The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-06
BOOK IT..
For the Empire of the, West.
CHAPTER XXI
On the Roof OF the World,

CHAPTER xI
On the Roof OF the World.
1T was 10 o'clock in the morning. Every
available English soldier had been landed
on the Quebec side and had scrambled up
the cliffs to the Plains Of Abraham. The
hours Intervening since the first attack
mad not been idle ones, French batteries
erected at Samos and Sillery. not far dis
tant, and on either side of the cove had
been gallantly taken by assault. and scout
Ing parties had cleared the adjacent coun-
try of stragglers: The sailors under
Grafton by herculean endeavor had drawn
Two six-pounders to the crest of the pla-
teau. Since s, o'clock in the morning these
two guns. excellently served by the sea-
men, had been replying to a heavy fire
from the three larger guns of the French,
who had begun assembling as early as 6
O'Clock on the hill beyond the English DO
sttion.~
From the covert afforded by the trees
and underbrush on the side of the st.
Charles river valley, Indian and back
woods sharpshooters had been pouring a
calling rifle fire upon the English, to
which no effective reply could be made
The thin red line of soldiers that had so
often stood between humanity's progress
ana, the armed world in opposition, keep
Ing open the pathway of the future, was
drawn up In three ranks. The lines were
not long enough to reach across the pla-
teau. and the left flank, where Townshend
commanded, was refused-drawn back at
right angle from the battle front.
Colonel Burton. with the light infantry,
was neld In reserve to anticipate a possi-
Ole attack from Bougainville That wor-
my oHcer, however, knew nothing Of the
andlns and remained quietly in camp at
Sap,Rouge, expecting the return of the
british ships with the changing tide. The
SKY was overcast, and f1tful showers. light
IN character and brief in duration. be-
spr1nkled the Sod soon to be wetted by a
liquid substance Of greater consistence
and more ominous color
II the scarlet-clad Englshmen present.
60 vivid though menacing picture to the
French, the aspect Of the latter was suf-
Iolelliy picturesque to awaken the adnli-
ration OF their foes. Very handsome the
white coats Of the French regulars looked
against the green grass that morning.
Alas! many of them were destined ia
fport the red colors of England before the
Gay was decided.
M. de Montcalm and his officers, on
horseback, rode to and fro addressine and
arranging their lines in plain view. There
was much cheering and shouting on the
one hand, much grim, dour silence on the
otner. The essential racial differences be-
tween the two nations were we'll marked
IN the varying demeanor of the two
ARMIES. Ihere was no lack of courage
and spirit in either
OF course there were no horses in tho
British army, and Wolfe and his starr
with all the other officers, were forced
10 go afoot. The young general did moi
look an heroic figure. Tall, thin. stoop.
1ng' emaciated, red-headed, pale, freckled
most unmilitary cast of countenance
with retreating forehead and weak,
and appearance sos belied by character
Inc sparkle Of his red-brown eyes &as
the only thing that indicated the trans.
cendent greatness of the man.
Few commanders have - been Sc
esteemed and loved by the men they lee
as ne, and the affection and respect il
which they held him were warranted, fo1
his mettle had been proved. No mere
freak Of fortune, no lucky chance hat
put him in his present position He hat
won preferment by desert This NOR
ming was but the final demonstration O
his courage and capacity, the elimination
OF a brief but rarely brilliant career
some OF the men behind Wolfe hat
followed him through the surf that bea
upon the rockbound shores of Cape Bre
ton on Louisburg, and they knew what h
could do. There was, indeed, sore neet
for the manifestation of the highest skill
the exercise Of the most dauntless cour
age. There was no Disgusting the seri
GUS nature Of the situation before them
Opposed to them was a general who wa
the very flower Of the French, Captain
Of his age. The battalions under hi
command had fairly beaten the Englisl
at 1ar-off Oswego. at Fort William Henri,
and with most awful slaughter at tree
clad Ttconderoga. Drawn from the mos
famous regiments of old France, the,
had worthily upheld their ancient tradi
The two armies were about equal IL
number. The qualities of the French reg
ulars were as high as those Of the Brit
1s11 army. but the average Of the sFrenc1
force was sadly diminished by the fac
that the larger portion Of their army wa.
made up OF Canadian militia. These
hardy peasants were excellent fighter!
in forest service, but poor material in
deed with which to face regular troop!
r in the open. . =
But Montcalm, had been hasty. HI
might have waited longer, until Bougain
vile with his excellent division hat
Joined him. or at least reached a posi-
tion from which he could support the
French attack by a demonstration il
force in the rear Of the English. Figh
the French must, of course, or starve
but they would not have starved in few
hours, and a few hours might have ma
terially changed the situation. Their
were DaCtery a1ter battery or Held pieces
back In Quebec which should have. beel
dispatched to Montcalm's assistance. Hi
repeated and most pressing requests t,
De Ramesay, the commander, had onl,
brought three guns to him. and the COW
ardly De Vaudreuil, the governor of tn
province, was holding at BEAUFORT thou
sands Of men idle in their intrenchments
who should have been dispatched to hi
assistance. -
How explain the Frenchman's reckless
haste? The fact was that Montcalm hat
always beaten the English He had neve
in his whole career met, a, single com