Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine










































































































































 -  The alarm soon caught the quick ear
of the General (Guy Carleton) and the picquet at the Recollets Convent was - Page 27
Picturesque Quebec, By James Macpherson Le Moine - Page 27 of 451 - First - Home

Enter page number    Previous Next

Number of Words to Display Per Page: 250 500 1000

The Alarm Soon Caught The Quick Ear Of The General (Guy Carleton) And The Picquet At The Recollets Convent Was Instantly Turned Out.

Captain Fraser's alarm was timely.

Before eight o'clock on that memorable December morning, Benedict Arnold had been wounded, routed at the Sault au Matelot barricade, and 427 of his daring men taken prisoners of war, whilst the Commander-in-Chief, Brigadier- General Richard Montgomery and thirteen followers were lying dead in their snowy shrouds at Pres-de-Ville. The rest had taken flight.

The saddest sight ever witnessed in St. Louis street was that which heralded to its awe-struck denizens the issue of the momentous conflict on the adjoining heights in Sept. 1759.

In the paper read by the writer before the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, on the 3rd of December, 1879, the mournful appearance of the French hero, Montcalm, is thus described: -

"The morning of the 13th September, 1759, has dawned; an astounding rumour fills the air; the citizens of Quebec repeat with bated breath: Wolfe's army is at the gates of the city.

"Hark! What means this deafening roar of artillery - this hissing of shot and shell - these rolling, murderous volleys of musketry in the direction of the heights of Abraham?

"Hark! to these loud cheers - British cheers mixed with the discordant yells of those savage warriors, Fraser's Highlanders! The fate of a continent has just been decided. The genius of William Pitt has triumphed, though victory was bought at a dear price.

"Here comes from St. Louis gate [27] on his way to the Chateau, pale, but dauntless - on a black charger - supported by two grenadiers, one on each side of his horse, a General officer wearing the uniform which won at Fontenoy, won at Laufeldt, as well as at the Monongahela [28] and at Carillon. [29] A bloody trail crimsons the Grande Allee, St. Louis street, on that gloomy September day. My friends, 'tis the life-blood of a hero. Drop in reverential silence, on the moistened earth, a sympathetic tear; France's chivalrous leader, the victor of many battle-fields, has returned from his last campaign.

"Oh! mon Dieu! mon Dieu! Le Marquis est tue," is repeated by female voices as the death-stricken but intrepid general glides past, to which he courteously replies, trying to quiet their fears, 'that he was not seriously hurt, and not to distress themselves on his account.' 'Ce n'est rien! ce n'est rien! ne vous affligez pas pour moi, mes bonnes amies.'

"You have all heard the account of the death-bed scene - of his tender solicitude for the good name of France - of his dying injunctions to de Ramesay, the King's lieutenant in charge of the Quebec Garrison, and to the Colonel of the Roussillon Regiment. 'Gentlemen, to your keeping I commend the honour of France. Endeavour to secure the retreat of my army to-night beyond Cape Rouge. As for myself, I shall pass the night with God, and prepare for death.'

"At nine o'clock in the evening of that 14th of September, 1759, a funeral cortege, issuing from the castle, winds its way through the dark and obstructed streets to the little church of the Ursulines. With the heavy tread of the coffin-bearers keeps time the measured footsteps of the military escort.

Enter page number   Previous Next
Page 27 of 451
Words from 13729 to 14283 of 236821


Previous 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Next

More links: First 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400
 410 420 430 440 450 Last

Display Words Per Page: 250 500 1000

 
Africa (29)
Asia (27)
Europe (59)
North America (58)
Oceania (24)
South America (8)
 

List of Travel Books RSS Feeds

Africa Travel Books RSS Feed

Asia Travel Books RSS Feed

Europe Travel Books RSS Feed

North America Travel Books RSS Feed

Oceania Travel Books RSS Feed

South America Travel Books RSS Feed

Copyright © 2005 - 2022 Travel Books Online