384 ROYAL SOCIKTY OF CANADA 



been formed on tlie Marchmont property near, the race course, and the 

 French were on tlie ridge, tlien the distance between the two armies 

 would liave been over tliroe-quarters of a mile. 



The Chevalier Johnstone, to whose writings we have referred be- 

 fore, gives further proof of the distance between the armies. On page 

 41 he refers to the proximity of the English line in these words: "I 

 " was no sooner upon the heights than I perceived our horrible posi- 

 " tion — pressed against the town walls, without provisions for four and 

 " twenty hours, and a moral impossibility for us to retire, being drawn 

 " up in battle within a musket shot of your army," and again, " ' llis 

 " town/ as he called it — was defended by our army which covered it, 

 " being drawn up in battle about 200 fathoms from it." 



Here we have proof of the distance of the French from the walls 

 of the city, and of the distance of the French line from the English line. 

 Pressed against the city walls at a distance of 200 fathoms (400 yards) 

 and within a musket shot of the English. 



AVhat was the distance of a musket shot ? 



Lieutenant-Colonel Crawford Lindsay has kindly furnished me with 

 an extract from Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1882, wherein the range of 

 the musket is thus described : — 



Accurate fire 100 yards. 



Effective against detached parties 150 " 



• Effective against troops in column 200 " 



And from another source I learn that the maximum range was not 

 more than 250 yeards. 



We have seen that the distance from Claire Fontaine, where the 

 French were drawn up, according to several authorities, to Marchmont, 

 is over three-quarters of a mile, and we can hardly believe that a soldier 

 would refer to a distance of 1,320 yards as a musket shot, when the 

 maximum range of the weapon was not more than 250 yards. 



Proof that the French and English each had the advantage of an 

 devated ground is afforded by a journal of the French army, under 

 date of September 13th. 



" L'éminence sur laquelle la nôtre était rangée en bataille dominait, 

 " dans quelques points celle qu'occupait les Anglais qui y étaient 

 "couverts, soit par des ravins peu profonds, soit par des clôtures de 

 "champ en palissades; nos troupes presque toutes composées de Cana- 

 "diens fondirent sur l'ennemi avec impétuosité, mais leurs rangs mal 

 " formés se rompirent bientôt, soit par la précipitation avec laquelle on 

 "les fit marcher, soit par l'inégalité du terrain; les Anglais en bon 



