ndoned
Crown Point and retired to Isle aux Noix, on the northern extremity of
Lake Champlain. General Amherst moved forward and took possession of the
fort which the French had abandoned, and the second battalion of the
42nd was ordered up. Having gained a naval superiority on Lake Champlain
the army went into winter quarters at Crown Point.

The main undertaking of the campaign was the reduction of Quebec, by far
the most difficult operation, where General Wolfe was expected to
perform an important part with not more than seven thousand effective
men. The movement commenced at Sandy Hook, Tuesday May 8, 1759 when the
expedition set sail for Louisburg, under convoy of the Nightingale, the
fleet consisting of about twenty-eight sail, the greater part of which
was to take in the troops from Nova Scotia, and the rest having on board
Fraser's Highlanders. They arrived at Louisburg on the 17th. and there
remained until June 4th, when the fleet again set sail, consisting of
one hundred and fifty vessels, twenty-two of which were ships of the
line. They entered the St. Lawrence on the 13th, and on the 23rd
anchored near Isle aux Coudres. On the 26th, the whole armament arrived
off the Isle of Orleans, and the next day disembarked. Montcalm depended
largely on the natural position of the city of Quebec for defence,
although he neglected nothing for his security. Every landing-place was
intrenched and protected. At midnight on the 28th a fleet of fireships
came down the tide, but was grappled by the British soldiers and towed
them free of the shipping. Point Levi, on the night of the 29th was
occupied, and batteries constructed, from which red-hot balls were
discharged, demolishing the lower town of Quebec and injuring the upper.
But the citadel and every avenue from the river to the cliff were too
strongly entrenched for an assault.

General Wolfe, enterprising, daring, was eager for battle. Perceiving
that the eastern bank of the Montmorenci was higher than the position of
Montcalm, on July 9th he crossed the north channel and encamped there;
but not a spot on the line of the Montmorenci was left unprotected by
the vigilant Montcalm. General Wolfe planned that two brigades should
ford the Montmorenci at the proper time of the tide, while Monckton's
regiments should cross the St. Lawrence in boats from Point Levi. The
signal was given and the advance made in the face of shot and shell.
Those who got first on shore, not waiting