James Wolfe

Pitt determined to strike a blow at the very center of French power, and on June twenty-sixth, seventeen fifty-nine, an English fleet of twenty-two ships of the line, with frigates, sloops of war, and transports carrying nine thousand regulars, appeared before Quebec.

In command of this great expedition was Major General James Wolfe, who had played so dashing a part in the capture of Louisbourg the year before, and was soon to win immortal glory.

Hot Stuff, June, seventeen fifty-nine.

Come, each death-doing dog who dares venture his neck, Come, follow the hero that goes to Quebec.

’Tis but in vain— I mean not to upbraid you, boys; ’Tis but in vain For soldiers to complain.

Should next campaign Send us to Him who made us, boys, We’re free from pain; But if we remain, A bottle and a kind landlady Cure all again.

James Wolfe.

End of section thirty-eight.

The English general Braddock was defeated at Fort Duquesne in seventeen fifty-five, and the French commanded the Ohio as well as the Mississippi.

But four years later, the English general Wolfe won the victory at the Plains of Abraham near Quebec, and France's chance was over.

Men in Paris who knew little concerning the New World did not scruple to give away their country's title to vast lands.

The French ceded Canada and all of La Salle's old province of Louisiana east of the Mississippi, except New Orleans, to England.

What was it that recommended him for the services he was immediately to perform? Kippis tells the story in words which there is no need to alter.

The destination of the Mercury was to North America, where she joined the fleet under the command of Sir Charles Saunders, which in conjunction with the land forces under General Wolfe was engaged in the famous siege of Quebec.

During that siege, a dangerous and difficult service was necessary to be performed.

This was to take the soundings in the channel of the River St. Lawrence between the island of Orleans and the north shore, directly in the front of the French fortified camp at Montmorency and Beauport, in order to enable the admiral to place ships against the enemy's batteries.

What was it that recommended him for the services he was immediately to perform? Kippis tells the story in words which there is no need to alter.

The destination of the Mercury was to North America where she joined the fleet under the command of Sir Charles Saunders, which in conjunction with the land forces under General Wolfe was engaged in the famous siege of Quebec.

During that siege, a dangerous and difficult service was necessary to be performed.

This was to take the soundings in the channel of the River St. Lawrence between the island of Orléans and the north shore, directly in the front of the French fortified camp at Montmorency and Beauport, in order to enable the admiral to place ships against the enemy's batteries.

The paper was dabbled with blood, the very life-blood, very possibly, said Scott, of some gay young officer who had cherished these songs as a keepsake from some lady love in Paris.

He adverted, in a mellow and delightful manner, to the little half-gay, half-melancholy campaigning song, said to have been composed by General Wolfe, and sung by him at the mass table on the eve of the storming of Quebec, in which he fell so gloriously.

Why, soldiers, why? Should we be melancholy, boys? Why, soldiers, why? Whose business 'tis to die? For should next campaign Send us to him who made us, boys, We're free from pain, But should we remain, A bottle and kind landlady Makes all well again.

So, added he, the poor lad who fell at Waterloo, in all probability, had been singing these songs in his tent the night before the battle, and thinking of the fair dame who had taught him them, and promising himself, should he outlive the campaign, to return to her all glorious from the wars.