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to attack a French fleet aiding in the siege of the island of
Minorca which was held by the English； and Minorca had fallen to
the French。 Such was the popular clamor at this disaster that
Byng was tried； condemned； and shot。 There was also an upheaval
in the government。 At no time in English history were men more
eager for the fruits of office； and now； even in a great crisis；
the greed for spoils could not be shaken off。 The nation demanded
a conduct of the war which sought efficiency above all else。 The
politicians； however； insisted on government favors。
In the end a compromise was reached。 At the head of the
government was placed a politician； the Duke of Newcastle； who
loved jobbery and patronage in politics and who doled out offices
to his supporters。 At the War Office was placed Pitt with a free
hand to carry on military operations。 He was the terrible cornet
of horse who had harried Walpole in the days when that minister
was trying to keep out of war。 He knew and even loved war； his
fierce national pride had been stirred to passion by the many
humiliations at the hand of France； and now he was resolved to
organize； to spend； and to fight； until Britain trampled on
France。 He had the nation behind him。 He bullied and frightened
the House of Commons。 Members trembled if Pitt turned on them。 By
his fiery energy； by making himself a terror to weakness and
incompetence； he won for Britain the Seven Years' War。
Though Pitt became Secretary of State for War in June； 1757； not
until 1758 did the tide begin to turn in America。 But when it did
turn； it flowed with resistless force。 In little more than a year
the doom of New France was certain。 The first great French
reverse was at a point where the naval and military power of
Britain could unite in attack。 Pitt well understood the need of
united action by the two services。 Halifax became the radiating
center of British activities。 Here； in 1757； before Pitt was well
in the saddle； a fleet and an army gathered to attack Louisbourg…
…an enterprise not carried out that year partly because France
had a great fleet on the spot； and partly； too； on account of the
bad quality of British leadership。
Only in the campaign of 1758 did Pitt's dominance become
effective。 With him counted one quality and one alone；
efficiency。 The old guard at the War Office were startled when
men with rank； years； influence； and every other claim but
competence for their tasks； were passed over； and young and
obscure men were given high command。 To America in the spring of
1758 were sent officers hitherto little known。 Edward Boscawen；
Commander of the Fleet； and veteran among these leaders； was a
comparatively young man； only forty…seven； Jeffrey Amherst； just
turned forty； was Commander…in…Chief on land。 Next in command to
Amherst was James Wolfe； aged thirty。
These young and vigorous men knew the value of promptness or they
would not have been tolerated under Pitt。 Before the end of May；
1758； Boscawen was in Halifax harbor with a fleet of some forty
warships and a multitude of transports。 On board were nearly
twelve thousand soldiers； more than eleven thousand of them
British regulars。 The colonial forces now play a minor part in
the struggle； Pitt was ready to send from England all the troops
needed。 The array at Halifax； the greatest yet seen in America；
numbered about twenty thousand men； including sailors。 Before the
first of June the fleet was on its way to Louisbourg。 The defense
was stubborn； and James Wolfe； who led the first landing party；
had abundant opportunity to prove his courage and capacity。 By
the end of July； however； Louisbourg had fallen； and nearly six
thousand prisoners were in the hands of the English。 It was the
beginning of the end。
In the autumn Wolfe was back in England； where he was quickly
given command of the great expedition which was planned against
Quebec for the following year。 Admiral Sir Charles Saunders； who
seems almost old compared with Wolfe； for he was nearly fifty；
was in chief command of the fleet。 Amherst had remained in
America as Commander…in…Chief； and was taking slow； deliberate；
thorough measures for the last steps in the conquest of New
France。
To be too late had been the usual fate of the many British
expeditions against Canada。 No one； however； dared to be late
under Pitt。 On February 17； 1759； the greatest fleet that had
ever put out for America left Portsmouth。 More than two hundred
and fifty ships set their sails for the long voyage。 There were
forty…nine warships； carrying fourteen thousand sailors and
marines； and two hundred other ships manned by perhaps seven
thousand men in the merchant service； but ready to fight if
occasion offered。 Altogether nearly thirty thousand men now left
the shores of England to attack Canada。
There is a touch of doom for France in the fact that its own lost
fortress of Louisbourg was to be the rendezvous of the fleet。
Saunders； however； arrived so early that the entrance to
Louisbourg was still blocked with ice； and he went on to Halifax。
In time he returned to Louisbourg； and from there the great fleet
sailed for Quebec。 The voyage was uneventful。 We can picture the
startled gaze of the Canadian peasants as they saw the stately
array； many miles long； pass up the St。 Lawrence。 On the 26th of
June； Wolfe and Saunders were in the basin before Quebec and the
great siege had begun which was to mark one of the turning…points
in history。
Nature had furnished a noble setting for the drama now to be
enacted。 Quebec stands on a bold semicircular rock on the north
shore of the St。 Lawrence。 At the foot of the rock sweeps the
mighty river； here at the least breadth in its whole course； but
still a flood nearly a mile wide； deep and strong。 Its currents
change ceaselessly with the ebb and flow of the tide which rises
a dozen feet； though the open sea is eight hundred miles away。
Behind the rock of Quebec the small stream of the St。 Charles
furnishes a protection on the landward side。 Below the fortress；
the great river expands into a broad basin with the outflow
divided by the Island of Orleans。 In every direction there are
cliffs and precipices and rising ground。 From the north shore of
the great basin the land slopes gradually into a remote blue of
wooded mountains。 The assailant of Quebec must land on low ground
commanded everywhere from heights for seven or eight miles on the
east and as many on the west。 At both ends of this long front are
further natural defensesat the east the gorge of the
Montmorency River； at the west that of the Cap Rouge River。
Wolfe's desire was to land his army on the Beauport shore at some
point between Quebec and Montmorency。 But Montcalm's fortified
posts； behind which lay his army； stretched along the shore for
six miles； all the way from the Montmorency to the St。 Charles。
Wolfe had a great contempt for Montcalm's army〃five feeble
French battalions mixed with undisciplined peasants。〃 If only he
could get to close quarters with the 〃wily and cautious old fox；〃
as he called Montcalm！ Already the British had done what the
French had thought impossible。 Without pilots they had steered
their ships through treacherous channels in the river and through
the dangerous 〃Traverse〃 near Cap Tourmente。 Captain Cook；
destined to be a famous navigator； was there to survey and mark
the difficult places； and British skippers laughed at the
forecasts of disaster made by the pilots whom they had captured
on the river。 The French were confident that the British would
not dare to take their ships farther up the river past the
cannonade of the guns in Quebec； though this the British
accomplished almost without loss。
Wolfe landed a force upon the lower side of the gorge at
Montmorency and another at the head of the Island of Orleans。 He
planted batteries at Point Levis across the river from Quebec；
and from there he battered the city。 The pleasant houses in the
Rue du Parloir which Montcalm knew so well were knocked into
rubbish； and its fascinating ladies were driven desolate from the
capital。 But this bombardment brought Wolfe no nearer his goal。
On the 31st of July he made a frontal attack on the flats at
Beauport and failed disastrously with a loss of four hundred men。
Time was fighting for Montcalm。
By the 1st of September Wolfe's one hope was in a surprise by
which he could land an army above Quebec； the nearer to the
fortress the better。 Its feeble walls on the landward side could
not hold out against artillery。 But Bougainville guarded the high
shore and marched his men incessantly up and down to meet
threatened attacks。 On the heights； the battalion of Guienne was
encamped on the Plains of Abraham to guard the Foulon。 This was a
cove on the river bank from which there was a path； much used by
the French for dragging up provisions； leading to the