　As　he　had　provisions　for　only　eight

or　nine　weeks；　his　men　might　starve。　His　mind　was　filled；　as　he

himself　says；　with　melancholy　and　dismal　horror　at　the　prospect

of　seamen　and　soldiers；　worn　to　skeletons　by　hunger；　drawing　lots

to　decide　who　should　die　first　amidst　the　〃adamantine　frosts〃　and

〃mountains　of　snow〃　of　bleak　and　barren　Canada。





The　Gulf　and　River　St。　Lawrence　spell　death　to　an　incompetent

sailor。　The　fogs；　the　numerous　shoals　and　islands；　make　skillful

seamanship　necessary。　It　is　a　long　journey　from　Boston　to　Quebec

by　water。　For　three　weeks；　however；　all　went　well。　On　the　22d　of

August；　Walker　was　out　of　sight　of　land　in　the　Gulf　where　it　is

about　seventy　miles　wide　above　the　Island　of　Anticosti。　A　strong

east　wind　with　thick　fog　is　dreaded　in　those　waters　even　now；　and

on　the　evening　of　that　day　a　storm　of　this　kind　blew　up。　In　the

fog　Walker　lost　his　bearings。　When　in　fact　he　was　near　the　north

shore　he　thought　he　was　not　far　from　the　south　shore。　At

half…past　ten　at　night　Paddon；　the　captain　of　the　Edgar；　Walker's

flagship；　came　to　tell　him　that　land　was　in　sight。　Walker　assumed

that　it　was　the　south　shore　and　gave　a　fatal　order　for　the　fleet

to　turn　and　head　northward；　a　change　which　turned　them　straight

towards　cliffs　and　breakers。　He　then　went　to　bed。　Soon　one　of　the

military　officers　rushed　to　his　cabin　and　begged　him　to　come　on

deck　as　the　ships　were　among　breakers。　Walker；　who　was　an

irascible　man；　resented　the　intrusion　and　remained　in　bed。　A

second　time　the　officer　appeared　and　said　the　fleet　would　be　lost

if　the　Admiral　did　not　act。　Why　it　was　left　for　a　military　rather

than　a　naval　officer　to　rouse　the　Admiral　in　such　a　crisis　we　do

not　know。　Perhaps　the　sailors　were　afraid　of　the　great　man。

Walker　appeared　on　deck　in　dressing　gown　and　slippers。　The　fog

had　lifted；　and　in　the　moonlight　there　could　be　seen　breaking

surf　to　leeward。　A　French　pilot；　captured　in　the　Gulf；　had

taken　pains　to　give　what　he　could　of　alarming　information。　He　now

declared　that　the　ships　were　off　the　north　shore。　Walker　turned

his　own　ship　sharply　and　succeeded　in　beating　out　into　deep　water

and　safety。　For　the　fleet　the　night　was　terrible。　Some　ships

dropped　anchor　which　held；　for　happily　the　storm　abated。　Fog　guns

and　lights　as　signals　of　distress　availed　little　to　the　ships　in

difficulty。　Eight　British　transports　laden　with　troops　and　two

ships　carrying　supplies　were　dashed　to　pieces　on　the　rocks。　The

shrieks　of　drowning　men　could　be　heard　in　the　darkness。　The　scene

was　the　rocky　Isle　aux　Oeufs　and　adjacent　reefs　off　the　north

shore。　About　seven　hundred　soldiers；　including　twenty…nine

officers；　and　in　addition　perhaps　two　hundred　sailors；　were　lost

on　that　awful　night。



The　disaster　was　not　overwhelming　and　Walker　might　have　gone　on

and　captured　Quebec。　He　had　not　lost　a　single　war…ship　and　he　had

still　some　eleven　thousand　men。　General　Hill　might　have　stiffened

the　back　of　the　forlorn　Admiral；　but　Hill　himself　was　no　better。

Vetch　spoke　for　going　on。　He　knew　the　St。　Lawrence　waters　for　he

had　been　at　Quebec　and　had　actually　charted　a　part　of　the　river

and　was　more　familiar　with　it；　he　believed；　than　were　the

Canadians　themselves。　What　pilots　there　were　declared；　however；

that　to　go　on　was　impossible　and　the　helpless　captains　of　the

ships　were　of　opinion　that；　with　the　warning　of　such　a　disaster；

they　could　not　disregard　this　counsel。　Though　the　character　of

the　English　is　such　that　usually　a　reverse　serves　to　stiffen

their　backs；　in　this　case　it　was　not　so。　A　council　of　war　yielded

to　the　panic　of　the　hour　and　the　great　fleet　turned　homeward。

Soon　it　was　gathered　in　what　is　now　Sydney　harbor　in　Cape　Breton。

》From　here　the　New　England　ships　went　home　and　Walker　sailed　for

England。　At　Spithead　the　Edgar；　the　flag…ship；　blew　up　and　all　on

board　perished。　Walker　was　on　shore　at　the　time。　So　far　was　he

from　being　disgraced　that　he　was　given　a　new　command。　Later；　when

the　Whigs　came　in；　he　was　dismissed　from　the　service；　less；　it

seems；　in　blame　for　the　disaster　than　for　his　Tory　opinions。　It

is　not　an　unusual　irony　of　life　that　Vetch；　the　one　wholly

efficient　leader　in　the　expedition；　ended　his　days　in　a　debtor's

prison。



Quebec　had　shivered　before　a　menace；　the　greatest　in　its　history。

Through　the　long　months　of　the　summer　of　1711　there　had　been

prayer　and　fasting　to　avert　the　danger。　Apparently　trading　ships

had　deserted　the　lower　St。　Lawrence　in　alarm；　for　no　word　had

arrived　at　Quebec　of　the　approach　of　Walker's　fleet。　Nor　had　the

great　disaster　been　witnessed　by　any　onlookers。　The　island　where

it　occurred　was　then　and　still　remains　desert。　Up　to　the　middle

of　October；　nearly　two　months　after　the　disaster；　the　watchers　at

Quebec　feared　that　they　might　see　any　day　a　British　fleet

rounding　the　head　of　the　Island　of　Orleans。　On　the　19th　of

October　the　first　news　of　the　disaster　arrived　and　then　it　was

easy　for　Quebec　to　believe　that　God　had　struck　the　English

wretches　with　a　terrible　vengeance。　Three　thousand　men；　it　was

said；　had　reached　land　and　then　perished　miserably。　Many　bodies

had　been　found　naked　and　in　attitudes　of　despair。　Other　thousands

had　perished　in　the　water。　Vessel…loads　of　spoil　had　been

gathered；　rich　plate；　beautiful　swords；　magnificent　clothing；

gold；　silver；　jewels。　The　truth　seems　to　be　that　some　weeks　after

the　disaster　the　evidences　of　the　wrecks　were　discovered。　Even　to

this　day　ships　are　battered　to　pieces　in　those　rock…strewn　waters

and　no　one　survives　to　tell　the　story。　Some　fishermen　landing　on

the　island　had　found　human　bodies；　dead　horses　and　other　animals；

and　the　hulls　of　seven　ships。　They　had　gathered　some

wreckageand　that　was　the　whole　story。　Quebec　sang　Te　Deum。　From

attacks　by　sea　there　had　now　been　two　escapes　which　showed　God's

love　for　Canada。　In　the　little　church　of　Notre　Dame　des

Victoires；　consecrated　at　that　time　to　the　memory　of　the

deliverance　from　Phips　and　Walker；　daily　prayers　are　still　poured

out　for　the　well…being　of　Canada。　God　had　been　a　present　help　on

land　as　well　as　on　the　sea。　Nicholson；　with　more　than　two

thousand　men；　had　been　waiting　at　his　camp　near　Lake　Champlain　to

descend　on　Montreal　as　soon　as　Walker　reached　Quebec。　When　he

received　the　news　of　the　disaster　he　broke　up　his　force　and

retired。　For　the　moment　Canada　was　safe　from　the　threatened

invasion。



In　spite　of　this　apparent　deliverance；　the　long　war；　now　near　its

end；　brought　a　destructive　blow　to　French　power　in　America。

Though　France　still　possessed　vigor　and　resources　which　her

enemies　were　apt　to　underrate；　the　war　had　gone　against　her　in

Europe。　Her　finest　armies　had　been　destroyed　by　Marlborough；　her

taxation　was　crushing；　her　credit　was　ruined；　her　people　were

suffering　for　lack　of　food。　The　allies　had　begun　to　think　that

there　was　no　humiliation　which　they　might　not　put　upon　France。

Louis　XIV；　they　said；　must　give　up　Alsace；　which；　with　Lorraine；

he　had　taken　some　years　earlier；　and　he　must　help　to　drive　his

own　grandson　from　the　Spanish　throne。　This　exorbitant　demand

stirred　the　pride　not　only　of　Louis　but　of　the　French　nation；　and

the　allies　found　that　they　could　not　trample　France　under　their

feet。　The　Treaty　of　Utrech