Major-General James Wolfe, son of Lieut.-General Edward Wolfe, was born at Westerham, in Kent, on the 11th of January, 1726, and entered the army as a second lieutenant in Colonel Edward Wolfe's First regiment of Marines, on the 3rd of November, 1741. On the 27th of March, 1742, he was removed to the Twelfth foot, in which regiment he was promoted lieutenant on the 14th of July, 1743. He was appointed to a company in the Fourth foot on the 23rd of June, 1744, and obtained his majority in the Thirty-third regiment on the 5th of February, 1747. The war of the _Austrian Succession_ afforded him many occasions to show the bravery and decision of his character; and at the battle of _Val_, or _Laffeld_, on the 2nd of July, 1747, when only twenty-one years of age, his masterly exertions, at a critical juncture, procured his appointment as a major of brigade, and the highest encomiums from His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, then at the head of the army. He was removed to the Twentieth regiment on the 5th of January, 1749, in which he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-colonel on the 20th of March, 1750. After the peace he cultivated the arts of war, and introduced such exactness of discipline into his corps, that as long as the six British battalions[20] on the plains of _Minden_ are recorded in the annals of Europe, so long will Kingsley's (Twentieth) stand amongst the foremost of that day. He received the brevet rank of colonel on the 21st of October, 1757, and in January, 1758, was appointed brigadier-general in America. He was appointed colonel of the SIXTY-SEVENTH on the 21st of April, 1758, on the second battalion of the Twentieth being constituted the SIXTY-SEVENTH regiment. In July following he distinguished himself at the capture of the island of _Cape Breton_. On his return to England he was appointed to command the important expedition against _Quebec_, with the local rank of major-general. This was an expedition of considerable difficulty and danger. He was to sail up the St. Lawrence and capture Quebec, which is situated on its shores. The place was, by its natural formation, very strong, and succours of all kinds had been thrown into the town; and the garrison, consisting of French, Canadians, and Indians, was prepared at all points for the attack. Major-General Wolfe on landing at the Isle of Orleans found it necessary to seize and to fortify Point Levi, and the western parts of the isle, as the Canadians might otherwise prevent a ship approaching Quebec. These points having been attained, he ordered works to be constructed there for the bombardment of the town. The French endeavoured to prevent the construction of these works, and crossed the river for that purpose, but in vain. Finding, however, that an attack on the city from the river side would be of small effect, Major-General Wolfe resolved to carry on the attack on the land side. To effect this, he first