136 COLLISION OF THE RIVAL COLONIES. [1759. 



filled with French sharpshooters, who kept up a 

 distant, spattering fire. Here and there a soldier 

 fell in the ranks, and the gap was filled in silence. 

 At a little before ten, the British could see that 

 Montcalm was preparing to advance, and, in a few 

 moments, all his troops appeared in rapid motion. 

 They came on in three divisions, shouting after the 

 manner of their nation, and firing heavily as soon 

 as they came within range. In the British ranks, 

 not a trigger was pulled, not a soldier stirred ; 

 and their ominous composure seemed to damp the 

 spirits of the assailants. It was not till the French 

 were within forty yards that the fatal word was 

 given, and the British muskets blazed forth at once 

 in one crashing explosion. Like a ship at full 

 career, arrested with sudden ruin on a sunken 

 rock, the ranks of Montcalm staggered, shivered, 

 and broke before that wasting storm of lead. The 

 smoke, rolling along the field, for a moment shut 

 out the view ; but when the white wreaths were 

 scattered on the wind, a wretched spectacle was 

 disclosed ; men and officers tumbled in heaps, bat- 

 talions resolved into a mob, order and obedience 

 gone ; and when the British muskets were levelled 

 for a second volley, the masses of the militia were 

 seen to cower and shrink with uncontrollable panic. 

 For a few minutes, the French regulars stood their 

 ground, returning a sharp and not ineff'ectual fire. 

 But now, echoing cheer on cheer, redoubling vol- 

 ley on volley, trampling the dying and the dead, 

 and driving the fugitives in crowds, the British 

 troops advanced and swept the field before them. 



