Famous People

Southland Times, Issue 20903, 12 October 1929, Page 22

Famous People

ONE MINUTE BIOGRAPHIES. Who: GENERAL WOLFE. Where: England and Canada. When: Eighteenth century. Why famous: An English general whose claim to fame was secure upon the fall of Quebec in 1759. Young James Wolfe early received an ensign’s commission. He played his part—and it was invariably a creditable one —at Falkirk, at Culloden and during the unfortunate expedition against Rochefort. Then William Pitt, hearing of the young officer, singled him out for distinguished service later. The opportunity came when Pitt began to act upon his plans for overthrowing the French dominion in Canada. Pitt possessed the vision of a future British Empire upon which the sun would never set, and with that goal in sight he struggled against the French in India and in Canada. It was the period of the Seven Years’ War. And so he singled out Wolfe to command the expedition against that strongest Canadian fortress, Quebec. Already Wolfe had earned the title of “Hero of Louisburg,” to which fortress he had laid siege for seven weeks. Now, with the rank of majorgeneral, lie landed his forces on an island opposite Quebec. The French general, Montcalm, offered so gallant and expert a defence that the rock fortress seemed impregnable. But General Wolfe found a way. On a dark night in September, with a small force of picked men scattered in several boats, Wolfe slipped along noiselessly until directly under the French citadel. Then in single file the English crept up the face of the rock and stood upon the Plains of Abraham. When the French garrison awoke next day there was no alternative but battle. The French, fighting bravely, were soon completely routed. Neither General Wolfe nor General Montcalm long survived, but both realized the outcome of the battle. The following year Montreal, too, fell into British hands. It was clear that Canada would form part of the British Empire.