by the failure at Montmorency, and worn out by his exertions, stricken with fever, and unable to bear the presence of his officers. Still the British batteries thundered vigorously from the heights of Montmorency on the French lines, while the fire from Point Levi laid waste the city. On the morning of the 10th of August, at one o'clock, a shell pitched upon the vaulted roof of a cellar in the Lower Town, and burst beneath, igniting a large quantity of brandy which was stored there. The flames quickly spread, and nearly the whole of the quarter was burned down, including the church erected to commemorate Phipps's defeat. A fire broke out at the same time in the Upper Town, but did not do much injury. Amherst's and Johnson's successes, though gratifying in themselves, gave no hope to Wolfe of aid before the close of the campaign. The difficulties which had hitherto impeded his own progress, taught him what they had to encounter, and he saw that he must depend solely on himself, and struggle on unaided. The numerous body of armed men under Montcalm "could not," he said, “be called an army;" but the French had probably the strongest country in the world to cover the approaches to the only vulnerable points of the town. The keen eye of the Indian scout prevented surprise, the peasantry, so long as they could be kept together, being thoroughly exasperated by the forays of the British troops, and incited by their clergy, were zealous to defend their homes, their language, and their religion. Every one able to bear arms was in the field, and old men and boys fired upon the English detachments from every position which gave them concealment from the edges of the woods, from behind rocks and houses. Nevertheless Wolfe felt that every exertion must continue to be made, and while yet disabled by sickness, laid a plan before his brigadiers, embracing three different and equally desperate methods of attacking Montcalm in his intrenchments below the town. They unanimously rejected them all, and adopted instead Brigadier Townshend's plan of landing an army above the town, and thus draw the French from their impregnable position to an open action. "I have acquiesced in their proposal," said Wolfe in his admirable despatch to Pitt of the 2d September, alluding to the course recommended by his brigadiers, " and we are preparing to put it into execution. There is such a choice of difficulties, that I am myself at a loss how to determine." Attended by the Admiral he once more examined the citadel with a view to a general assault. Although every one of the passages from the Lower to the Upper Town was intrenched, the gallant Saunders was willing to join in any hazard for the public service. But the general saw that the undertaking promised no success, and while he had the main force of Canada to oppose, the magnificent fleet could give him no assistance. But if Wolfe's difficulties were great, so also were those which surrounded Montcalm. He knew not where to turn for a ray of hope, except to the now rapidly approaching winter. Danger menaced him on every side. Gage threatened him from Lake Ontario, Amherst from Lake Champlain, while the stately fleet riding securely at anchor below left no hope of succour from France. The peculation and misconduct of the civil officers wasted his resources, and he hesitated not to tell even the Governor himself, that he had sold his country; "but while I live," exclaimed the intrepid soldier, “I will not deliver it up." "Of one thing I can assure you," wrote he to a friend, "I shall not survive the probable loss of the Colony. There are times when a general's only resource is to die with honour ; this is such a time; no stain shall rest on my memory." But he found consolation in the fact, that the conquest of Canada must speedily lead to the independence of the British colonies. Provisions and ammunition were becoming scarce in his camp, and the unhappy peasants stole to their homes by dozens to gather in their harvest. He scourged some offenders, hanged others, and threatened their villages with the vengeance of the savages; yet he could not keep them together, and was finally obliged to allow two thousand of the militia to depart, to gather in their crops, at the most critical period of the campaign. The new plan of operations adopted by Wolfe, rendered the concentration of his troops at Point Levi necessary, and preparations were at once made to evacuate the position at the Montmorency. These were all completed by the 3d September, when the troops safely crossed over the river. The vigilant eye of Montcalm had anticipated this movement from the unusual stir among the British, and he marched two strong columns to attack them while embarking. Monckton, from the heights of Point Levi, discovered the danger which menaced the retiring brigades, and embarking a strong detachment in boats which were protected by some sloops and frigates, rowed towards the Beauport shore, as if about to assault the French lines. Montcalm was accordingly compelled to recall his battalions for their defence, and to permit the British troops at Montmorency to embark without molestation. On the 7th, 8th, and 9th, Admiral Holmes constantly manoeuvred his fleet above the town, and harassed the enemy by threatening their different posts. Wolfe had partially recovered, and in company with his brigadiers now closely reconnoitred the bank of the river, in the hope of discovering some point by which his army could ascend to the Plains of Abraham. At length, about three miles above the city, he discovered a narrow path winding up the steep precipice from the water's edge, at a point where the bank curved slightly inward, and which is now known as Wolfe's Cove. Two men could scarcely ascend this path abreast, yet here he determined his army should disembark, and take the guard at the summit, which he knew by the number of tents could not exceed a hundred, by surprise. Once on the plains above, the French must give him battle. Preparations were promptly commenced for the execution of this plan; and in order to deceive Montcalm as to the true point of attack, Cook, the great mariner, and others, were sent to sound the river at Beauport, and plant buoys along the shore, as if an assault was intended in that quarter. But the real design was kept carefully secret, as otherwise the treachery of a single deserter would have prevented its execution. On the morning of the 12th one of the Royal Americans did go over to the enemy, but from the caution observed was unable to warn them of their danger. At the same time a French deserter brought most important intelligence to Wolfe. "The main force," said he, "is still below the city, and our general will not believe that you meditate an attack anywhere but from the Montmorency side. The Canadians are alarmed by the fall of Niagara, and in great distress for provisions. De Levi, with a large detachment, has left us for Montreal to meet Amherst, and De Bougainville, with fifteen hundred men, watches the motions of your fleet in the upper river." As evening approached the heavier ships of the line moved towards the Beauport shore, and anchored as near it as the water would permit, when the boats were lowered and filled with sailors and marines, as if to make a descent on the French intrenchments. While the enemy's attention was thus occupied, all the smaller ships of the fleet suddenly spread out their sails, and with a fair breeze swept proudly past the batteries of Quebec, and soon joined Holmes's squadron at Cape Rouge. At the same time Monckton's and Murray's brigades pushed up along the river from Point Levi, till they arrived opposite the fleet, on board of which they embarked without being observed by the enemy. At nine o'clock the first division of the army, sixteen hundred strong, silently removed into flat-bottomed boats, and waited the orders of their chief. It was a pleasant autumn night, and the full lustrous stars of a northern firmament twinkled cheerfully down on the noble current of the St Lawrence, as Wolfe quietly passed from ship to ship to make his final inspection, and utter his last words of encouragement. In a pure and gifted mind like his, the solemn hour could scarcely fail of awakening befitting associations. He spoke of the poet Gray, and the beautiful legacy he had given the world in his "Elegy in a Country Churchyard." "I would prefer," said he, "being the author of that poem to the glory of beating the French to-morrow;" and, while the cautious dip of the oars into the rippling current alone broke the stillness of the night, he repeated : "The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” About one o'clock, on the morning of the 13th, the order to advance was given, and the flotilla dropped silently down with the receding tide, Wolfe commanding in person. He still continued his poetical musings, but his eye at the same time was keenly bent on the outline of the dark heights, beneath which he floated past. He recognised at length the appointed spot, and leaped ashore. Meantime, the current had carried a few boats lower down, which had on board the light company of the 78th Highlanders. These were the first troops to land: without a moment's hesitation they scrambled up the face of the wooded precipice, clinging to the roots and branches of trees. Half the ascent was already won, when for the first time the "qui vive" of the French sentry above was given. "La France," promptly answered M'Donald, the Highland captain, with ready self-possession, and the sentinel shouldered his musket and pursued his rounds. In a few minutes, however, the unusual rustling among the trees near at hand alarmed the sentinels, their guard was turned out and fired one hurried volley at the Highlanders, then panicstricken turned and fled. By this time another body of troops had pressed up the pathway, and possessed themselves of a fourgun redoubt which commanded it. As day dawned Wolfe stood with his invincible battalions on the Plains of Abraham, the battle-field which gave a new empire to the Anglo-Saxon race. Only one gun, however, could be got up the hill, so difficult was the ascent. Meanwhile, Montcalm had been completely deceived by the demonstration against his lines below the town. All night long boats plied off and on from the shore, while the ships of war swept the beach with their fire, as if to keep it clear for the landing of troops. Daylight at length came on ; yet he knew nothing of the danger that menaced him in another direction. Presently the morning breeze bore along the boom of a distant gun, and the scattered roll of musketry, from above the beleaguered town. While he yet doubted as their cause, a horseman galloped up and told him the British had ascended to the Plains of Abraham. "It can be but a small party come to burn a few houses and retire," said Montcalm in amazement. The man persisted that the British were there in force. "Then," said the general, "they have at last got to the weak side of this miserable garrison; we must give them battle and crush them before mid-day." Leaving Governor De Vaudreuil behind with fifteen hundred militia, and despatching a courier to recall De Bougainville, Montcalm hurried his troops across the valley of the St Charles, over the bridge, and along the northern face of the ramparts to the battle-ground, where Wolfe, having already formed his line, calmly awaited his approach. The 35th regiment were posted on the extreme right near the precipice. On their left stood the grenadiers of Louisburg; the 28th, the 43d, the 58th, the 78th Highlanders, and the 47th, completed the front, led by Wolfe and Monckton on the right, and Murray on the left. The second line, composed of the 15th regiment and two battalions of the 60th or Royal Americans, was led by Townshend. The 48th regiment, in four columns, formed the reserve under Colonel Burton. Colonel Howe, with the light infantry posted in houses, or scattered through the neighbouring coppices, covered the left flank and rear. The right flank was effectually protected by the precipice. The entire British army was somewhat under five thousand men, but they were all well-trained veterans. more About six o'clock, small bodies of the French troops deployed on the slopes near the ramparts of the city; by seven, they mustered numerously, and brought up two field guns, which caused some annoyance to the British. Towards eight o'clock, Montcalm had arrived with the bulk of his army, which he formed in three distinct masses on a slope to the north-west of the city, where they were sheltered from Wolfe's solitary but mischievous gun. At nine, he pushed to the front, and began to form his line of battle, being assured that De Bougainville was close at hand, and whose light cavalry, of which he had three hundred and fifty, already threatened |