any delay
would greatly dispirit the Canadians and Indians.

He therefore determined to attack at once. The three field pieces, sent
by Ramesay, opened fire upon the English line with canister, while
fifteen hundred Canadians and Indians crept up among the bushes and
knolls, and through the cornfield, and opened a heavy fire. Wolfe threw
out skirmishers in front of the line, to keep these assailants in
check, and ordered the rest of the troops to lie down to avoid the
fire.

On the British left, the attack was most galling. Bands of the
sharpshooters got among the thickets, just below the edge of the
declivity down to the Saint Charles, and from these, and from several
houses scattered there, they killed and wounded a considerable number
of Townshend's men.

Howe was called up, with his light troops, from the rear; and he, and
the two flank battalions of Townshend, dashed at the thickets, and,
after some sharp fighting, partially cleared them, and took and burned
some of the houses.

Towards ten o'clock, the French advanced to the attack. Their centre
was formed of regular troops, only, with regulars and Canadian
battalions on either flank. Two field pieces which, with enormous
labour, the English had dragged up the path from the landing place, at
once opened fire with grape upon the French line.

The advance was badly conducted. The French regulars marched steadily
on, but the Canadians, firing as they advanced, threw themselves on the
ground to reload, and this broke the regularity of the line. The
English advanced some little distance, to meet their foes, and then
halted.

Not a shot was fired until the French were within forty paces, and
then, at the word of command, a volley of musketry crashed out along
the whole length of the line. So regularly was the volley given, that
the French officers afterwards said that it sounded like a single
cannon shot. Another volley followed, and then the continuous roar of
independent firing.

When the smoke cleared off a little, its effects could be seen. The
French had halted where they stood, and, among them, the dead and
wounded were thickly strewn. All order and regularity had been lost
under that terrible fire, and, in three minutes, the line of advancing
soldiers was broken up into a disorderly shouting mob. Then Wolfe gave
the order to charge, and the British cheer, mingled with the wild yell
of the Highlanders, rose loud and fierce. The English regiments
advanc