Painfully convinced how little security the weak defences of the city could afford against the determined assault of well disciplined and ably led troops, he believed that however great the risk of meeting his daring adversary in the open field, this course was the only one that seemed to promise him any chance of success. Besides, he had a force numerically [204] superior to that of the English General, could he have concentrated them at one spot. Bougainville with the flower of the French army, the grenadiers and volunteers, 3,000 strong, according to professor Dussieux, was at Cap Rouge, six miles from the battlefield and took no part in the fight, having arrived there more than one hour after the fate of Canada was decided. 1,500 men had been left at the Beauport camp to repel the feint by Admiral Saunders' ships, on the morning of the 13 Sept., 1759. The Charlesbourg, Lorette and Beauport militia had been granted leave to return home that week, to look after their harvest: a curious coincidence. The French army was as follows, viz: Left | The Royal Roussillon Regiment, a battalion Regulars. Militia. Wing | of the marines, or colony troops, and | Canadian militia........................... 1,300 2,300 Centre.--The Regiments of Béarn and militia. ...... 720 1,200 Right | The Regiments of La Sarre and Languedoc, Wing | a battalion of the marine, and militia..... 1,600 400 ----- ----- 3,620 3,900 Wolfe's _field-state_ on the morning of the 13th September, showed only 4,828 men of all ranks, from the General downwards; but of these every man was a trained soldier.