lains of Abraham does not deserve to rank as a
great battle, but its results were of the most extreme importance, for
the victory transferred Canada from France to England.

Vaudreuil, after joining his force with that of Bougainville, would
have still vastly outnumbered the English, and could, by taking up a
fresh position in their rear, have rendered himself impregnable, until
the winter forced the English to retire; while the latter had no means
of investing or besieging Quebec. But his weakness was now as great as
his presumption had been before, and, on the evening of the battle, he
abandoned the lines of Beauport, and, leaving all his tents and stores
behind him, retreated hastily, or rather it may be said fled, for as
the Chevalier Johnston said of it:

"It was not a retreat, but an abominable flight, with such disorder and
confusion that, had the English known it, three hundred men sent after
us would have been sufficient to have cut all our army to pieces. The
soldiers were all mixed, scattered, dispersed, and running as hard as
they could, as if the English army were at their heels."

The flight was continued, until they reached the impregnable position
of Jacques Cartier on the brink of the Saint Lawrence, thirty miles
from the scene of action.

Montcalm died in Quebec the next morning. Levis soon arrived at Jacques
Cartier from Montreal, and took the command, and at once attempted to
restore order, and persuaded Vaudreuil to march back to join
Bougainville, who had remained firmly with his command, at Cap Rouge,
while the horde of fugitives swept by him. Vaudreuil, before leaving,
had given orders to Ramesay to surrender, if Quebec was threatened by
assault, and Levis, on his march to its relief, was met by the news
that, on the morning of the 18th, Ramesay had surrendered.

The garrison was utterly dispirited, and unwilling to fight. The
officers were even more anxious to surrender than the men, and, on the
fleet approaching the walls Ramesay obeyed Vaudreuil's orders, and
surrendered. Townshend granted favourable conditions, for he knew that
Levis was approaching, and that his position was dangerous in the
extreme. He therefore agreed that the troops and sailors of the
garrison should march out from the place, with the honours of war, and
were to be carried to France, and that the inhabitants should have
protection in person and property, and free exercise of religion.

The day after the capture of Q