3,500 3 to 4,000
Montreuil, Major General,................ ... 4,500
Doreil, Commissaire,..................... 3,000 6,000
Colonel Fraser,.......................... 5,000 4,000
(Sullivan says the forces were equal, but that Wolfe's soldiers were
disciplined veterans, and that the half of Montcalm's were militia and
Indians.)
Hawkins,................................. 5,000 4,800
Bancroft,................................ 5,000 5,000
Garneau,................................. 4,500 8,000
Beatson,................................. 7,500 4,828
Dussieux,................................ 4,500 5,000
The estimates given by Garneau, of the English, and by Lt. Col. Beatson,
of the French, are evidently exaggerated. The estimates of Knox and
Ferland deserves also notice, even if only from the discrepancy they
present."
[205] Montcalm, when he heard that the English had ascended the hill and
were formed on the high ground at the back of the town scarcely credited
the intelligence ... but he was soon undeceived. He saw clearly that the
English fleet and army were in such a situation that the Upper and Lower
Town might be attacked in concert, and that nothing but a battle could
save it. Accordingly he determined to give them battle. - The Annual
Register for the year 1759.
[206] Local tradition relates that, on receiving, about 8 o'clock in the
morning of the 13th September, the startling intelligence that the English
were in possession of the Plains, MONTCALM (hitching up his breeches with
both hands, as was his custom) briskly exclaimed, "if that be the case
it is time we were hastening thither; for we must drive them into the
river before noon." - R. S. B.
[207] "The English troops were exhorted to reserve their fire; and they
bore that of the enemy's light troops in front (which was galling though
irregular) with the utmost patience and good order, waiting for the main
body of the enemy which fast advanced upon them. At forty yards distance
our troops gave their fire, which took place in its full extent, and made
a terrible havoc among the French." - The Annual Register for 1759.
"General Wolfe ordered the men to load with an additional bullet which did
great execution.
"As soon as the French came within musket-shot they began to fire, but the
British reserved their fire until the enemy were within twenty yards."
- Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs of Great Britain from 1729
to 1790.
[208] The Canadian militia (of which more than half of Montcalm's forces
consisted) were without bayonets. - MONTCALM'S Letter of 24th August,
1759.
[209] The authenticity of this famous, prophetic letter has been attacked
by subsequent writers: among others by Francis Parkman.
[210] For a description of the spot where MONTCALM expired, see Album
du Touriste.
[211] Knox's Journal, Vol. ii., pp. 14, 21, 24, 28, Aug. 21 "The
project of erecting a fortress on the Island of Coudres, for a garrison of
three thousand men, is laid aside for want of proper materials, and the
season being too far advanced for such an undertaking. The enterprise of
storming Quebec is also given up as too desperate to hope for success." P.
28.
[212] Denis de Vitre, then a prisoner of war in England, had been induced
to come to Canada, partly by threats, partly by promises, to pilot the
English fleet. According to the Diary of old James Thompson, both Cugnet
and Davis had indicated the spot when Wolfe landed at Sillery. Stobo
claimed the credit of it, and according to Panet's Diary, it was on his
advice, that on the 21st July, 1759, was undertaken the expedition to
Deschambeault and neighboring parishes, where 100 Quebec ladies of
respectability secreted there - had been captured and brought back.
[213] "For sale, the elegant villa of the late Sir Frederic Haldimand,
K.B., delightfully situated near the Falls of Montmorency, with the farm-
house. - Quebec, 1st December, 1791." - Supplement to the Quebec Gazette,
22nd Dec., 1792.
[214] Our port must have presented quite a warlike aspect - over and above
the Ulysses and Resistance frigates there had preceded the Prince's
arrival, the following ships of war, forming part of Commodore Sawyer's
squadron: The flag ship Leander, 50 guns, Capt. J. Bevelay; the
Resource, Commander Paul Minihin; the Ariadne, Commander Osburn; the
Thisbe, Capt. Coffin, was also arrived from a cruise, and four
transports, one named the Lord Mulgrave, with detachments of the 5th,
25th and 54th regiments, were anchored before the city.
[215] The list of the partners of Prince Edward's grandson H. R. H. the
Prince of Wales, at the ball, etc., given in his honour in Quebec, by the
Mayor and citizens, at the Music Hall, on the 21st August, 1860,
comprises: 1. Mrs. Langevin (wife of Sir H. L. Langevin, M.P.P., and Mayor
of Quebec); 2. Mrs. Cartier (wife of Sir George Etienne Cartier, Attorney
General); 3. Miss Irvine (daughter of Colonel Irvine, then Provincial
Aide-de-Camp); 4. Miss Price; 5. Miss LeMesurier (since married to Capt.
Carter); 6. Miss Derbyshire (Mrs. J. Adamson); 7. Miss Clementina Sewell;
8. Miss Caron (daughter of Hon. Justice Caron, and now wife of Mr. Justice
Taschereau); 9. Lady Milne; 10. Miss Napier, of Montreal (since married to
Capt. Bell); 11. Mrs. Serocold (wife of Captain Serocold and daughter of
the Hon. Chief Justice Duval); 12. Miss Dunscomb (daughter of the
Collector of Customs at Quebec); 13. Miss Fischer (daughter of the
Attorney General of New Brunswick); 14. Miss Mountain (daughter of the
late Bishop of Quebec); 15. Miss Agnes Anderson; 16. Mrs. Ross; 17. Mrs.
Alex. Bell; 18. Miss Tilley (daughter of Sir Leonard Tilley); 19. Mrs. R.
H. Smith.
[216] He was created Field Marshal in 1827.
[217] Monsieur Jean Laforme was, indeed, a high authority on hair
dressing. Our youthful grandmothers of 1791 would have no other than
Monsieur Laforme to dress their hair for the Chateau balls. A memorable
instance has been handed down to posterity of the awful dilemma in which,
either a press of engagements or an oversight, placed the Court
peruquier, from which his genius alone extricated him.
