page_title: Montreal Campaign
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Montreal Campaign / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: The Isles of Montreal as they have been survey'd by the French engineers
context_page_description: The Montreal Campaign, also known as the Fall of Montreal, was a British three-pronged offensive against Montreal which took place from July 2 to 9 September 1760 during the French and Indian War as part of the global Seven Years' War. The campaign, pitted against an outnumbered and outsupplied French army, led to the capitulation and occupation of Montreal, the largest remaining city in French Canada.
  Under the overall direction of Jeffery Amherst, British forces numbering around 18,000 men converged on Montreal starting in July from three separate directions. One under Amherst moved in from Lake Ontario, the other under James Murray moved from Québec and the third under William Haviland moved from Fort Crown Point. After capturing French positions and outposts along the way all three forces met up and surrounded Montreal. Many Canadiens deserted or surrendered their arms to British forces while the native allies of the French began to negotiate peace treaties and alliances with the British.
  The French military commander in the region, Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Lévis, was resolved to make a last stand in the city despite the overwhelming numerical inferiority of his troops.
context_section_description: Following the fall of Quebec in 1759 French forces had retreated westwards. During the winter British forces under James Murray held Quebec but to due the frozen Saint Lawrence River they had to wait until the Spring of 1760 until reinforcements and supplies came down. In April Chevalier de Lévis attempted to recapture Québec by launching a surprise assault. After winning the Battle of Sainte-Foy they then laid siege to the city and awaited French reinforcements. The siege lasted from 29 April until 15 May but it was British ships that arrived to relieve the garrison and this compelled Lévis to break off the siege and retreat.
  After his defeat, Lévis arrived at Montréal where he conferred with the Governor Marquis de Vaudreuil on future operations. Both exerted themselves for the defence of their colony that would see honour fulfilled despite the odds. Lévis was optimistic when he received news from a French fleet who had sailed from France for Québec on April 15. He soon learned however that this fleet had been intercepted by a Royal Navy blockading squadron off France with a number of ships captured along with the loss of some 500 soldiers. A few ships did get through and proceeded up the Saint Lawrence where they had taken shelter in the Restigouche River by the end of May. They were unable to leave due to the Royal Naval blockade of the Saint Lawrence and so the trapped French ships were then defeated in the Battle of Restigouche in July.
  British commanders were eager to bring the campaign to a close as soon as possible. With Murray's forces substantially increased in Québec, the city thus became a staging point for the conquest of the remainder of French Canada. The British then set out a strategy for capturing Montreal, the last major French stronghold, where they would not be able to retreat deeper into the North American continent except for maintained posts in the backcountry. For this British armies would all come under commander-in-chief Jeffery Amherst. He intended to marshal his numerous forces to seek a decisive victory at Montreal.
caption: A map of the Hochelaga Archipelago as surveyed by French engineers in 1761
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