The French and Indian War (part 5).

James Wolfe. Portrait attributed to Joseph Highmore.

Photo by: Bonhams {{PD-US}}

What could be crossing James Wolfe´s mind, while he sailed to Quebec, on June 1759? His health was not one his strenghts, everybody knew that. Even, is quite posible that between his men were crossing bets on his death. Would he die on combat… or of disease? He sure knew that, but it was not something to keep him sleepless. After all, since he was sixteen, he knew very well the risks of combat. Not for nothing he earned to be Liutenant Colonel, being twenty one years old (1748). He just seemed to compete with himself. The only thing that mattered was to fulfill his duty, and to do it soon.

George II at the Battle of Dettingen, 1743. By John Wooton.

National Army Museum, UK. James Wolfe was there (16 years old).

He was named as Commandant General of the British forces, to take the city of Quebec. No question about his merits to achieve that. But, to seize an almost inexpugnable objective, with time working against him, was not an easy task, at all. A retreat, forced by the rough winter, would be the same as a defeat. To admit that possibility, was something unacceptable to Wolfe. Maybe it was the cause of his bad and hostile temper. It attracted him the dislike from not a few of his officers. Besides, was his bad health issue…

Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. By Theophile Hamel, ca. 1865.

Source: Canadian House of Commons Heritage Collection.

{{PD-US}}

By that time, Montcalm already knew that France had to handle an imminent loss in that war. There was nothing else to do than resist, concentrating his forces at Quebec. He would gamble on the fatigue of the enemy. But there was also the possibility of getting the British fleet stuck, into the frozen rivers. Hence, letting the time pass, seemed a fair defensive strategy. Maybe he still could save the honour of the French arms, and even to get an acceptable capitulation. But there was an additional factor: the conflicts between Montcalm and the Governor Vaudreuil, spoiling any hope of a satisfactory result.

A view of Quebec, from Point Levy, 1761. By P. Canot.

Soon Wolfe suffered his first annoyance on that campaing. A group of French ships had eluded the British blockade, getting to Quebec. With those supplies and reinforcements, grew their capacity to resist and the time needed to surrender the city. A few days later, the mighty Bristish fleet, went up the river Saint Lawrence. Among them, were twenty two outstanding warships, surrounded with cannons: true sailing fortresses! They arrived safely to the southern coast of the Île d'Orléans, four miles apart from the city (June 27th, 1759). From that place, began the reconnaissance of the enemy's positions.

A soldier of the France Royal Navy Regiment, 1757.

Navy Museum, France. 

The French seemed to be favored by a clear numerical advantage. But many of them, were only settlers and recruits: full of will, lack of preparation. Whilst the British forces, consisted mostly of regular troops. Wolfe was confident of his men superior capacity, so he always seeked for an open field combat… an European way battle. For Montcalm was necessary to avoid such a clash!

The Siege of Quebec, 1759.

Source: National Archives of Canada.

The fact was that Wolfe did not count on enough men to surround Quebec. Instead, he decided to subject the city to an intense shelling, while he found its weaknesses for a massive landing. As time passed and he could not achieve that, the pressure began to grow. There is no need to be very imaginative, to understand his position. Under those circumstances, he came to show some failures, such as indecision and even some tactical mistakes. So it happened once, when he ordered a failed attack. The British had to retreat with more than two hundred casualities (July 31th).

Anse-au Foulon (Wolfe's Cave). By Winslow Homer, 1895.

Source: Bowdoin College Museumm of Art, Canada.

It was the place the Bristish climbed to get to Quebec plains.

That unsuccesful but destructive bombing, would carry on till September. The withdrawal of the fleet became an imminent necessity, due to the proximity of winter. But, instead of thinking about the retreat, Wolfe would take extreme measures. He decided to stand his troops on the plains of Quebec. To do that, they would climb a rough trail, walking at night! Simultaneously, the ships would simulate maneuvers to distract the enemy.

Montcalm at the Plains of Abraham. Printout by Ralph Clark

of a portrait of A.H. Hider. {{PD-US}}

It resulted on a complete surprise. By dawn, there were thousands of British soldiers ready to take action, at the outskirts of Quebec. On September 13th, Montcalm´s nightmare had come true! So there was no other choice but fighting. Without artillery, counting on a force of four thousand and five hundred little experienced men, would face a much more skilled rival. The battle occurred at the Plains of Abraham (10 am), by the European style. With the first volley, the undisciplined French recruits broke their lines. Then came a disastrous retreat. As they could, they ran to take shelter into the city. General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm was seriously wounded, and died one day later.

James Wolfe's Death. By Benjamin West. National Arts Gallery of Canada.

Despite the victory, Wolfe's fate was the same as his rival. He died at the same battlefield and could not see the combat's ending. Both generals had given their lives, devoted to fullfill their duty! That behavior has earned them many praises and even a kind of worship to their memory. There is a beautiful plaque dedicated to Montcalm, at the field of his last battle. The last moments of Wolfe, were romantically idealised on a famous picture. Much has been written about the lives and works of those men who had it's turn to face each other on that crucial moment.

Montcalm wounded, returns to Quebec. By Louis Bombled.

 From La Nouvelle France, Paris, by Eugène Guérin, 1900.

By the other side, different views exist about those events… not always impartial. Some impute them for major tactical mistakes. As an example: Montcalm should have waited more to give the battle, because time was his ally. Wolfe also doesn´t come off very well; according to some opinions, he was lucky for his rival´s errors. If not, his army would have been in serious problems. The death of both generals is an obvious evidence of their bad performances. Even, they have been acused of scheming and lacking of talent. In conclusion, there are opposite versions about that. In our opinion, History already has judged Montcalm and Wolfe, and gave them a deserved place!

Wolfe and Montcalm. Quebec National Assembly's facade.

Photo by Bouchecl. Lic. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Meanwhile, Governor Vaudreuil chose not to resist, despite he still had much of the French forces intact. He preferred to escape to Montreal; perhaps he was thinking to better organize the resistance... On September 18th, the British army took possession of the ruined city of Quebec. That happened right on time to take their ships off the Saint Lawrence River. They went, leaving a strong garrison there: about seven thousand men, commanded by Gen. James Murray. But the cold winter and hunger, almost turned that garrison into a hospital.

Quebec in ruins. A drawing by Richard Short. Engraving by A. Benoist.

Fisher Library, University of Toronto. {{PD-US}}

To make things worse, on the next spring, the French came back, commanded by Francois-Gastón de Lévis. They attacked and could defeat the British in the second Battle of Quebec (Battle of Sainte-Foy, on April 28th, 1760). After significant losses, Murray managed to refuge inside the city. Lévis, eager of revenge, besieged them, but in front of the imminent arrival of the British fleet, he had to retreat. Once more, it was clear that there was no way for France, to win the war, even if they did the right movements.

Francois-Gastón de Lévis. By E. Trochler, 1897.

Photo by Jeangagnon.

 Since then, the British pressure would raise very much. They began to use scorched earth tactics, to put end to any resistance from the settlers. But this time, the objective was Montreal, besieged from three fronts. Before the imminent attack, Vaudreuil surrendered without fighting, on September 8th, 1760. It denied France a decorous capitulation. Perhaps Lévis, at last could understand Montcalm´s attitude: he had placed the honor above his own security.

Pontiac's Rebellion. Engraving by Alfred Bobbett, 19th century.

{{PD-US}}

The scarce rebel forces remaining, were swiped up from the Great Lakes to Ohio. There would only occur scattered skirmishes, from then on. After the war, many Indian tribes were abandoned to their fate. The French had given them some support in front of the intense growth of the British colonies. Severe conflicts arose and many persons would die, for that reason. Soon the Redskins would unbury the hatchet of war, with Pontiac´s rebellion. But, that is another story.

When France understood that everything was lost, they transferred to Spain the huge territory known as Louisiana (1762). Maybe they thought they would recover it later. But the British victory had been so complete, that it shattered any agreement not approved by them. France and Spain had been overwhelmed by Great Britain… so they must accept its impositions. It was the way things were.

The Dragon's Fountain, Versailles Palace. By Israel Silvestre, 1676.

Source: The Library of Congress, USA. {{PD-US}}

The signing of the Treaty of Paris, on February 10th of 1763, was the final act of that war. Then France chose to keep its Caribbean possessions: Guadeloupe and Martinique. They renounced to their rights on any territory to the north of the Great Lakes (Canada). Though it may look absurd in the present, then, those islands had a high economic importance, due to the sugar production. In the end, the French lost almost all their North American territories. France could only retain two small islands: Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in front of Terranova.

Louis XV of France. By Maurice Quentin de la Tour, 1748.

Louvre Museum. {{PD-US}}

But the King of France still managed to include a few allowances into the treaty. By that, the winners would respect the culture and religion of some French communities from the Province of Quebec. This is the reason why their influence was preserved in a part of Canada, coming to the present days.

Map of North America, showing the distribution of the territories between Great Britain

and Spain, 1775. The line of 1763, was the limit of  the Eastern colonies,

 to protect Indian lands. Source: National Atlas of the United States.

Spain could keep the territories of Louisiana, to the west of the Mississippi River. Also recovered its possessions in Cuba and the Philippines islands, on the other side of the world… in exchange for Florida. It had been not too bad, after all! 

United Kingdom flag, till 1800. Source: Hoshie, Wikimedia User. 

Great Britain had arisen as the world arbiter. The British Navy imposed the law on the seven seas. They were at full sail to become the largest empire in history...

Eventhough, without realizing, in the lands of North America, had been planted a seed. And that seed would sprout very soon! The political mistakes of Great Britain, would join to the aspirations of the colonies, which felt the calling of a great destiny. It would inflict the British a very tough loss, to give birth to the most important country of the modern era.

The Spirit of  '76. From the original of  A.M. Willard

Abbs T Hall, Marblehead, Mass. {{PD-US}}

A few years later, the French would walk again on those lands, but this time as allies of their former enemy. The United States of America, Great Britain and France, with time, became unconditional allies.

The unveiling of The Statue of Liberty. 

By Edward Moran. Museum of New York City.