therefore ordered one of the Victuallers which I have discharged of her Provisions to take in such of them as Governor Whitmore shall appoint, and carry them to France, taking from thence such English prisoners, as he shall be able to obtain The Alcide, in her passage to the Gulph of St. Lawrence has taken a French Ship of 280 Tons, from Rochelle, laden chiefly with Military Stores, and Clothing, for the French Troops in Canada; I have not the least Information from her, or from any other Quarter, of the Ships or Motions of the Enemy. I am now off the Island off Scatari, and standing for the Gulph of St. Lawrence, the whole number of Transports not having been able to get out to me 'till this Morning. I inclose for their Lordships' Information the State and Condition of his Majesty's Ships here, and am Sir Your most obedient humble Servant CHAS. SAUNDERS Neptune off 'Scatari 6th. of June 1759. P. S. Since I signed the above, Capt. Carpenter of the Baltimore informs me he has spoke with one of Capt. Smith's Convoy (the Seahorse) from New York, who parted Company with the rest 25 Leags. to the Westward of Louisburg; so I am in hopes they will join me to morrow. Letters of Saunders Sep. 5, 1759. Sir, In my Letter of the 6th. of June I acquainted you for their Lordship's Information, that I was then off Scatari standing for the River St. Lawrence; On the 26th. I had got up with the First Division of the Fleet AP. III-8 and Transports, as far as the middle of the Isle of Orleans, where I immediately prepar'd to land the Troops, which I did the next Morning; The same Day the second & third Divisions, came up, and the Troops from them were landed likewise. I got thus far, without any Loss or Accident whatever, but dietly after landing the Troops, a very hard Gale of Wind came on, by whi many Anchors & small Boats were lost, and much Damage was receiv'd among the Transports, by their driving on board each other; The Ships that lost most Anchors I supplied from the Men of War, as far as I was able; and, in all other Respects, gave them the best Assistance in my power On the 28th. at Midnight the Enemy sent down from Quebec, seven Fire Ships, & tho' our Ships & Transports were so numerous & necessarily spread so great a part of the Channel, we towed them all clear and a ground, without receiving the least Damage from them :-The next Night General Monckton crossed the River, and landed with his Brigade on the South Shore, and took post at Point Levi, and General Wolfe took his on the Westermost point of the Isle of Orleans.— On the 1st. of July I moved up between the Points of Orleans & Levi, and it being resolved to land on the North Shore, I placed, on the 8th. instant, his Majesty's Sloop Porcupine, & the Boscawen armed Vessel in the Channel, between Orleans & the North Shore, to cover that Landing, which took place that Night. On the 17th. I ordered Capt. Rous of the Sutherland to proceed with the first fair Wind and Night Tide, above the Town of Quebec, & to take with him his Majesty's Ships Diana & Squirrel, with two armed Sloops two Catts armed & loaded with provisions; these Ships (except the Diana) got up the 18th. at night, and gave General Wolfe an Opportunity of reconnoitring above the Town, having carried with them some Troops for that purpose. The Diana run ashore up the Rocks off point Levi, & received so much Damage that I have sent her to Boston with 27 Sail of American Transports (those which received most Damage in the Gale of the 27th. of June) where they are to be discharged; and the Diana having repair'd her Damages is to proceed to England, taking with her the Most Ships, and what Trade may be ready to accompany her. On the 28th. at Midnight, the Enemy sent down a Raft of FireStages of near 100 Radeaux, which succeeded no better than the Fire Ships. One 31st. Genl. Wolfe determined to land a Number of Troops abo the Falls of Montmorenci, in Order to attack the Enemies Lines, cover which, I placed the Centurion in the Channel between the Isle of Orleans & the Falls, and ran on Shore, at high Water, two Catts which I had armed for that purpose against two small Batteries & two Redoubts where our Troops were to land. About six in the Evening they landed, but the General not thinking it proper to persevere in the Attack, soon after, a part of them re-embarked, & the rest crossed the Falls with General Wolfe; upon which, to prevent the Two Catts from falling into the Enemies hands (they being then dry on Shore) I gave Orders to take the Men out & set them on Fire, which was accordingly done. On the 5th. of August, in the Night, I sent 20 flat bottomed Boats up the River to the Sutherland, to embark twelve hundred & Sixty of the Troops from a post we had taken on the South Shore, with Brigr. General Murray; I sent Admiral Holmes up to the Sutherland, to act in Concert with him, and give him all the Assistance the Ships & Boats could afford: At the same time I directed Admiral Holmes to use his best Endeavours to get at & destroy the Enemies Ships above the Town ; and to that purpose I ordered the Lowestoffe & Hunter Sloop with two armed Sloops and two Catts with provisions, to pass Quebec and join the Sutherland; but the Wind holding Westerly it was the 27th of August before they got up, which was the fourth Attempt they had made to gain their passage. On the 25th. at Night, Admiral Holmes & General Murray, with part of the Troops returned; they had met with & destroyed a Magazine of the Enemy's Cloathing, some Gun powder, and other things, & Admiral Holmes had been ten or twelve Leagues above the Town, but found it impracticable at that time, to get farther up. General Wolfe having resolved to quit the Camp at Montmorenci, & go above the Town, in hopes of getting between the Enemy & their provisions (supposed to be in the Ships there) and by that Means force them to an Action; I sent up, on the 29th. at Night the Seahorse, and two armed Sloops, with two Catts laden with provision, to join the rest above Quebec; And having taken off all the Artillery from the Camp at Montmorenci, on the 3d. instant, in the Forenoon, the Troops embarked from thence, & landed at Point Levi, The 4th. at Night, I sent all the flat bottomed Boats up, & this Night a part of the Troops will march up the South Shore above the Town to be embarked in the Ships & Vessels there, and to morrow Night the Rest will follow; Admiral Holmes is also gone up again to assist in their future Operations, and to try, if, with the Assistance of the Troops, it is practicable to get at the Enemy's Ships. The French Troops appear Numerous, & seem to be strongly posted, but let the Event be what it will, We shall remain here, as long as the Season of the Year will permit, in order to prevent their detaching Troops from hence against General Amherst; and I shall have Cruizers at the mouth of the River, to cut off any Supplies that may be sent them, with strict Orders to keep that Station as long as possible: The Town of Quebec is not habitable, being almost intirely burnt & destroyed. Twenty of the Victuallers that sailed from England with the Echo are arrived here; One unloaded at Louisburgh having received Damage in her passage out, and another I have heard nothing of: No Ships of the Enemy have come this Way that I have had any Intelligence of, since my Arrival in the River; except one, laden with flour and Brandy, which was taken by Captain Doake of the Lizard. Before Admiral Durell got into the River, three Frigates, and seventeen Sail with Provisions, Stores & a few Recruits got up, and are those we are so anxious, if possible, to destroy. I should have wrote sooner from hence but while my Despatches were preparing, General Wolfe was taken very ill, he has been better since, but is still greatly out of Order. I send this to England by the Rodney Cutter, but Captain Douglas, her Commander being well acquainted with the French Language, & particularly their Sea-terms, being on that Account very useful to me with the French Pilots here, I could not well spare him, and have therefore given Mr. Perceval (one of my Lieutenants) a Commission to command her, which I hope there Lordships will approve. |