The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-06-21
MEMOIR OF RHODE-ISLAND.
l76O.


Military operations IN america.
Soon after the taking of Quebec the fee
sailed for England, after leaving a garri-
son Of 5000 men in that place, under CON-
mand of General Murray. Monsieur Le-
vi, the French commander Immediately af-
ter the departure of the British feet con-
ceived the project Of recovering Quebec
He commanded numerous army, greater
than that which had taken the city, besides
he had number of frigates by which he
was enabled, in the absence of the English
fleet, to entirely command the river. His
intention was to carry the place by assault,
IN the winter, and made every preparation
for that purpose. General Murray foresee-
ing the design of Levi, rhwarted all his
plans, by an active warfare, by which he
subjected all the country round him, to
great extent, and worsted the French in va
rious skirmishes, which induced Monsieur
Levi to abandon his thoughts of assaulting
the city in the winter, bu. determined in the
spring to lay siege to the place by land and
waller, and made every preparation accor-
dinghy. On the Goth of April the French
came down the river, now wholly in the
possession of their vessels of war, and their
army of more than IL 600 men landed and
possessed themselves of the plains of Abra-
ham. General Murray's garrison had been
diminished by the death of about 1000 men
and the sickness of about an equal number,
so that his effective force could scarcely ex-
ceed 300 at the time the French army and
navy appeared before the town; notwitl-
standing which Murry advanced with his
whole garrison 10 give battle to the French
without the walls. Here he committed the
same fault that Montcalm had done on the
same field, and was defeated with great loss ;
but with great exertion was enabled to Sc
cure the retreat of the remnant of the Brit
ish troops, and again to possess himself of
the Notifications and city. The French i'm
mediately opened their trenches against tie
town, and by the llth of May four batter
les canonaded lhetnwn with great vivacity
knowing that every thing depended on re-
ducing it before an English fleet could ar
rive for its rescue. On such an event ev-
cry thing depended, as the city could not
hold out long against such a superior force.
But relief was near at hand. British
fleet had arrived in the river with a small
reinforcement for the garrison, aud one frg-
ate being six days earlier in her arrival than
the rest of the squadron, got into the river
and anchored in the basin on the 9th day
of May, to the great joy of the garrison.
On the 18th the rest of the squadron appear
ed and anchored above Point Levi. The
French ships were all destroyed, OF taken
Immediately, and their army as soon as the
darkness of the night favored, raised the
siege and retreated with the greatest precip-
itation, leaving their artillery, implements
&c, and their whole camp standing. The
news Of this event when received here pro-
duced the most unbounded joy, as well as
in England, and gave full confidence that
the entire conquest Of Canada was near at
hand.
General Anhurst opened the campaign
at an early period, at the head of a respecta-
bic army, 1000 Of whom were from Rhode
Island, destined to concentrate, by three
different routes, in the neighborhood of
Montreal; now become the centre of the
French power in Canada, the capture of
which would give the finishing stroke to the
labors of many years.
General ilaviiand proceeded with his nr-
my by way of Lake George, Grown Point.
and Lake Champlain. General Murray
came up the river with all that could be
spared oft the Garrison of Quebec, subduing
the country through which he passed and
General Amhurst himself penetrated into
Canada BY Lake Ontario, and down the
river St. Lawrence. These armies after
encountering many obstacles and some mis-
fortunes, together with much loss of time,
all met, about the same time, before Mon
ueal, and when united composed an army
of more than 10000 effective men, provided
win all the means of carrying on the siege.
ihe Marquis Vandrcuiile, who commanded
tue French garrison, finding there could be
no eifec'uai defence against so numerous
ano pover'ui force. Offered to capitsl.te,
which offer was accepted and carried into