Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-11-10

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the 81. Charles RIVER valley, AZ rc'
as on the st. Lawrence edge. lndiai
and backwoods sharp-shooters hat
been pouring a gallant life fire upon
the English. to which no effective re-
ply could be made. The thin red line
of soldiers that had so often stood be-
tween humanitys progress and the
armed world in opposition. keeping
open the pathway Of the future. was
drawn up in three ranks. The lines
we're not long enough 10 reach aross
| the plateau. and the left flank, where
| Tow nshend commanded. was refused
drawn back at right angle from the
battle front.
Col. Burton with the light in
fantry, was held in reserve to antici-
pate a possible attack from Bougain-
vile. That worthy officer, however,
| knew nothing of the landing and re-
manned quietly in camp at Cap-Rouge,
/ expecting the return Of the British
/ ships with the changing tide. The sky
! was overcast. and fitful showers, light
| in character and brief in duration, be-
! sprinkled the sod soon TO be wetted
by liquid substance OF greater con-
| sistencc and more omnous color.
II the scarlet-clad Englishmen pre-
scented vivid though menacing pic
/ turc TO he French. the aspect Of the
! latter was sufficiently picturesque to
/ awaken the admiration 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 to sport
the REQ colors of England before the
day was decided.
The two armies were about equal in
number The qualities of the French
regulars were as high as those of the
British army, but the average of the
| French forces was sadly diminished
by the fact that the larger portion Of
their army was made UP Of Canadian
| militia. These hardy peasants were
excellent fighters in forest service, but
poor material indeed with which to
face regular troops in tho open.
but Mon'caim had been hasty. He
might have waited longer, until
| Bougairville with his excellent divi-
sion had joined him, or at least
reached position from which he could
| support he French attack by a demon
stration in force in the rear of the
Euglish Fight The French must, of
| course. or starve. but they would not
nave starN cd in few hours. and a
few hours might have materially
| changed the situation There were
| battery after battery of field pieces
back in Quebec which should have
been dispatched to Montcalm's assist
ance. His repeated and most pressing
requests to de Ramesay the com
mander had only brought three guns
to him, and the cowardly de Vaudreuil
the governor of the province. was
holding at BEAUFORT thousands of men
idle in their Entertainments. who
should have been dispatched TO his as
sistance.
How explain the Frenchmans reck-
less haste? The fact was that Mont
calm had always beaten the English
He had never in his whole career met
a single commander among them who
appeared 10 have the slightest mill
tary genius. and he made the fatal mis-,
take of despising his foes. Perhaps
the fact that they lay there stubbornly
taking the calling skirmish fire from
the coverts on either flank so silently
in spite of its ghastly effectiveness, re-
plying only to his heavier guns witt
their two six-pOunders, gave him
greater confidence; al any rate. at ter
in the morning he ordered an advance
With feverish impatiencc the Eng
lisa held themselves in restraint nm
der the paremptory orders of theil
commander As Wolfe saw the Frcncf
rising ON the crest of the hill, givin;
evidence of their intention to Join bat
tie in close encounter, he walked rapid
Is up and down his own line speakin;
those simple. hearty words of encour
agement. as he passed by his sOldiery
which do much to make a man a hero
A culver Of delight ran through tn,
compact ranks. With fierce pleasure
the men looked to their pieces ant
made themselves ready.
Suddenly the crest Of the slope i!
front Of them was tipped with fam