The Column Will Be Fifty Feet In
Height, And Will, It Is Expected, Be Completed By The Month Of
September Next.
Being placed upon an elevated site, it will be visible
for many miles up and down the Saguenay river."
THE CAPTURE OF QUEBEC.
The following dramatic account of the capture of Quebec is taken from
the fifth volume of Mr. Carlyle's Biography of Frederick the Great:
"Above Quebec, night of September 12-13th, in profound silence, on the
stream of the St. Lawrence, far away, a notable adventure is going on.
Wolfe, from two points well above Quebec ('as a last shift, we will
try that way'), with about five thousand men, is silently descending
in rafts, with purpose to climb the heights somewhere on this side of
the city, and be in upon it, if Fate will. An enterprise of almost
sublime nature; very great, if it can succeed. The cliffs all beset to
his left hand; Montcalm, in person, guarding Quebec with his main
strength.
Wolfe silently descends; mind made up; thoughts hushed quiet into one
great thought; in the ripple of the perpetual waters, under the grim
cliffs and the eternal stars. Conversing, with his people, he was
heard to recite some passages of Gray's Elegy, lately come out
to those parts; of which, says an ear-witness, he expressed his
admiration in an enthusiastic degree: 'Ah, these are tones of the
Eternal Melodies, are not they? A man might thank heaven had he such a
gift; almost as we might for succeeding here, gentlemen!'
Next morning (Thursday, 13th September, 1759), Wolfe, with his 5.000,
is found to have scrambled up some woody neck in the height, which was
not quite precipitous; has trailed one cannon with him, the seamen
busy bringing up another; and by ten of the clock, stands ranked (just
somewhat in the Frederick way, though on a small scale); ready at all
points for Montcalm, but refusing to be over-ready. Montcalm on first
hearing of him, had made haste: Oui, je les vois ou ils ne doivent
pas etre; je vais les ecraser (to smash them)!" said he, by way of
keeping his people in heart. And he marches up beautifully skilful,
neglecting none of his advantages. His numerous Canadian
sharpshooters, preliminary Indians in the bushes, with a provoking
fire. 'Steady!' orders Wolfe; 'from you, not one shot till they are
within thirty yards!' And Montcalm, volleying and advancing, can get
no response, more than from Druidic stones; till at thirty yards, the
stones become vocal - and continued so at a dreadful rate; and in a
space of seventeen minutes, have blown Montcalm's regulars, and their
second in command, and their third into ruin and destruction. In about
seven minutes more the army was done 'English falling on with bayonet,
Highlanders with claymore'; fierce pursuit, rout total - and Quebec and
Canada as good as finished. The thing is yet well known to every
Englishman; and how Wolfe himself died in it, his beautiful death."
ELM GROVE.
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