120 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



^' of the armies, saw that it was an advantageous position and sent a 

 *' few men to occupy it." 



This colline, the eminence of the gaol, or hillock, evidently had not 

 yet l3een reached by the English, and it obstructed Wolfe's view of 

 the enemy; also concealed his troops from them. The letter of James 

 Henderson, of the 28th Eegiment, Braggs, dated 'at Quebec, October 



7th, 1759, is exactly in point: " the general viewing the posi- 



" tion of the two armies, he took notice of a small rising ground between 

 " our right and the enemy's left which oomcailed (sic) us from that 

 " quarter, upon which the general did me the honour to detach me with 

 " a few grenadiers to take possession of that ground and maintain it to 

 " the last extremity, which I did till both armies was (sic) engaged. And 



*' then the general came to me and took his post by me. But, oh 



'^ was scarce a moment with me when he received his fatal wound." 



Wolfe had scarcely given the order to advance when he sank to the 

 ground. Vol. Ill, p. 203. 



In fact the first and final formation of the line of battle " were 

 "formed immediately in front of the eminence of the gaol," Vol. Ill, p. 

 118,9; the right near the summit of the cliff overlooking the St. Law- 

 rence, and the left en potence, near the Ste. Foye road. The crest of this 

 eminemce between the two anniies was reacned by t'hiis line so formed 

 and is well delineated on the plan. Vol. IL, p. 254, showing there the 

 array of the English army. " Mr. Doughty repeats that shortly after 

 nine, tlie two armieis moved a little nearer;" this short march may have 

 been the last halt of the English after attaining the above crest. In 

 any case thiis advance could not and did not exceed, at most, the 300 

 yards beyond the front of the monument, according to Mr. Doughty; 

 and such space we reduce to 100 yards. 



Mr. Doughty says, III, p. 207 : " It is quite clear he (Wolfe), sur- 

 *■' vived his removal to the rear of the army but a few minutes." As it 

 is well known he asked as a favour to be laid do^\Ti, being unable to go 

 any further; what about the 200 yards additional? The presumption 

 would be that he would have expired on the way. 



This much being said and so far settled, as to the place of the for- 

 mation of the line and its last stand, we shall see how it has a direct 

 bearing on determining the position of the 48tih Eegiment, tbe Webb, 

 unyder Colonel Burton, forming part of the second line or reserve 

 on the right, and drawn up in eight subdivisions. We need not trouble 

 ourselves with the reserve on the left; it was ordered to stand and 

 stood "800 paces fiom the line," .that is 2000 feet. Vol. Ill, p. 93. 

 Some of tilie plans even show the Webb in line witih it. II, p. 257. 



