The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 4, April, 1852Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 4, April, 1852
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
battle and crush them before mid-day.' And before ten, the
two armies, equal in numbers, each being composed of less
than five thousand men, were ranged in presence of one
another for battle. The English, not easily accessible from
intervening shallow ravines, and rail fences, were all
regulars, perfect in discipline, terrible in their fearless
enthusiasm, thrilling with pride at their morning's success,
commanded by a man whom they obeyed with confidence and
love. The doomed and devoted Montcalm had what Wolfe had
called but 'five weak French battalions,' of less than two
thousand men, 'mingled with disorderly peasantry,' formed on
ground which commanded the position of the English. The
French had three little pieces of artillery, the English one
or two. The two armies cannonaded each other for nearly an
hour; when Montcalm, having summoned Bougainville to his
aid, and despatched messenger after messenger for De
Vaudreuil, who had fifteen hundred men at the camp, to come
up, before he should be driven from the ground, endeavored
to flank the British and crowd them down the high bank of
the river. Wolfe counteracted the movement by detaching
Townshend with Amherst's regiment, and afterwards a part of
the Royal Americans, who formed on the left with a double
front. Waiting no longer for more troops, Montcalm led the
French army impetuously to the attack. The ill-disciplined
companies broke by their precipitation and the unevenness of
the ground; and fired by platoons, without unity. The
English, especially the forty-third and forty-seventh, where
Monckton stood, received the shock with calmness; and after
having, at Wolfe's command, reserved their fire till their
enemy was within forty yards, their line began a regular,
rapid, and exact discharge of musketry. Montcalm was present
every where, braving danger, wounded, but cheering by his
example. The second in command, De Sennezergues, an
associate in glory at Ticonderoga, was killed. The brave but
untried Canadians, flinching from a hot fire in the open
field, began to waver; and, so soon as Wolfe, placing
himself at the head of the twenty-eighth and the Louisburgh
grenadiers, charged with bayonets, they every where gave
way. Of the English officers, Carleton was wounded; Barre,
who fought near Wolfe, received in the head a ball which
destroyed the power of vision of one eye, and ultimately
made him blind. Wolfe, also, as he led the charge, was
wounded in the wrist, but still pressing forward, he
received a second ball; and, having decided the day, was
struck a third time, and mortally, in the breast. 'Support
me,' he cried to an officer near him: 'let not my brave
fellows see me drop.' He was carried to the rear, and they
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