Québec, Battle of
Québec, Battle of (1759).In the French and Indian War, conquest of New France presupposed the capture of Québec, the citadel controlling access to the St. Lawrence River. Late in June 1759, 141 British warships and transports brought nearly 9,000 regulars and provincials, commanded by Maj. Gen. James Wolfe, to challenge nearly 16,000 defenders under Gen. Louis‐Joseph, marquis de Montcalm. For more than two months the British bombarded the city, destroyed farms, and attempted landings, without luring the French from their formidable defenses.
On 13 September, a desperate General Wolfe led 4,400 troops in a risky night landing, scaled a 150‐foot cliff, and secured an exposed position. On the Plains of Abraham outside the fortress, Montcalm, acting with uncharacteristic haste, attacked with forces that barely outnumbered the British. The battle lasted half an hour and killed 658 British and 644 French, with Wolfe among the dead and Montcalm among the dying, but it proved a British victory.
With British control of the Plains of Abraham, four days later the French surrendered the still‐defensible city. Viewed by some as a coup de grâce to a crippled empire, and by others as a preliminary victory, the battle is generally seen as the poignant climax of the Anglo‐French struggle for North America.
On 13 September, a desperate General Wolfe led 4,400 troops in a risky night landing, scaled a 150‐foot cliff, and secured an exposed position. On the Plains of Abraham outside the fortress, Montcalm, acting with uncharacteristic haste, attacked with forces that barely outnumbered the British. The battle lasted half an hour and killed 658 British and 644 French, with Wolfe among the dead and Montcalm among the dying, but it proved a British victory.
With British control of the Plains of Abraham, four days later the French surrendered the still‐defensible city. Viewed by some as a coup de grâce to a crippled empire, and by others as a preliminary victory, the battle is generally seen as the poignant climax of the Anglo‐French struggle for North America.
Bibliography
C. P. Stacey , Quebec, 1759: The Siege and the Battle, 1959.
Ian K. Steele
More From encyclopedia.com
James Wolfe , Born January 2, 1727 Westerhan, Kent, England
British general who led the capture of Quebec
James Wolfe was a hero for the British during the French… Vimeiro , Vimeiro
Vimeiro, battle of
Vimeiro, battle of, 1808. The first major battle of the Peninsular War. British troops under Arthur Wellesley (Wellington)… Battle Of The Somme , Somme, battle of the, 1916. When he became commander-in-chief, Haig wanted to advance from Ypres to liberate the Belgian coast. However, the allies h… Battle , 60. Battle (See also War.)
Actium Octavian’s naval defeat of Antony and Cleopatra (31 B.C.). [Rom. Hist.: NCE, 15]
Agincourt longbow helps British de… Plains Of Abraham , PLAINS OF ABRAHAM. 13 September 1759. On the night of 12-13 September 1759, forty-five hundred British troops led by Major General James Wolfe landed… Battle Of Ramillies , Ramillies, battle of, 1706. Marlborough's second major victory in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Spanish Netherlands (modern Belgium) nort…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
Québec, Battle of