[doi-ghtv] battle of THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM 393 



" and Howe's light infantry occupied a wood far in the rear. Wolfe 

 "with Monckton and Murray, commanded the front line on which the 

 " heavy fighting was to fall, and which, when all the troops had arrived, 

 "mimbeTed less than thirty-five hundred men. 



" Quebec was not a mile distant, but they could not see it, for a 

 "ridge of broken ground intervened, called Buttes à Keveu, about six 

 "hundred paces off. The first division of troops had scarcely come up 

 " when, about six o'clock this ridge was suddenly thronged with white 

 " uniforms. It was the battalion of Guienne, arrived at the eleventh 

 "hour from its camp by the St. Charles. 



" Some time after there was hot firing in the rear. It came from 

 " a detachment of Bougainville's command attacking a house where 

 " some of the light infantry were posted. The assailants were repulsed, 

 " and firing ce'ased. Light showers fell at intervals, besprinkling the 

 " troops as they i^atiently stood waiting the event. 



" It was towards ten o'clock when, from the high ground on the 

 "right, Wolfe saw that the crisis was near. The French on the ridge 

 "had formed themselves into three bodies, regulars in the centre, regu- 

 "lars 'and Canadians on the right and left. Two field pieces that had 

 " been dragged up the heights at the Anse de Foulon, fired on them 

 " with grape shot, and the troops rising from the ground, prepared to 

 " receive them. In a few moments more they were in motion. They 

 " came on rapidly, uttering loud shouts and firing as soon as they were 

 " within range. Their ranks, ill ordered at the best, M'ere further con- 

 " fused by a number of Canadians who had been mixed among the 

 " regulars, and who, after hastily firing, threw themselves on the ground 

 " to reload. The British advanced a few rods, then halted and stood 

 " still. When the French were within forty paces the word of com- 

 " mand rang out and a crash of musketry answered all along the line. 

 "The volley was delivered with remarkable precision. In the bat- 

 " talions in the centre, which suffered least from the enemy's bullets, 

 " the simultaneous explosion was afterwards said by the French officers 

 " to have sounded like a cannon shot." 



On p'age 291 of the same volume, when describing the move- 

 ments of the French, Mr. Parkman writes : 



" As they advanced, the country behind the town opened more and 

 " more upon their sight, till at length when opposite Vaudreuil's house, 

 " they saw across the St. Charles, some two miles away, the red ranks 

 " of the British soldiers on the heights beyond. 



" ' This is serious business,' Montcalm said, and he sent off John- 

 " stone at full gallop to bring up the troops from the centre and left 

 " of tlic camp. 



