Extract from a Confidential Letter (in cypher) from General MONTCALM to the French Minister of War, dated April 12, 1759. "Québec, l'ennemi peut venir si nous n'avons point d'escadre; et Québec pris, la colonie est perdue; cependant nulle précaution. J'ai écrit, j'ai fait offre de mettre de l'ordre [de prendre] une disposition pour empêcher une fausse manoeuvre à la première alarme; la réponse: 'Nous aurons le temps.' Je ne sais rien des projets de M. de Vaudreuil; encore moins ce qu'il pourra mettre en campagne de Canadiens, comme nous sommes en vivres et en munitions. Le public m'apprend que nous sommes mal sur l'un et l'autre article, et ce public croit toujours la partie des vivres mal gouvernée. Je devrois m'estimer heureux dans les circonstances de n'être pas consulté ; mais, dévoué au service de S. M., j'ai donné mes avis par écrit pour le mieux, et nous agitons avec courage et zèle, M. le chevalier de Lévis, M. de Bourlamaque et moi pour retarder la perte prochaine du Canada. 66 Si la guerre dure, le Canada sera aux Anglois peut-être dès cette campagne ou la prochaine. Si la paix arrive, colonie perdue, si tout le gouvernement n'est pas changé. "On a enfin fini le recensement général du Canada. Quoique l'on ne me l'ait pas communiqué, je crois être sûr qu'il n'y a pas plus de 82,000 âmes, sur quoi au plus 12,000 hommes en état de combattre; et sur ce nombre, ôtant ce qui est employé aux travaux, transports, bateaux, dans les Pays d'en haut, on ne réunira jamais plus de 1000 Canadiens; et si, faut-il que ce ne soit pas dans le temps des semences ou des récoltes; autrement, en faisant tout marcher, les terres seroient incultes, la famine s'ensuivroit. Nos huit bataillons feront 3200 hommes; de la colonie, au plus 1500 hommes à mettre campagne. Qu'est-ce contre au moins 30,000 qu'ont les Anglois ?" Extract from a Letter of General AMHERST to Governor LAWRENCE, dated Albany, May 29, 1759 (Archives of Nova Scotia, p. 449). "SIR,I did not intend to write to you from this place on this day. I expected to have been advanced farther. I however hope I shall be soon enough, and I really believe, though my batteau men and team-drivers have failed me, and that I have made a large detachment, I yet shall have men enough to carry on the operations of the campaign with success. I shall do the most I can towards it. I shall try to disappoint, confuse, and beat the enemy. Appearances look well in every corner, and I hope this campaign will effectually do the business. It would not have a little added to the part I am to share to have had you with me; but as the good of his Majesty's service in other parts has not permitted it, I must submit to it. That health and happiness may attend you, are the sincere wishes of him who is, with the greatest regard and esteem, dear sir, your most humble and most obedient servant, "Brigr.-General Lawrence." "JEFF. AMHERST. Letters of General AMHERST to Governor LAWRENCE, dated at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, July 27 and August 8, 1759 (Archives of Nova Scotia, pp. 451, 452). "CAMP AT TIENDEROGA, July 27, 1759. "SIR,-On Saturday morning last I embarked with the army at Lake George. The next day landed without opposition, and proceeded to the Saw Mills, and took post on the commanding grounds, meeting only a trifling opposition from the enemy. We lay on our arms all night, and early on the 23d we continued our march to this ground, which I took possession of in the forenoon, the enemy having abandoned the lines without destroying them, first having carried off their effects, as well as sent away the greatest part of their troops. As soon as I was set down before the place, and after having reconnoitred it, I ordered the trenches to be opened, and batteries to be made, which were finished last night, and were to have opened at break of day, but the enemy did not think proper to wait till then, having, about ten of the clock yesterday evening, blown up a part of the fort, and made their escape, all to about twenty deserters. Our loss, considering the fire we sustained, is inconsiderable. We have only two officers killed, viz., Colonel Townsend, Dep. -Adjutant-General, and Ensign Harrison of late Forbes's. "I take the earliest opportunity of acquainting you of this, and of assuring you that I am, with great regard, sir, your most obedient humble servant, "JEFF. AMHERST. "His Excellency Governor Lawrence." "CAMP AT CROWN POINT, August 8, 1759. "SIR,-On the 27th ultimo I had the pleasure of communicating to you that the enemy had, on the evening before, abandoned the fort at Tienderoga, to which I have now the further satisfaction to add, that they have likewise withdrawn themselves from this place, after having also attempted to blow up the fort, in which they have succeeded only in part, and that I am in possion of the ground ever since the 4th, where I propose building such a stronghold as shall most effectually cover and secure all this country. "The night of my arrival here I received letters from Sir William Johnson, with the additional good news of the success of his Majesty's arms at Niagara, which surrendered, by capitulation, on the 25th to Sir William Johnson, upon whom the command had devolved by the demise of poor BrigadierGeneral Prideaux, killed in the trenches on the night of the 20th. The garrison, consisting of 607 men, being prisoners of war, and now on their march to New York, together with 17 officers and 160 men more, part of a corps of 1200 assembled at Detroit, Venango, and Presqu 'Isle, under the command of Messrs Aubry and Delignery, for raising the siege; but Sir William Johnson having intelligence of their approach, provided so properly for their reception, that on the morning of the 24th, when they meant to march straight to the fort, they met with such an opposition as they little expected, being entirely routed, with the loss of all their officers, and a great number of their men killed, whilst the loss on our side is inconsiderable. "This signal success, added to the other advantages, seems an happy presage of the entire reduction of Canada this campaign, or at least of circumscribing the enemy within such narrow bounds as will ever after deprive them of the power of exercising any more encroachments, on which I hope I shall have the satisfaction of congratulating you, as I now do on these late great events, and am, with great regard, sir, your most obedient humble servant, "JEFF. AMHERST. 66 His Excellency Governor Lawrence." Extract from General AMHERST's Letter to Governor LAWRENCE, dated Crown Point, November 21, 1759 (Archives of Nova Scotia, p. 467). 66 I have almost finished everything here for this campaign, and I hope to leave this frontier in such a state for defence that it shall not be practicable for the enemy to succeed in any attempts, if they should venture to make any." VII.-STATEMENT OF THE NAVAL AND LAND FORCES Naval Forces-Commanded by Admirals Saunders, Durell, 20 Ships of the line. 8 Frigates. 2 Fifty-gun ships. 19 Sloops, &c. Total, 49 War vessels. Land Forces-Commanded by Major-General James IVolfe. Copy of Wolfe's Last General Orders. "ON BOARD THE 'SUTHERLAND,' September 12, 1759. "The enemy's force is now divided; great scarcity of provisions in their camp, and universal discontent among the Canadians. The second officer in command (Levi) is gone to Montreal or St John's, which gives reason to think that General Amherst is advancing into the colony. A vigorous blow struck by the army at this juncture may determine the fall of Canada. Our troops below are in readiness to join us. All the Light Artillery and tools are embarked at the Point of Levy, and the troops will land where the French seem least to expect them. "The first body that gets on shore is to march directly to the enemy, and drive them from any little post they may occupy. The officers must be careful that the succeeding bodies do not, by any mistake, fire upon those that go on before them. "The battalions must form upon the upper ground with expedition, and be ready to charge whatever presents itself. "When the artillery and troops are landed, a corps will be left to secure the landing-place, while the rest march on and endeavour to bring the French and Canadians to a battle. "The officers and men will remember what their country expects from them, and what a determined body of soldiers inured to war are capable of doing, against five weak French battalions, mingled with a disorderly peasantry. "The soldiers must be attentive and obedient to their officers, and resolute in the execution of their duty." A Return of the Killed and Wounded of the Army under the command of General Wolfe, at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, September 13, 1759. * General Wolfe, killed. + Brigadier Monckton, Colonel Carlton, Major Barry, Major Spittle, wounded. Statement of the French and Canadian Forces in the Campaign of 1759 (Serving in and near Quebec). Note. The number of the French present in the battle of 13th September has been variously stated at from 3500 to 7500 men. It is impossible to procure reliable returns. British officers, judging from their appearance, and the way they were drawn up, estimated their numbers to be more than one-third greater than those of the British. The French accounts, except perhaps that of Bigot, leave us to infer that their forces were less numerous than the British. 16 Extract from KNOX's Journal, vol. ii. p. 72. September 13, 1759.-There is one thing very remarkable, and which I can affirm from my own personal knowledge,-that the enemy were extremely apprehensive of being rigorously treated; for, conscious of their inhuman behaviour to our troops upon a former occasion, the officers who fell into our hands most piteously (with hats off) sued for quarter repeatedly, declaring they were not at Fort William Henry (called by them Fort St George) in the year 1757." Extracts from a Journal entitled "A Short Account of the Expedition against Quebec, &c., by an Engineer upon that Expedition, from a Manuscript Copy in the Royal Engineer Office, Quebec." [Note. This journal has marked on it the initials P. M., and has been ascribed to the pen of Major Moncrief. It is dated September 1759, and is accompanied by a large plan of the campaign.] 66 May 31.-Arrived Brigadier Monckton with four battalions from Halifax and two from the Bay of Fundy; whole force now assembled (at Louisbourg) being ten battalions, three companies of grenadiers of the Louisbourg garrison, a detachment of artillery, and five companies of rangers-in all, 8535 men, fit for duty, including officers." "June 27.-Troops landed from the ships in the south channel of Island of Orleans. General Wolfe went to the end of the island to view the enemy's encampment. Coast fortified all along, there being also floating batteries, launches, &c. No judgment could be formed with certainty of their strength, but we had good intelligence they were 15,000 to 16,000 men." 66 September 4.-Dispatches from Amherst confirming former news (relating to capture of Niagara, Crown Point, &c.)" 66 September 13.-General Wolfe fell mortally wounded when the affair was almost come to a crisis. We had more killed and wounded by the skirmishels than in the general action. Brigadier Monckton and Colonel Carl |