The taking of Quebec was one of the most important battles in the history of Canada. During this time the Seven Years War was raging on in Europe. This was an important battle because it turned Canada into a British colony. Those fifteen minutes of battle were what changed Canada from French rule to British rule.

In June of 1778 the British took the city of Louisburg. Later that year

Fort Frontanac fell. Though the British were destroying many French forts, Quebec still held out. Finally General James Wolfe arrived at Louisburg in the May of 1779. Wolfe was expecting to lead 12,000 men; but instead he came upon 400 officers, 7000 regular troops, 300 gunners, and a battery of mariners. These men made up one fourth of the British army. 

Soon after Wolfe’s arrival at Louisberg, James Cook, who would be the first man to sail around the world, surveyed a large portion of the St. Lawrence River including a dangerous channel called The Travers. General James Wolfe used this survey to safely land his men on the shores of Ile d’Orleans on the St. Lawrence River.

Not long after the British landed, the French sent fiery ships down the river to destroy the English ships. This attack failed because the explosives exploded too soon, letting the English long boats clear the fiery ships away. Deciding it was not safe on the island; Wolfe led the English to the south shore, also known as Point Levis, where an artillery battery was established.

The French focus was now on defending the Beauport Shore against the English. The French troops were spread across a 9-kilometer span from the St. Charles River to the Momorency Falls. On July 1 Wolfe’s troops went into The Battle of Beauport, also known as The Battle of Momorency. 3,500 troops tried to land, but were caught under heavy fire. The Louisburg Grenadiers tried to attack the French, but they were caught under heavy fire also. A thunderstorm ended the battle letting Wolfe pull his troops out. At the end of the battle Wolfe had 450 casualties, but Montcalm had only 60.

A lot of the French thought it would be the last English attack and the end of the campaign, though there was a man named General Vaundreui who predicted another attack within days. Wolfe changed his focus; he blocked off supplies to the French. This was done by destroying small ports in New France.

Finally, Wolfe made a decision for a very large-scale battle. He was going to land on Anes aux Foltons, a 53-meter high cliff protected by canons.  To this day it is not known why he picked this spot, but it is known that his plan was to draw Montcalm onto the Plains of Abraham.

His plan could only work by first landing 5,000 men in the night on the northern shore, climb the face of the cliff, capture a small road and garrison and finally assemble on the plains for battle. When he was putting his plan into action, a few ships went slightly off course. After a little while the men found themselves at the bottom of a rocky cliff. The three companies did the only thing they could do. They climbed the cliff and captured Vergons camp. This was sheer luck, and if there had been more defenses on the cliffs the British would have pushed off.  Lucky for the British though the person who should have been keeping watch had one horse stolen and his other two were lame. This left him with no source of transportation making it impossible to get to his post. By sunrise, Wolfe and his army were ready for the battle that would decide who would rule Canada.

On Thursday, September 18, 1759, Wolfe walked on the Plains of Abraham for the first time. The only other time he had seen the plains was through a spotting scope the day before. He was caught between two French armies. Now they had to wait and hope that Montcalm would take the bait and fight Wolfe without waiting for the other army to aid him.

Montcalm took the bait, but wasn’t sure if this was the real British force or just a skirmish to weaken the trenches and put him off guard. Finally, Montcalm decided that he would leave some of his force behind and go to the Plains of Abraham to fight Wolfe. It took him one hour to mobilize his army. While this was happening 4,000 of Wolfe’s army were assembled on the Plains of Abraham.   A band of Indians attacked his army by surprise. It wasn’t until Montcalm came that the attack finally ceased.

Before the battle started the British had been told to load two musket balls into each musket. They were also told not to line up in the regular three lines, but instead they should line up in two. In these two lines the British were very vulnerable but were harder to hit for they were spread one mile across.

Finally a little after 11:30 am the battle began. Montcalm marched his army down the hill towards Wolfe’s army, which was standing still, waiting to see what would happen. Finally, the first mistake. Montcalm’s confused army was told to fire. The volley was useless; Wolfe’s army was way out of the range of the French musket balls. The French reloaded and kept on marching until they were within 40 feet of the British. When able to see the faces of their enemy, the French fired a devastating shot against the English. Finally Wolfe made the most important command of his life. “FIRE!” is all that Wolfe had to say. In an instant, all the 8000 musket balls were fired at the French. As the smoke cleared, the English saw how much damage they had done. Suddenly, the Scottish Highlanders launched an attack upon the French with swords drawn that could cut a man in half. As fast as they had launched the attack, the Highlanders were killed by hundreds of Canadian malitia and Indians covering up for their French allies. Some time in the next few minutes Wolfe was killed and Montclam fatally wounded. The battle at the Plains of Abraham lasted only fifteen minutes but changed the course of history forever.

The Seven Year’s War came to an end soon after. The Treaty of Paris was signed that made peace between France and England. This treaty also gave Canada to England, but France was allowed to keep St. Pierre and Miquelon off the south coast of Newfoundland. These two islands were used as places to land their ships. Still to this very day these islands are considered France possessions.

The British gained more than land by this treaty; they also were given about 60,000 more subjects in the New World. But trouble would soon arise for the Thirteen Colonies would soon unite to create the United States of America. Then they would rise up and begin the War of 1812.

A lot of the French thought it would be the last English attack and the end of the campaign, though there was a man named General Vaundreui who predicted another attack within days. Wolfe changed his focus; he blocked off supplies to the French. This was done by destroying small ports in New France.

Finally, Wolfe made a decision for a very large-scale battle. He was going to land on Anes aux Foltons, a 53-meter high cliff protected by canons.  To this day it is not known why he picked this spot, but it is known that his plan was to draw Montcalm onto the Plains of Abraham.

His plan could only work by first landing 5,000 men in the night on the northern shore, climb the face of the cliff, capture a small road and garrison and finally assemble on the plains for battle. When he was putting his plan into action, a few ships went slightly off course. After a little while the men found themselves at the bottom of a rocky cliff. The three companies did the only thing they could do. They climbed the cliff and captured Vergons camp. This was sheer luck, and if there had been more defenses on the cliffs the British would have pushed off.  Lucky for the British though the person who should have been keeping watch had one horse stolen and his other two were lame. This left him with no source of transportation making it impossible to get to his post. By sunrise, Wolfe and his army were ready for the battle that would decide who would rule Canada.

On Thursday, September 18, 1759, Wolfe walked on the Plains of Abraham for the first time. The only other time he had seen the plains was through a spotting scope the day before. He was caught between two French armies. Now they had to wait and hope that Montcalm would take the bait and fight Wolfe without waiting for the other army to aid him.

Montcalm took the bait, but wasn’t sure if this was the real British force or just a skirmish to weaken the trenches and put him off guard. Finally, Montcalm decided that he would leave some of his force behind and go to the Plains of Abraham to fight Wolfe. It took him one hour to mobilize his army. While this was happening 4,000 of Wolfe’s army were assembled on the Plains of Abraham.   A band of Indians attacked his army by surprise. It wasn’t until Montcalm came that the attack finally ceased.

Before the battle started the British had been told to load two musket balls into each musket. They were also told not to line up in the regular three lines, but instead they should line up in two. In these two lines the British were very vulnerable but were harder to hit for they were spread one mile across.

Finally a little after 11:30 am the battle began. Montcalm marched his army down the hill towards Wolfe’s army, which was standing still, waiting to see what would happen. Finally, the first mistake. Montcalm’s confused army was told to fire. The volley was useless; Wolfe’s army was way out of the range of the French musket balls. The French reloaded and kept on marching until they were within 40 feet of the British. When able to see the faces of their enemy, the French fired a devastating shot against the English. Finally Wolfe made the most important command of his life. “FIRE!” is all that Wolfe had to say. In an instant, all the 8000 musket balls were fired at the French. As the smoke cleared, the English saw how much damage they had done. Suddenly, the Scottish Highlanders launched an attack upon the French with swords drawn that could cut a man in half. As fast as they had launched the attack, the Highlanders were killed by hundreds of Canadian malitia and Indians covering up for their French allies. Some time in the next few minutes Wolfe was killed and Montclam fatally wounded. The battle at the Plains of Abraham lasted only fifteen minutes but changed the course of history forever.

The Seven Year’s War came to an end soon after. The Treaty of Paris was signed that made peace between France and England. This treaty also gave Canada to England, but France was allowed to keep St. Pierre and Miquelon off the south coast of Newfoundland. These two islands were used as places to land their ships. Still to this very day these islands are considered France possessions.

The British gained more than land by this treaty; they also were given about 60,000 more subjects in the New World. But trouble would soon arise for the Thirteen Colonies would soon unite to create the United States of America. Then they would rise up and begin the War of 1812.