[casgkain] remarks 0"N "THE SIEGE OF QUEBEC" 123 



Other operations on tiie same Plains preceded the real conflict. 



We have seen that as scon as the rem'aind.er of the Otway came up 

 with the second convoy, it was ordered straight to re-enforoe the right 

 and intercept the enemy's advance along the edge of the cliff. They 

 mnst, in consequence, have followed the lower road on the Plains lead- 

 ing in right direction to the post assigned to them. 



It is unlikely that this regiment, out of a loss of 54 men in killed 

 and wounded, none should have then fallen from the constant fire of 

 skirmishers, so numerous all round, as may he seen on the maps and 

 especially on the one of the British Museum. Vol. IL, p. 254. This 

 is the more likely because the Otway, during the conflict, was stationed 

 on the second line as a reserve. 



At the same time, the British brought to the front two brass 

 6-pounders, which the sailors had dragged up the Poulon path and 

 along the lower road. 



This operation is distinctly indicated on the same map of the 

 British Museum, thus: " D, English artillery march f the two pieces 

 following this road and joining the St. Louis road. There they were 

 placed in position with the line by about eight of the cloick. 



Seeing again the number of flanking parties surrounding the Eng- 

 lish on all sides, it is probable some of the sailors and gunners must 

 have also been fired at, and may be comprised among the eight gunners 

 and matrosses of the artillery killed and wounded. 



Now, whether the race-oourse was or was not a fit ground to deploy 

 troops, the above described military moves and operations nevertheless 

 took place there. 



At all events, the foregoing skirmishes and operations seem a 

 sufficient rebuttal to the broad assertion of M. Chapais, that not a 

 soldier did fight on the race-course, and not a drop of English or French 

 blood was shed there on either side. 



We may now appeal to the commanding officer, Brigadier-General 

 Townshend, who declared prisoners of war all the French wounded 

 lying in the General Hospital, because it formed part of the battle 

 field; he would not have scrupled to extend the whole battlefield from 

 the Samos battery and A^ergor's post to the same hospital. A military 

 writer would not hesitate to extend it from the landing place to the 

 pontoon-bridge on the St. Charles river, since the firing continued all 

 along. 



It seems to us that any reader must have a mighty and inveterate 

 proposition to struggle with, should, he be unable, with these data, to 

 recognize the race-course as forming part of the battlefield. 



For him, and in last resort, we shall proffer the best, and in our 

 apprehension, a convincing final evidence from the authentic " Memoirs 



