QUEBEC: HOW IT WAS WON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 65

QUEBEC : HOW IT WAS WON.

By J. W. B.

At the present moment considerable interest is taken in Canada, and as her sons and their brothers of New Zealand are inarching shoulder to shoulder, and shedding then' life-blood on the soil of South Africa under our glorious flag, in the Avelfare of an empire on which the sun never sets, and, moreoA'-er, on behalf of the cause of right and justice, the folloAving account of the capture of Quebec, the Canadian capital, and its gallant conqueror should prove interesting. WOLFE AS A SOLDIER AND A MAN. Quick as lightning to see an opportunity in action, he Avas equally rapid in forming his plans, and vigorous in carrying tkem into execution. With this he combined a thorough grasp of detail, and a careful attention to all the small but important matters vital to successful Avarfare that marks _the born soldier. At the head of a charge, or amid the tumult of a battery, no man Avas ever more in his element, yet so far from despising, like most English officers of his day, the studious and theoretical branch of his business, his reading was so extensive that he Avas universally regarded as a high authority on military education and miutary literature. Turning from the.s oldier to the man, the frank and ingenuous confessions he makes of his oAvn A'enial shortcomings lend a warm humanity to a character Avhich his contemporaries in their enthusiasm called perfect. He is hot-tempered, he declares ; with his red hair and his fiery spirit, Avho would wish him to be otherwise? He laments sometimes that he is irritable ; if so, his irritability seems never to have cost Kirn a friend. He rapped out an oath occasionally, no doubt, but as seldom as could be helped he confides to his father Avith * some naivete, as in such a profane army the least he could do was to set a good example. He was both sociable and temperately convivial, as Aye know. His religious convictions ivere strong and deep ; but he did not Avear his heart abo\ r e his sleeve, and he set an example to his regiment by a Avholesome and manly life, Avhich was better than many sermons. There Avas in him no particle of vulgar conceit, though he had an honest confidence in himself which Avas admirable, because it was always more than justified. He Avas ambitious certainly ; but it was with a lofty ambiti,on that would have scorned place or fame that was not fairly won, and Avas coupled 'with a love of his profession and of his country that Avas as sincere as it Avas enthusiastic. A iaithful lover, an affectionate son, a loyal friend, and a kind master, as a man Wolfe won not only the admiration, but ' the hearts of all who were brought in contact Avith him. As a soldier none have ever more justly earned a deathless fame. James Wolfe, the conqueror of Quebec, was born at Westerham vicarage, Kent, on January 2, 1727. He came of mixed Welsh-Irish-Yorkshire ancestry, the eldest son of General Edward Wolfe (1685-1759), an officer of merit and distinction, who served under Marlborough, and the beautiful Henrietta Thompson (1704-64). With his younger brother, Edward (1728-44), he Avas educated at Westerham and Greenwich. From the first he was bent upon folloAving his father's profession of arms : and baulked by illness at 13 of a share in the unfortunate Cartagena expedition, in 1742 he received an ensign's commission in _ a foot regiment. In 1743 he took part in the famous battle of Dettingen, boy though he was, as adjutant of his regiment ; in 1744, he obtained his captaincy ; and in 1745-46, he served against the Scottish rebels, being present at the battles of Falkirk and Culloden. Again abroad on sei'A'ice in 1747, he was Avounded, though not seriously, at the battle of LaAvfeldt, and so distingaished himself that he was publicly chunked by the Duke of Cumberland. From 1749 to 1-757, with occasional interruptions, such as a six months' residence in Paris," he was engaged in garrison duty in Scotland and England. In the mismanaged, expedition against Rochefort (1757) Wolfe acted as quartermaster-general. The total failure of the operations brought disgrace to nearly all concerned, but it became knoAvn that had Wolfe's counsels been folloAved the result would almost certainly have been different. Pitt's attention Avas now first decisively drawn to him as an - officer of Avhom great things might be expected ; and in 1758, Avith the full rank of colonel, he Avas appointed to the command of a brigade in the expedition against Cape Breton, under General Amherst. A brilliant success was obtained in the capture of the strong fortress of Louisburg after a seven weeks' siege. That it Avas mainly due to Wolfe's skill, boldness, and activity was clearly understood, and he became popularly knoAvn as the " Hero of I/ouisburg. ' Pitt Avas noAv organising his grand scheme for expelling the French from Canada. He sought for merit Avherever it was to be found ; and the expedition which liad for its object the capture of Quebec, the enemy's capital, he confided to Wolfe's command, alloAving him carte blanche in the choice of his subordinate officers. Advanced to the rank oi major-general, and commanding 9000 men, Wolfe sailed from England on February 17, 1759. and on June 26 landed his forces on the Isle of Orleans, opposite Quebec. The attack, to which he had looked forward as " a very nice operation," proved one of stupendous, indeed, nearly hopeless, difficulty. The system of defence adopted by his adversely, the skilful and wary Montcalm; was such as to offer no point of advantage. In all ihis attempts, though seconded most ably by Admiral Saunders, Avho commanded the fleet, Wolfe found himself coinp'etely foiled. The season during Avhich operations could be continued wore fast away ; but at last, having dropped doAvn the river, and scaled the cliffs at a point insufficiently guarded — a feat of such frightful risk as in Avar has scarcely a parallel — at the day dawn of the 13th September Wolfe found himself on the Plains of Abraham, where, his supplies thus cut off, Montcahn bad no choice but to give battle. The

forces were probably equal, between four and five thousand men ; but Wolfe had no doubt of victory, and the result justified his confidence. After a short struggle the French were driven from the field in complete rout, Montcalm being one of 500 killed. The capitulation of Quebec followed five days after, and its fall decided the fate of Canada.

v Wolfe died in the hour of victory. In person he led the light, until, thrice wounded, he was carried to the rear. Ho lived to hear the cry. " They run ! See how they run ! " and expired with the words, '• Now God be praised. I will die in peace." His body was brought home and buried in Greenwich Church, and a monument was erected to him in Westminster Abbey. He was only 32 ; his health had always been bad, and yet he stands among the first half-dozen of our British generals.