the conquest of new france-第30部分

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cove　on　the　river　bank　from　which　there　was　a　path；　much　used　by

the　French　for　dragging　up　provisions；　leading　to　the　top　of　the

cliff　at　a　point　little　more　than　a　mile　from　the　walls　of　the

city。　On　the　6th　of　September　the　battalion　of　Guienne　was　sent

back　to　the　Beauport　lines　by　order　of　Vaudreuil。　Montcalm

countermanded　the　order；　but　was　not　obeyed；　and　Wolfe　saw　his

chance。　For　days　he　threatened　a　landing；　above　and　below　Quebec；

now　at　one　point；　now　at　another；　until　the　French　were　both

mystified　and　worn　out　with　incessant　alarms。　Then；　early　on　the

morning　of　the　13th　of　September；　came　Wolfe's　master…stroke。　His

men　embarked　in　boats　from　the　warships　lying　some　miles　above

Quebec；　dropped　silently　down　the　river；　close　to　the　north

shore；　made　sentries　believe　that　they　were　French　boats　carrying

provisions　to　the　Foulon；　landed　at　the　appointed　spot；　climbed

up　the　cliff；　and　overpowered　the　sleeping　guard。　A　little　after

daylight　Wolfe　had　nearly　five　thousand　soldiers；　a　〃thin　red

line；〃　busy　preparing　a　strong　position　on　the　Plains　of　Abraham；

while　the　fleet　was　landing　cannon；　to　be　dragged　up　the　steep

hill　to　bombard　the　fortress　on　its　weakest　side。



Montcalm　had　spent　many　anxious　days。　He　had　been　incessantly　on

the　move；　examining　for　himself　over　and　over　again　every　point；

Cap　Rouge；　Beauport；　Montmorency；　reviewing　the　militia　of　which

he　felt　uncertain；　inspecting　the　artillery；　the　commissariat；

everything　that　mattered。　At　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　one

of　these　days　he　wrote　to　Bourlamaque；　at　Lake　Champlain；　noting

the　dark　night；　the　rain；　his　men　awake　and　dressed　in　their

tents；　everyone　alert。　〃I　am　booted　and　my　horses　are　saddled；

which　is　in　truth　my　usual　way　of　spending　the　night。　I　have　not

undressed　since　the　twenty…third　of　June。〃　On　the　evening　of　the

12th　of　September　the　batteries　at　Point　Levis　kept　up　a　furious

fire　on　Quebec。　There　was　much　activity　on　board　the　British

war…ships　lying　below　the　town。　Boats　filled　with　men　rowed

towards　Beauport　as　if　to　attempt　a　landing　during　the　night。

Here　the　danger　seemed　to　lie。　At　midnight　the　British　boats　were

still　hovering　off　the　shore。　The　French　troops　manned　the

entrenched　lines　and　Montcalm　was　continually　anxious。　A　heavy

convoy　of　provisions　was　to　come　down　to　the　Foulon　that　night；

and　orders　had　been　given　to　the　French　posts　on　the　north　shore

above　Quebec　to　make　no　noise。　The　arrival　of　the　convoy　was

vital；　for　the　army　was　pressed　for　food。　Montcalm　was　therefore

anxious　for　its　fate　when　at　break　of　day　he　heard　firing　from

the　French　cannon　at　Samos；　above　Quebec。　Had　the　provisions　then

been　taken　by　the　English？　Near　his　camp　all　now　seemed　quiet。　He

gave　orders　for　the　troops　to　rest；　drank　some　cups　of　tea　with

his　aide…de…camp　Johnstone；　a　Scotch　Jacobite；　and　at　about

half…past　six　rode　towards　Quebec　to　the　camp　of　Vaudreuil　to

learn　why　the　artillery　was　firing　at　Samos。　Immediately　in　front

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　resou