The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-01-31

could not make them confederate
for mutual safety, although a depu
tation from Quebec once visited Sa-
lem with a view to this consumma.
ton.
Through $50 years ofintermittent
hostilities Quebec was the bulwark
of New France, as in the last great
conflict for American supremacy it
was its expiring hope.
MoNTcALM AND WOLFE.
In 1756 hitherward to Quebec
came Field Marshall Marquis Mont
calm. With military genius of the
highest order, with the true spirit of
self sacrificing heroism, he threw
himself into the impending conflict
with all the impetuosity of his ar
dent nature. Victorious at Oswe-
go, victorious at Fort William Hen
ry, with 5000 men victorious over
$4,000 under Abercrombie, at Tieon-
deroga, victorious everywhere and
with an unbroken line of military
posts from Niagara and Fort Du
Quesne to Detroit, Mackinaw, Kas-
kaskia and New Orleans, he never
theless saw with the sagacity of a
statesman the hopelessness of the
contest outnumbered as was, New
France by the American colonies
alone ten to one and poorly support
ed by the mother country, whilst
England was keenly awake to her
colonial interests. He was not dis
cOuraged he wrote but was resolved
to find his grave beneath the ruins
of the colony.
Then came Wolfe under the in
spiration Of Pitt, to attack New
France in its stronghold, and all this
grand scenery which one SURVEYS
from Durham Terrace, became a
part Of one Of the most thrilling and
dramatic chapters in American his
tory.
Stripping and octogenarian priests
and laymen rallied here about Que
bee in defence of religion and coun-
try with a chiEalrous readiness.
which, had it been properly second
ed by the French Government might
have achieved different issue. Re
pulsed at Montmorency, bafled at
every point for three months by the
vigilance Of Montcalm, anxious to
return to his afianced in England,
yet burning with vehement passion
for military glory, and determined
if possible never to disappoint the
expectations Of Pitt and England,
the proud and anxious spirit of
Wolfe so wore upon his feeble body
that four days before. the decisive
battle he wrote, ''My constitution is
ruined, without the consola-
ton of having done any considerable
service to my country and without
any prospect of it"
As he finally foated his army up
The st. Lawrence, past these nights
whose possession would give him
lasting fame, his Watchful eye OBJ
served the cove which still bears his
name, from which a narrow pathway,
but weakly guarded, led up the rug
ged nights to the plains above. At
one o'clock on the morning of the
18th of Sept. 1853, the British army
ioated down the St Lawrence.
It was a clear and star light night,
md Wolfe prompted by the impress
Of the scene repeated to his
'fleers a part of Gray's Elegy IN a
Country Churehyard, exclaiming,
4 would prefer being the author of
hat poem to the glory Of beating
he French tomorrow" As the
eading boat Of the fiotilla rounded
nto yonder cove, the "Qui Yiye" OF
him who kept watch and ward over
,he destinies ofNeW France, rang out
over the waters into the Silly dark
less. "La France" the ready res
oonse deceived the too confding SEN
incl and secured a landing. The
guard above surprised and dispersed,
morning saw the British army in
battle line on the plains of Abra-
lam;-"the weakest side'' as Mont
aim declared @of this miserable for
ress." To use a Victor Hugoism
hat "La France" may be said to
lave decided the fate Of a CONT
lent-decided whether France or
England should be the ruling power
n America-whether French or
english should be spoken in the val
ey Of the Ohio and Mississippi
Bourbon or more liberal |
-iews in politics and religion should |
,btain throughout the vast regions
# the north, south and west, or, if |
rou prefer, say all these things were
Iecided on the morrow. when amidst
he shock of arms, crushed and dead
ay the hopes of more than two cen
uries.
We drove out a mile beyond the
ity walls to the table land winch,
rass covered and beautiful, stretch
s from the st. Charles to the st.
lawrence, the battlefield of Wolfe
nd Montealm.
A new jail building now occupies
he slight activity up which Wolfe
7as charging at the head of his gren-
diers when he received his third
nd mortal wound. A few rods dis