The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-06-22

grass DldHluS Will COlOI. DuG III ltoO,
no city covered the steep sides of the
promontory. and no villas dotted the
Plains of Abraham. Defensive works
frowned upon the summit, and there
was little to be seen but the walls of the.
fortress, and the flag of France waving
over it.
Just below Quebec, the isle Of Orleans,
six miles wide and twenty long. lies In
the st. Lawrence, containing now pop
ulation of six or seven thousand, but
then an unpeopled wilderness. Upon
this island Wolfe disembarked his army
in June 1859.
The story Of the seige of Quebec is too
long to be related here-how the French
attempted by fire RATS to burn the Eng
lish fleet; how one we'll planned assault
was repulsed, with the loss of four hun
dred men, though Wolfe commanded the
troops in person. For two whole months
this fleet and army were frustrated by
nature and Montcalm. Wolfe, never
strong man, and worn now by anxiety
and constant eXertion, wrote In des-
pairing tone to Mr.. Pitt, and said he
dared not propose an assault which would
but throw away the lives of brave men.
One day, when he was accommodating
the northern shore of the promontory, he
discovered little inlet or indentation
now called Wolfe's Cove-from which
he could discern a pathway wind
ing up. through deep gorge, SO narrow
that in some places two men could not
walk abreast. On the summit, where
the path ended, the watchful, cautious
Montcalm had posted guard, which
consisted, as Wolfe inferred from the
number Of tents, of not more than hun
died men. The reader knows the rest.
Every one who tells the story pauses
here to relate the conversation which
occurred when the young general was
going in his boat, two nights after, from
ship to ship, giving his last directions
for the movement appointed for one
o'clock next morning. Wolfe had always
been fond of poetry. He was conncc-
ton of that Rev. Charles Wolfe who sent
to country newspaper, many years after,
the famous poem on the Burial of Sir
John Moore" with which we aae all
familiar, and who died Of consumption
soon after The general began to talk in
his boat of Gray's "Elegy in Country
Churcbyard."
81 would prefer" said he, "being the
author of that poem, to the glory of beat
ing the French tomorrow"
And then, in the stiffness of the even
ing, be repeated the harmonious, prophet.
ic lines:
1.-THE boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er
gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour;
The paths ofglory lead but to the grave
At daybreak, the next morning, Gene
raj Wolfe and his army stood in battle
array upon the Plains of Abraham, be-
hind Quebec When it was reported to
Montcalm that British troops were there,
he said
at can be but q small party come to
burn few houses and retire.
When the extent of the movement
was reported to him a short time after,
his heart died within him, for he had
but two thousand regular troops, and u
crowd of frightened, Harmed farmers,
who had run in from the ne1ghborhood
for safety.
'Then," cried Montcalm, "they have
at last got to the weak side of this wretch
ed garrison We must give battle and
crush them before midday"
Long before midday the English had
won the vlctory-the last decisive charge
Of two regiments with fixed bayonets be-
ing led by Wolfe in person. At the be-
ginning of this movement Wolfe was
wounded in the wrist by musket ball,
but he wound his handk ercheif about it
and pressed on. In the midst of this &C
ton he received second wound in the
groin, which he equally disregarded.
When the day was all but won, a shot
struck him in the breast, which brought
him low at last.
Support me-" said he to an officer,
"let not my brave fellows see me drop"
They carried him to the rear, and
brought him draught of water, which
he drank, supported by one Of his staff,
whose ely were still fixed upon the
fight
"They run they run!" cried this Of
fcer
"WAo run 2" asked Wolfe.
sThc French" replied the officer, give
way everywhere"
%Whatr' said Wolfe, edo they run al
ready? Go, one Of you to Col. Burton
bid him march Webb's regiment with
all speed to Charles River to cut off the
fugitives'
His life was almost spent, but he
spoke once more, saying:
Nov God be praised, | die happy"
A moment after he breathed his last.
Montcalm, too, lay dying from two
wounds received in the same hour, and
expired at five on the following morning.
Among those who lamented the death of
Wolfe was the young lady in England to
whom he was betrothed Within these
few years, the officers of the British gar
ricorn of Onehec have erected a monument