By 1759 in North America forces of Great Britain had succeeded in capturing Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Niagara, and Quebec from the French. The following year the Chevalier De Lévis led a French counterattack to retake Quebec. In April despite winning the Battle of Sainte Foy Lévis failed to take Quebec after a three-week siege and retreated once the British garrison under James Murray had been relieved by the Royal Navy. Lévis retreated to Montreal and helped organise the defense of the region against the inevtiable British attack. The British commander in chief Major General Jeffrey Amherst intended to marshal his numerous forces in a three pronged assault on Montreal from Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario and Quebec to seek a decisive victory that would end the war. From French prisoners captured after the Quebec siege Murray informed Amherst that Lévis had sizeable contingents along the Richelieu River at Forts Chambly, Saint-Jean and Île aux Noix.