[casgkain] remarks ON "THE SIEGE OF QUEBEC" 121 



It must be known that on the plains there existed two roads, the 

 Chemin S t-Louis, and another, the lower one, leading from the Foulon, 

 running not far from the cliff, and joining the first named road at the 

 eastern end of the race course, in a diagonal direction, and rather free 

 and indefinite there. This lower road was never legalized, that is to say, 

 made a public highway or legally settled as such by a procès-verbal du 

 Grand-Voyer. It always remained till quite lately, a road of conve- 

 nience, de tolerance and is now shut. This is the "convenient road" 

 mentioned by Knox. 



A glance at the different maps in these volumes, I, p. 264, — II, p. 

 257 — II, p. 272, letter Iv, — and Hawkins' plan, will show that the 

 reserve of the Webb was stationed between these two roads, at a dis- 

 tance from the line varying from 800 paces (II, p. 257, III, ip. 116), to 

 much less no plans, Vol. I, p. 264 and p. 257. On Hawkins' map it 

 appears more distant than the space between the two armies. A fair 

 average would locate the Webb at mid-distance between the main line on 

 the eminence and the post in the rear, the Royal Americans ; and in any 

 case somewihere on the ground of tlie raoe-oourse, not nearer than the 

 old stand, being the least possible distance by the plans, that is to s'ome 

 400 feet from its eastern side. The whole space of the battle field thus 

 occupied by the British troops (without reckoning the advanced pla- 

 toons and scouts), would not then exceed 20 arpents, to use this better 

 understood measure. 



Now we are at a loss to understand the possibility, by Mr. Doughty, 

 to extricate the Webb from the Plains or race-course- The standing of 

 Burton's reserve within 30 yards from the spot where Wolfe died, 

 forcibly reminds his placing of M'Ontcakn's right in St-Sauveur. 



Is it then unfair to ask the collaborators to this part of the narra- 

 tive, if they all persist in affirming that the Webb reserve was not on 

 the race-course, because we frankly give them credit that their false 

 conclusions are errors in argument, not a breach of veracity. A sub- 

 missive silence could be taken as a suppression of truth or a reticence. 



Let us now come to some active military operations on the same 

 race-course from tih'e beginning of the day. 



We shall not take into account the landing of the troops on the 

 beach at l'Anise-des-Mères, rig-ht opiposite, and all along the beach of 

 this ground, then forming part of the whole property belonging to 

 the Ursuline nuns down to river and low-water mark. 



But this act of hostility so far, was resisted from above the cape, 

 as we shall see. 



On this subject we read that: 



After the capture of Vergor's post (see this post indicated by tents, 

 Plan, V, 11, p. 257) his dying guards were still lurking in the adjoining 



