118 EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



part of the English line was drawn up on this ground and marched to the 

 eminence; that Webb's reserve stood on the race-course during the fight; 

 that the 3rd bataillon, the Eoyal Americans, was detached further back 

 on Marchmont to secure the landing, and "stood there as a post to pro- 

 '■ tect the rear;" Vol. II, p. 296, and that whilst the English were there 

 and forming around, they lost more men than during the rest of the day. 

 Vol. V, p. 54.1 



Unfortunately for Mr. Chambers he is the guilty party for giving 

 currency to the erroneous version of this event which he now repels. 

 He says in Charniers^ Guide to Quebec, p. 93: — 



" The Plains of Abraham, properly so called at the present time, 

 " stretched away from near the St. Louis toll gate westward, upon the 

 '' south side of the road, and extend from the highway to the brink of 

 " the steep precipice overhanging the river. The battle field is govern- 

 "ment property, but is at present rented as a pasturage for the cattle 

 " of city milkmen. 



" It was during the British assault upon the French position on 

 " this rising knoll (yondeir knoll of the gaol), that General Wolfe 

 " received his death wound." 



Leaving aside this statement, we shall continue on the second point, 

 an'd in support oî our contention we abide exclusively by the proof to 

 be extracted out of the writings, plans and appendices to be found in 

 the volumes of The Siege of Québec now before us. 



As it is rather difficult to represent on a map moving bodies, we 

 place more reliance, as to the march of troops, on the evidence given 

 by the officers then in their command, than on any other source. 



Colonel Hon. Malcolm Eraser was in command of the Eraser High- 

 landers on that day, and thereafter remained at Quebec, as also his 

 friend and neighbour, Ca^ptain Nairne of the same regiment. We quote 

 from his jouruial where he gives a clear, concise and true statement of 

 what they both did, and saw with their own eyes on this occasion. 



" We had several skirmishes with the Canadians till about ten 



" o^clock when the army formed in line of battle in front the 



'' town of Quebec about a mile distant " (the mile is 66 yards beyond the 

 " east line of the race course) ;" in the rear, a wood occupded by the 

 " light infantry (who by this time had taken possession of the four gun 



^ Hawkins may not be wrong when he extends the battle from the race- 

 stand, for the reason that so far the English had already lost " more men 

 " in killed and wounded in skirmishing than in the general action." Moncrief, 

 V, p. 54. 



" 1,500 of their best marksmen kept a continued fire upon our Idne for 

 " some time ïïêïore the battle became general." Sergeant Johnson, V, pp. 

 103-104. 



