of Quebec. A boom of logs, chained
together, was laid across the mouth of the Saint Charles, which was
further guarded by two hulks mounted with cannon. A bridge of boats,
crossing the river a mile higher up, connected the city with the camp.

All the gates of Quebec, except that of Saint Charles, which faced the
bridge, were closed and barricaded. A hundred and six cannon were
mounted on the walls, while a floating battery of twelve heavy pieces,
a number of gunboats, and eight fire ships formed the river defences.

The frigates, which had convoyed the merchant fleet, were taken higher
up the river, and a thousand of their seamen came down, from Quebec, to
man the batteries and gunboats.

Against this force of sixteen thousand men, posted behind defensive
works, on a position almost impregnable by nature, General Wolfe was
bringing less than nine thousand troops. The steep and lofty heights,
that lined the river, rendered the cannon of the ships useless to him,
and the exigencies of the fleet, in such narrow and difficult
navigation, prevented the sailors being landed to assist the troops.

A large portion of Montcalm's army, indeed, consisted of Canadians, who
were of little use in the open field, but could be trusted to fight
well behind intrenchments.

Wolfe was, unfortunately, in extremely bad health when he was selected,
by Pitt, to command the expedition against Quebec; but under him were
Brigadier Generals Monckton, Townshend, and Murray, all good officers.

The fleet consisted of twenty-two ships of war, with frigates and
sloops, and a great number of transports. It was, at first, divided
into three squadrons. That under Admiral Durell sailed direct for the
Saint Lawrence, to intercept the ships from France, but arrived at its
destination a few days too late. That of Admiral Holmes sailed for New
York, to take on board a portion of the army of Amherst and Abercromby.
That of Admiral Saunders sailed to Louisbourg, but, finding the
entrance blocked with ice, went on to Halifax, where it was joined by
the squadron with the troops from New York. They then sailed again to
Louisbourg, where they remained until the 6th of June, 1759, and then
joined Durell at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence.

Wolfe's force had been intended to be larger, and should have amounted
to fourteen thousand men; but some regiments which were to have joined
him from the West Indies were, at the last moment, countermanded, and
Amherst,