issued by Wolfe, was posted on the doors
of the parish churches. It called upon the Canadians to stand neutral
in the contest, promising them, if they did so, full protection to
their property and religion; but threatening that, if they resisted,
their houses, goods, and harvest should be destroyed, and their
churches sacked.

The brigade marched along the river to Point Levi, and drove off a body
of French and Indians posted there, and, the next morning, began to
throw up intrenchments and to form batteries. Wolfe did not expect that
his guns here could do any serious damage to the fortifications of
Quebec. His object was partly to discourage the inhabitants of the city
exposed to his fire, partly to keep up the spirits of his own troops by
setting them to work.

The guns of Quebec kept up a continual fire against the working
parties, but the batteries continued to rise, and the citizens, alarmed
at the destruction which threatened their houses, asked the governor to
allow them to cross the river, and dislodge the English. Although he
had no belief that they would succeed, he thought it better to allow
them to try. Accordingly, some fifteen hundred armed citizens, and
Canadians from the camp, with a few Indians, and a hundred volunteers
from the regulars, marched up the river, and crossed on the night of
the 12th of July.

The courage of the citizens evaporated very quickly, now they were on
the same side of the river as the English, although still three miles
from them. In a short time a wild panic seized them. They rushed back
in extreme disorder to their boats, crossed the river, and returned to
Quebec.

The English guns soon opened, and carried destruction into the city. In
one day eighteen houses, and the cathedral, were burned by exploding
shells; and the citizens soon abandoned their homes, and fled into the
country.

The destruction of the city, however, even if complete, would have
advanced Wolfe's plans but little. It was a moral blow at the enemy,
but nothing more.

On the 8th of July, several frigates took their station before the camp
of General Levis, who, with his division of Canadian militia, occupied
the heights along the Saint Lawrence next to the gorge of Montmorenci.
Here they opened fire with shell, and continued it till nightfall.
Owing to the height of the plateau on which the camp was situated, they
did but little damage, but the intention of Wolfe was simply to keep
the enemy occupied