1759.] DEATH OF MONTCALM. 139 



Almost at the same moment fell his great adver- 

 sary, Montcalm, as he strove, with vain bravery, 

 to rally his shattered ranks. Struck down with 

 a mortal wound, he was placed upon a litter and 

 borne to the General Hospital on the banks of the 

 St. Charles. The surgeons told him that he could 

 not recover. " I am glad of it," was his calm 

 reply. He then asked how long he might survive, 

 and was told that he had not many hours remain- 

 ing. " So much the better," he said ; " I am 

 happy that I shall not live to see the surrender of 

 Quebec." Officers from the garrison came to his 

 bedside to ask his orders and instructions. " I will 

 give no more orders," replied the defeated soldier ; 

 " I have much business that must be attended to, 

 of greater moment than your ruined garrison and 

 this wretched country. My time is very short ; 

 therefore, pray leave me." The officers withdrew, 

 and none remained in the chamber but his con- 

 fessor and the Bishop of Quebec. To the last, he 

 expressed his contempt for his own mutinous and 

 half-famished troops, and his admiration for the 

 disciplined valor of his opponents.^ He died 

 before midnight, and was buried at his own desire 

 in a cavity of the earth formed by the bursting of 

 a bombshell. 



The victorious army encamped before Quebec, 

 and pushed their preparations for the siege with 

 zealous energy ; but before a single gun was 

 brought to bear, the white flag was hung out, and 



1 Knox, II. 77. 



