The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-10-10
EARLY HlsTORY-NO III.

From the Detroit Free Press.
As Gen. Wolfe was operating before Q uebec
Gen. Amherst made slow but sure advances
from Albany north to Tconderogs, aud then
down Lake Champlan towards Montreal.
The English army celebrated divine service
every Sunday, and yet "a handsome reward
was offered to every soldier that would Kill an
Indian, or take one alive.
In one general order Of Wolfe the enemy ia
demon mated - irregular, cowardly and cruel.
and in another it was declared OF one or two
soldiers who had shown the white feather, that
there WAS not another soldier IN the army
who was afraid OF the French or their con-
tempuble allies a
Many houses, public and private, in Quebec
we're destroyed or much injured by shot aud
shells, and the result OF ali WAS that Wolfe and
his army got above Quebec ana mp precipitous
bank OF the st. Lawrence, on the plains OF
Abraham. The French went out to meet them
decisive battle was fought on September -,
1859, and both Wolfe and Montcalm were killed.
Historians do not crticse the act OF Montcalm
in gong out Of the fortress Of Quebec to fight,
position impregnable till reinforcements could
arrive. Ssllying out as he did always appeared
TO me as an exhibition Of French chivslry. and
dearly did he aud the French army, colonies
and nation pay for it.
Some OF my readers may remember the he
roic answer which popular historians credit TO
Cambronne, the commander of the Old Guard,
when called on to surrender and thus save
their lives at Waterloo: The guard die, but
never surrender And the reader may also
remember how Victor Hugo, in Les Miserdbies,
takes the heroism out Of the expression and re-
remembered what a halo OF glory and heroism
and poetry has been thrown by popular his
torlans around Gen. Wolfe in his last moments
on the battle field OF Quebec. At the same
time, it Is truly amazing how tame and matter
OF fact are the orders Of the day, and the
origina! accounts given OF the affair at the time
The next day after the battle the officer in
command issued All order, Dragging little OF
English prowess, congratulating the army on
the victory, regretting that the General was
not alive to thank them and ordering fresh
provisions and "A gill OF rum day" 10 te dis
t1bued to the soldiers, Cold IS an iceberg
Not a word OF glory or heroism And With
equal GOODNESS it is reported that Montcalm
died OF his wounds. Such ia the difference be-
tween fact and fancy.
Nevertheless, the battle Was decisive one /
Quebec surrendered to the English, September
IS, and COL Murray took command. The sue
cess of the English threw the whole French |
into great confusion, and even |
despair; and private and public pecuaton and |
were the order Of the day almost
everywhere. This Generalization extended
also to the English army, in which there were
what are termed great Irregularities
In the fall OF 1859 the French concentrated |
their forces at the Fort Jsques Cartier, be
tween Quebec and Montreal, at the Isle aux
Nais, near the outlet Of Lake Champlan, and |
at Montreal The winter OF 1890 vas very
severe, and many OF the English soldiers were
frost BIT Provisions were very scarce. and
tue price OF them was exorbitant. Ice IS re-
ported fourteen feet thick in the st. Charles
River. The details OF the military movements
in the winter Of 1850 are interesting. bat must
pass them over and close the present number
LEVI BISHOP.