because it may be necessary to land upon some of the Islands in the River, & Mr. Durelle may think it right to push a detachment of his Squadron up to the very bason of Quebec, Our four Battalions are at a very low ebb and I believe, if Mr. Murray, Mr. Howe, & the other Gentlemen, had not taken more than common precaution, and been at more than ordinary Expence, & pains for the preservation of their Men, assisted by Mr. Russels skill & diligence these Regiments, wou'd have been annihilated Otway's & Bragg's, are still worse, as I am inform 'd, So that you see Sir, what a numerous body of Men are here for the Conquest of Quebec, I believe they feel Stout, and so they had need, seeing, there is not a Multitude.. Mr. Saunders made several attempts to get into Louisburg, but there was such a Crust of Ice all along the Shoar from Scatari to St. Esprit, that it was by no means safe to push in, nor, indeed possible at that time. Our Ships are in general healthy.-I hope You have order'd Whitemore to give me the Company of light Infantry, from his three Battalions, &c. The least loss in the River, or Sickness among the Men, reduces our Undertaking to little more than a diversion-& I can assure You, that I think we are very liable to accidents. It can't be doubted that the French have thrown Succours in, or will do it, before our Squadron gets to its proper Station; The Harbour of Louisburg being as yet clos'd up-it is to be wish'd that any Troops coming from the continent, or the Bay of Fundy within this Fortnight, might put into Halifax, & take the security of Mr. Saunders Convoy to Louisburg. I wish you health & Success-of the former I have but a small Share; of the latter as little hope, unless we get into the River first: however trust me they shall feel us. If you would send even the small number of 300 Pioneers, it would be infinite relief to the Soldiers, because these (the Militia) could be constantly at Work having no other occupation. There is a great Siege to be undertaken, & not a farthing to pay the Workmen- I am not possessed of a single dollar of Publick Money; & yet, it is much a Question among the Military Men, whether, We shall not be obliged to fight first & besiege afterwards. Endorsed: Acquainting the General with his Arrival; the State of the Troops, & Fleet; the Military Chest Empty; and desiring a reinforcemt of 300 Pioneers from the Provincials, In M. G. Amherst's of June 19. 1759, to Pitt-dated from Camp at Fort Edward N. B.-There are 103 inclosures to Amherst's letter of June 19. 1759 besides four plans-one of Oswego-two of posts on Oneyda Lake, & one -of Order of Battle Amherst to Wolfe Albany May 21st 1759. Dear Wolfe If I succeed, this will wait on you with three hundred good pioneers, which I think will be of Service to you, and I therefore give up that number, which ought otherwise to join me, and I shall be very glad to want them, if you have them. If my demands on this occasion, have not the weight that I hope they will have, I can't help it; the difficulties of prevailing on any of the Governments to the Westward of Halifax, to go out of the common road, are great, but I'll try, as it will give me great pleasure, to do every thing that can be in my power to the utmost of your Wishes, and I send away Capt. Abercromby immediately with this, with a letter (a copy of which you have enclosed) to the Lieut. Governor, in hopes, that he will, on my earnest solicitations, be persuaded it is for the Good of His Majesty's Service, and send them, without waiting for provincial Authorities. & Ceremonies, by which half the Campaign would be over before they are resolved. Your letter of the 1st of May, came to me late last Night, I am glad you are safe arrived at Halifax, and am willing to believe your health is no otherwise not well, than from your passage, which I know, no more agrees with you than with me. I expected Mr. Durell would have been out before the first of this Month, many Days, but if the Weather has been so Severe, to hinder our Ships from getting up the River St. Lawrence, there is a certainty, that it would not be more favorable for the Enemy, who have a greater distance to come from to get up the, River, and therefore, should find more difficulties than we do, who ought to be better informed, than they can possibly be. I have wrote you already, what I am doing, no Massachusetts, Newhampshire, yet arrived, 300 Connecticut are come, and all the New Yorkers, are as soon Marched as Arrived; I doubt not but the others will now soon come in, and I fully intend, to do the most with them I can, I can't tell you exactly what I shall do, as it must depend on Circumstances, as I find them, but you may be Assured, my point in view shall be to distract the Enemy, and force them to give up one Avenue, which is Sufficient for us to take all Canada, or if they will attempt to defend themselves in every Corner, I hope they will be disappointed in all, as they must be weak every where. A detachment is gone & going to Niagara, as I wrote you word I should send one, I hope they'll come from thence to La Galette, I am preparing things for Lake George; I shall have a diversion on the Right if I can, and try to make them say Nous Sommes Coupés, by which I believe, Tienderoga will be easily ours I send you enclosed, two Commissions, which I have waited for an opportunity of sending to Brigadier Murray, I have wrote every thing, in regard to Engineers, that I think you will desire, as you will see, when you receive my Several Letters. The Company of Light Infantry, from the three Battalions to be left at Louisburg, to be of Your Army, I have not had the least Mention from England, but I am very well convinced, Brigr. Genl. Whitmore's Zeal for the good of His Majesty's Service, is a sufficient inducement to him to grant them to you, if he thinks the important Island of Cape Breton Sufficiently Secure, and I think so small a number can, at this time that the Enemys hands are full, be of no bad consequence to give to you. I am full of a thousand things that are going on here, but resolved not to lose a moment, in trying to get you these pioneers, as You interest Yourself so much on that point; I shall rejoyce if it has Success, and you may be assured, I shall at all times, seize every occasion that may offer, to prove myself Major General Wolfe Dear Wolfe &c. JEFF AMHERST : Endorsed In answer to Mr. Wolfe's of the 1st., acquainting him with the application he had made for the 300 pioneers; his hopes & warmest wishes that it might take place; and informing him of the proposed diversion to the Westward. in M. G. Amherst's of June 19, 1759 Montcalm to Amherst A Quebec le 24 May 1759. Monsieur, J'ai l'honneur d'informer Votre Excellence que Mr. Le Marquis de Vaudreauil & moi Venons de recevoir des ordres du Roy notre Maitre de tenir la main à l'Execution du Traité d'Echange pour les Prisonniers fait à l'Ecluse le 6 fevrier 1759 au nom de leurs Majestés Très Chretienne et Britannique pour etre Executé selon sa forme et teneur dans quelque partie du Monde que les Armées Belligerentes ou Auxiliaires des deux Nations se trouvent. Je ne doute pas que Votre Excellence n'ait reçu les mêmes ordres, aussi suis je pret de m'y conformer et de vous envoyer en consequence tous les Prisonniers qui nous restent pourvû que Votre Excellence veuille de son côté en agir de même comme j'en reste persuadé; M. de Bourlamaque Brigadier commandant un corps de Troupes sur la frontiere du Lac St. Sacrement est chargé de vous faire passer ma depêche. Sur vôtre reponse d'acceptation, je lui ferai passer tous les Prisonniers Anglois pour les Echanger au Fort de Lydius avec les notres grade à grade et pour le surplus se conformer au dit Cartel. Je saisis avec empressement cette premiere occasion d'assurer Vôtre Excellence de la haute consideration avec laquelle J'ai l'honneeur d'être Monsieur, Votre très humble et très obeissant serviteur MONTCALM. Endorsed Copy of letter from Mr. Montcalm to Major General Amherst Quebec 24th May 1759 proposal of an Exchange of Prisoners agreeable to the last Cartel. in M. G. Amhersts of June 19, 1759 Monsieur, (Amherst ?) letter unsigned to Montcalm du Camp sous Fort Edouard ce 17 Juin, 1759. La Lettre que votre Excellence m'a faite l'honneur de m'écrire le 24 May, ne fait que de me parvenir dans l'instant par le Sr. Cotte, Major de Milice, que j'aurois renvoyé sur le Champ, si l'humanité n'exigeoit pas de lui donner cette Nuit, pour se remettre du mauvais tems qu'il a essuié dans son trajet, ainsi il ne repartira que demain au jour. Par cette occasion, j'ai l'honneur d'envoyer à votre Excellence, un Exemplaire du Traité d'Echange dont Elle fait mention, et de l'assurer en même tems, combien il m'est agréable que ses Ordres et les miens soient si conformes, pour tenir la main à son exécution: Il ne me reste donc qu'a la prier de vouloir bien croire que, de mon côté, Je manquerai pas de la remplir dans toute sa teneur dès que J'en aurés le pouvoir, mais pour cette fin, Je suis premierement oblige d'ecrire a la Nouvelle York, pour m'informer de l'Etat et du nombre de vos Prisonniers, et donner les Ordres necessaires pour les faire approcher des Frontieres, ce qui ne peut manquer de prendre quelques tems, mais dès que ce là ce |