Battle Honours of the British Army: From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VIINorman, Charles Boswell
History
Battle Honours of the British Army: From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VII
Norman, Charles Boswell
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
The landing was stubbornly contested by the French, but, thanks to
the gallantry of Major Scott, at the head of the light infantry
battalion, Wolfe was enabled to effect his object with a loss of
about 100 killed and wounded. Lawrence's brigade was immediately
thrown ashore, and by nightfall Amherst had pitched his camp to the
westward, and just out of the range of the guns of the fortress.
The task of disembarking the siege material was exceedingly
arduous, and Amherst, owing to the nature of the ground, was
compelled to restrict the siege operations to the western face of
the fortress. Wolfe, however, was detached to move round the city,
and seize some works on the northern side of the harbour. This he
effected with but slight loss, and was enabled by a daring _coup
de main_ to occupy a commanding position some 300 yards distant
from the northernmost bastion. Thanks to the powerful and cordial
co-operation of the fleet, Amherst carried on the bombardment with
ceaseless vigour. By the end of July the walls were so battered
that they could barely withstand the shock of their own guns,
and on the 27th of that month the French General surrendered
unconditionally, with 5,600 men.
QUEBEC, SEPTEMBER 12, 1759.
The following regiments are authorized to bear this honour:
Oxford Light Infantry.
North Lancashire.
Northampton.
King's Royal Rifles.
East Yorkshire.
Royal Sussex.
Gloucester.
It commemorates that glorious eleven weeks' campaign which
culminated in the capture of Quebec and established British
supremacy in Canada. It is doubly memorable owing to the fact that
the two opposing commanders, Wolfe and Montcalm, fell in the hour
of victory, and that vanquished as well as victor are held in
veneration by friend and foe alike.
The capture of Louisburg and the successes over the French in West
Africa, as well as on the continent of North America, determined
Pitt to carry out the scheme formulated in the preceding year for
the capture of Quebec. Wolfe, who had so distinguished himself
at Louisburg, was, to the surprise of the army, nominated to the
command, having under him three Brigadiers--Monckton, Townsend,
and Murray. The former had as a regimental commander shown himself
possessed of every capacity for high command. The force, which
numbered about 8,000 men, was composed of ten battalions of the
line: two of grenadiers, made up from the flank companies of all
regiments in North America; two of light infantry; and a corps of
local troops styled "Roger's Rangers," men inured to war and of
proved capacity. The distribution of the force was as under:
First Brigade--Brigadier Murray: 35th (Royal Sussex), 48th
(Northampton), and 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.
Second Brigade--Brigadier Townsend: 28th (Gloucester), 47th
(North Lancashire), and 2nd Battalion King's Royal Rifles.
Third Brigade--Brigadier Monckton: 15th (East Yorkshire), 43rd
(Oxford Light Infantry), 58th (Northampton), and Fraser's
Highlanders.
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