Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-03-16
miscellaneous.
s l RRENDER OF QUEBEC.
BY D. w. BARLOW, JR.

While the British
armies were gaining victories at Ticonde-
roga, Crown Point. Frontenac, and Du
Quesne, IN the brilliant campaign of 1859,
Gen. James Wolfe was vigorously carving
forward his hazardous operations before
Quebec, the Gibralter of America. In
the midst of his exertions, he received the
gratifying intelligence of the capture of
Niagara, by Sir William johnson. and al
so of the retreat of the French before Sir
jeffrey Amherst, the commander-in-chief
of the British army in North America
But the advanced period OF the season,
and the strong force of the enemy at the
isle Aux NolX, satisfied Wolfe that the
union of the divisions under General Am
heTst with those under himself could not
take place, according to a previous ar
rangement. Neither was it probable that
Sir William johnson, as had been contem-
plated. would be able to march against
Montreal and divide the strength and di-
vert the attention of the Marquis Mont
calm, the head of the French in Canada
/ Though in body so weak and feeble, from
the effects of painful aud wasting mala-
! dy, as to be often confined to his room
yet by his cheerful and confident bearing
General Wolfe inspired the minds OF all
around him with the highest expectations
that under him their brightest hopes would
be fully realized-their tolls and suffer
ings rewarded with the noblest triumph
British yalor ever won on American soil
With an army of eight thousand men,
under a convoy of vessels commanded by
Admiral Saunders, Gen. Wolfe landed on
the isle of Orleans, lying in the river St
Lawrence, few leagues below the city of
| Quebec, near the close of June, 1853
Here he had full view of the dangers
and obstacles that must be encountered
and the bold yet cautious maneuvres he
would have to make in face of an eagle
/ eyed and skIllful foe, in order to succeed
Rising superior to despair, and nobly ex-
claiming That a victorious army knows
no difficulties" Wolfe resolved to risk
everything to gain everything With the
| hope that the wary and watchful Mont
calm might be induced to change his i'm
Ipregnable and well chosen position. and
enter into a general engagement, Wolfe
| brought on the battle of Montmorency.
and was repulsed with the loss of FIVE
hundred of his best men. At this critical
juneture he formed the daring resolution
to carry on all future operations above the
town At the greatest exposure and most
imminent peril-suspending all on the re-
suits Of single, frail and fearful chance
! by bold and masterly movement, he
finally gained the Heights of Abraham,
which overlooked and commanded the be-
leaguered city. So overwhelming was the
surprise and astonishment of Montcalm,
when informed of this unexpected and
startling change of the position of the
English, that at first he positively refused
to believe 1t possible that he had been so
strangely out-generalled He saw that
| fatal battle. could not much longer be
avoided-a battle that would inevitably
decide the fate of the French empire in
the western hemisphere-aud he made his
preparations accordingly An engage
ment soon after took place between the
two armies, in which the steady unfinch-
ing bravery of the British, and the reck
less, impetuous courage of the French.
were fully tried and proved The Eng
/ ish were victorious, and to them the
/ French surrendered Quebec. the last re-
naming stronghold that had not yet fallen
into their possession.
~ oiAC atiu -IbulcdiLl, the cOmHS00lOg
generals, were ris ais worthy of each other
| The wonderful coincidence and contrast
presented in the closing scene of their
| fortunes and lives, have ever blended their
names and memory in glorious union on
the historians page, the painters canvass
and IN the poets numbers Both had
distinguished themselves during the war
both were in the thickest and fercest
( of the battle storm-both led their emu
Ious columns on to the deadly charge
both were mortally wounded and reluc-
family carried from the field of bloody
/ strlfe-both died-one as auimating shouts
oI victory were ringing louder and clearer
IN ms failing ears and words of peaceful
resignation were falling from his closing
!ps-the other breathing fervent aspira-
tons that he might not Hge to s'see the
surrender OF Quebec and the doni;nions
OF his KING pass into the hands of his ex-
piring conqueror
The loss Of these gallant and accom-.