صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

acquainted me with His Inabillity to assist them, either with provisions or money, except paper money (which is now of no value) all which I believe really to be true, and Mr. Bigon the Intendant being to give me Bills on their Treasury, and on His own personal Credit, in case there should be any delay in the former, I have therefore (as the 26th Article of the Cartel obliges us to take care of and feed the wounded) advanced Him £600 which is more convenient to us, and more agreeable to them than to maintain them ourselves.

As the Staff of this Army will now be at an end I inclose You Sir, an Account of the different places they severally go to.

As it is necessary for me to give some Reasons for my leaving so strong a Garrison here, give me leave Sir to offer the following which

are

First. The great Extent of the Town, which in many places is liable to Insult renders a strong Garrison very requisite.

Secondly. The heavy Snows which fall here, often filling up the Ditch, the Garrison, should it not constantly be kept clear, would be subject to surprises, therefore a strong Garrison is necessary.

Lastly Sir, should any further operations be carried on here in the Spring the Troops will be at hand to act imediately-these Reasons will I hope be approved of.

Brigadier Genl. Townshend will deliver You a Draught of the Enemy's Intrenchments, from the River St. Charles to the Falls of Montmorency and a Plan of the Field of Battle, (1) they were not finished in time to inclose with the other papers

[merged small][ocr errors]

The Engineers have been so hurried in making the very necessary Repairs, about the Garrison, that they have not been able to make an exact Plan of the Fortifications as yet, but I am in hopes Sir that I shall be able to send it to you, by the Ships the Admiral leaves here for some days after Himself.

I had forgot to mention a Return of the Killed & Wounded from the commencement of the Campaign, which I inclose

I purpose remaining here untill I can hear with some certainty whether General Amherst will be able to advance, or not, which, as the Season is now so far advanced I am very doubtfull of.

As General Amherst's Intentions were that six months subsistence for the Troops and a proper sum for the Contingencies of the Army should have come up the River, yet no more than £19,700.00 could be procured for these purposes-and it being absolutely necessary that as much Cash should be kept here as possible, for the procuring Fresh Provisions and other things from the Inhabitants, for the Sick, and which will likewise prevent them from carrying such Refreshments to the French-The Admiral has been so good as to collect from the officers of the several Ships of War upwards of £3000 which, with His Advice, I have to repay it, drawn upon the Paymaster General in favour of Mr. Saunders for £3365-of which I shall give the Paymaster General Advice and I hope You will Sir (seeing the necessity I was under to take such a step) forward the payment of it.

The Admiral has sent a Sloop of War, by my desire, to New York for a supply of money, but as she had a long passage down the River. We cannot hope for her returning here this year, and I must beg leave to observe to you that the Troops are only paid up to the 24th of August last.

I should be highly deficient did I not mention the great assistance the Admiral has on all occasions given to us, throughout the Campaign, and in landing our Stores and Provisions for the Garrison.

I have the Honour to be with the Greatest Respect

Sir

Your most Obedient & Humble Servt.

The Rt. Honble. Willm. Pitt Esqr.

Endorsed: Novr. 30th by Coll. Townshend.

ROBT. MONCKTON

Lt. James Grant to Colonel Bouquet.

Camp at Crown point Septr. 15th. 1759.

My dear Sir,

After throwing out every thing in my last that was subject of conversation in our army, I told you that a vague report prevailed of Mr. Wolfes having raised the seige of Quebeck and retired to the Isle of Orleans, But being now better informed as letters have come from General Wolfe's army since that rumour reached us, I could not avoid taking the first oportunity of removing the uneasiness that might be occasioned by such Disagreable accounts-The Fact is that Mr. Wolfe was before Quebeck the 30 of last month obstinatly Determined to make a Conquest & this we learn by a flag of truce & the account is confirmed by letters to Capt. Abercrombie & others (sic) & others from Monsieur Buckonville who is Adjutant General in Montcalm's Army-Some time ago the Day I forget General Wolfe ordered the Granadiers of the Army to march and attack two redoubts that Galled him they were covered by the regiments of Amherst & Frazer-Colonel Bourton led the Granadiers, the whole was commanded by Brigadier Townshend-The attack was impetuous, the French gave way & spiked their own Cannon-so the Generals end was acomplished But the Granadiers flushed wt. success pursued violently huzaing as they went along & nothing could stop them till they got among the French lines, General Townshend laboured to bring them back & was at last obliged to make the drums sound a retreat which had the effect, but not till they had been saluted by the French army with the heaviest fire imaginable all their officers were wounded almost, & about three hundred men & fifty killed, but the wounds are mostly slight the French fire coming from a rising ground-Townshend they say, behaved with great composure & covered them with the Batalions under his command in the retreat, where he sustained some loss notwithstanding they came off in good order-General Wolfe was a little Displeased with the violence & hurry of the troops and signified as much to them But still tho' it was not quite right, it must be allowed a rapid & brave attack is the most pardonable fault in a British Granadier & surely much more eligible in any army than the smallest imputation of bashfullness

The 48 Regt. & Frazers had a skirmish in the Woods with a large Detachment of the French Army under the Command of Colonel Buckonville while, Frazer was driving in three hundred Bulocks belonging to the Enemy; they formed & fought them & lost several Men but in the begining of the Fray a Capt. was detached with 100 men to carry the Bullocks into Camp which he accomplished under, cover of the two Regts. Frazer was wounded in the thigh in this affair, if you knew the Highlands of Scotland as well as Donald Campbell of your Regiment does, you would say it was not the first time a highlander had been overtaken Driving his neighbours Cattle-Colonel Walsh a few days before Drove in about 300 head of Sheep-these things must distress the Enemy & we are told. That Mr. Wolfe has laid the country waste 40 miles round They have frequently fallen in with the Indians & Drubbed them every time as our partys were strong & several out at a time. The Kachnavaga Indians have lost a number of their people.

The following is the latest list of killed & wounded in General Wolfe's Army:

[blocks in formation]

Capt. Achetelony prisoner & sup- Lt. Hathorn

posed dead of his wounds

Lt. Wilingtone

Lt. Pursival

Capt. Edmonstone

Lt. Shaw

Lt. Paton

Lt. Moncktone

78th. Regt.

Colonel Frazer

Capt. Mackpherson
Lt. Cameron

Lt. Charles McDonald
Lt. Hector McDonald

Louisburg Granadiers 40th. Regt. Capt. Hamiltone

45th. Regt.

Lt. Colingwood

Wounded

58th. Regt.
Capt. Leland
Rangers

Capt. C. Danks
Engeniers
Capt. Green

Capt. Williamson

« السابقةمتابعة »