1690.] PLAN OF ATTACK. 269 



from it by the St. Charles. They were then to 

 cross this river by a ford practicable at low water, 

 climb the heights of St. Genevieve, and gain the 

 rear of the town. The small vessels of the fleet 

 were to aid the movement by ascending the St. 

 Charles as far as the ford, holding the enemy in 

 check by their lire, and carrying provisions, ammu- 

 nition, and intrenching tools, for the use of the 

 land troops. When these had crossed and were 

 ready to attack Quebec in the rear, Phips was to 

 cannonade it in front, and land two hundred men 

 under cover of his guns to effect a diversion by 

 storming the barricades. Some of the French pris- 

 oners, from whom their captors appear to have 

 received a great deal of correct information, told 

 the admiral that there was a place a mile or two 

 above the town where the heights might be scaled 

 and the rear of the fortifications reached from a 

 direction opposite to that proposed. This was pre- 

 cisely the movement by which Wolfe afterwards 

 gained his memorable victory ; but Phips chose to 

 abide by the original plan. 1 



While the plan was debated, the opportunity for 

 accomplishing it ebbed away. It was still early 

 when the messenger returned from Quebec ; but, 

 before Phips was ready to act, the day was on the 

 wane and the tide was against him. He lay quietly 

 at his moorings when, in the evening, a great shout- 

 ing, mingled with the roll of drums and the sound 

 of fifes, was heard from the Upper Town. The 



1 Journal of Major Wallet/; Savage, Account of the Late Action of the 

 New Englanders (Lond. 1691). 



