The Struggle for Empire pre-French and Indian War to the Battle of Quebec:

From 1689 to 1748 Great Britain and France were in a constant struggle with one another to gain overseas empires that would allow them to become the greatest empire in the world.  During this period of empire building France and Britain engaged in three distinct conflicts with one another concerning overseas superiority.  King William's War, the War of Spanish Succession, and the War of Austrian Succession were all wars fought between the British and the French during this period that did not have a major effect on the French and British colonies in North America (Keffer 2003).  The fourth conflict was a great one that saw the North American colonies become the focal point of the conflict.  The French and Indian War, also termed the War for Empire and Seven Year's War, lasted from 1756 to 1763 and similarly emerged as a struggle between France and Britain to become the dominant European nation concerning world trade and naval power.  This conflict actually began in North America when the French discovered that the British wanted to move their colonies into the Ohio Valley , which threatened French trading in that area (Mooy 2003).  The French and Indian War was fought in what some experts consider to be three distinct phases.  Phase one is believed to have lasted from 1754 to 1756 and saw the expansion of the conflict spread across the Atlantic into Europe (Mooy 2003).  This phase also saw the Battle of Braddock's Defeat in which a British force three times the size of the French and Amerindian force was convincingly defeated and experienced approximately thirty percent casualties (Purvis n.d.).  British blunders, like Braddock's defeat, shocked the British and the colonists. A quick and easy defeat of the French in North America is what was expected of the British army.  A seven-year conflict is what they received. The second phase of the war lasted about two years and saw the conflict become international and the British experience only defeat and frustration.  Also, the British colonists in North America became severely disgruntled towards the British army and did not give their support to the war effort (Mooy 2003).  Phase three began with William Pitt assuming the leadership role in the British army. Through this phase colonial support for the British cause grew by leaps and bounds.  Due to this increased involvement the French became overwhelmingly outnumbered which tipped the scales in favor of the British.  The French army also experienced a poor harvest that severely weakened their army (Mooy 2003).  In 1758 the British defeated the French at Fort Louisbourg , Fort Niagara , Crown Point , and Fort Ticonderoga (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  These crowning victories by the British led to the Battle of Quebec that ultimately determined who would emerge from this conflict victoriously.

The Battle of Quebec - Plans and Preparations:

With victories at Ticonderoga, Niagara , Louisbourg and other locations William Pitt's plan to overcome the French was almost complete.  The last piece of the puzzle was the capturing of the French fort at Quebec .  To lead this expedition Pitt selected General James Wolfe who was a very aggressive leader that had always supported an attack on Quebec (u-s-history.com “James Wolfe” 2006).  Wolfe, prior to his selection, was in Britain recovering from tuberculosis that had plagued him earlier in the conflict (u-s-history.com “James Wolfe” 2006). Now back in the colonies her had assumed the daunting task of conquering the French fort of Quebec .  According to most experts at the time, Quebec was impenetrable (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  Fort Quebec sits atop very steep cliffs that lead down to the very swiftly moving St. Lawrence River , which most believed could not be navigated by large ships.  General Wolfe discarded this theory by successfully navigating 200 large ships up the St. Lawrence River to get into position to attack French fortifications at Quebec .  This maneuver by General Wolfe stunned the French forces, which were lead by the Marquis de Montcalm. The French figured that the British would never attempt to bring such a large fleet up the St. Lawrence River . French leaders expected to receive an attack by British forces from the west emerging from Lake Champlain and Lake Ontario (BritishBatles.com 2006).  Once the British arrived the French forces stationed the majority of their soldiers on the north bank of the river (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  On July 31 st Wolfe attack the French forces on the eastern, riverside, of Quebec .  This attack was very unorganized and very costly for the British.  Wolfe's army suffered approximately 500 casualties and was easily repulsed (BritishBatles.com 2006).  Time was now running out.  Soon the winter would arrive and the St. Lawrence River would freeze leaving the British army with no escape other than to retreat south through the extremely harsh forests covered with snow.  General Wolfe had now split his forces leaving a portion on the Island of Orleans with General Hardy and another portion on Point Levy with General Monckton (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  Luckily General Wolfe learned of a path on the western side of Quebec that led up to the Plains of Abraham and to the Fort at Quebec .  How he obtained this information experts are not sure (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  Some say that his scouts found this path and other say that a disgruntled Canadian divulged the information (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  However Wolfe discovered this path, the plan to attack would be formulated and executed on September 12 th , 1759.

The Battle of Quebec:

After discovering the secret path that would lead his armies to Quebec safely General Wolfe devised a brilliant plan.  General Wolfe took 4,500 troops and one gun on ships heading westward up the St. Lawrence River (BritishBatles.com 2006).  He wanted the French to think that he was on his way to conquer the French city of Montreal (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  He helped to avert their attention away from his ship by organizing a small engagement on the east side of Quebec that would keep the French occupied and not concerned with his ship sailing westward.  After nightfall Wolfe's ship stopped at the port of Le Foulon just west of Quebec and the Plains of Abraham .  Here, under the cover of darkness, Wolfe unloaded his 4,500 troops by using smaller ships to secretly take them ashore.  That night General Wolfe slowly and covertly moved his armies up the secret path to the Plains of Abraham (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  When the British reached the Plains of Abraham darkness still covered the city of Quebec .  Under the cover of this darkness, Wolfe organized his fighting lines and battle positions.  When dawn arose the French were absolutely stunned to look to the plains and see the British on their doorstep ready for battle (BritishBatles.com 2006).  This move by Wolfe sent the French and the citizens of Quebec into hysteria. Wolfe's aggressiveness caused Montcalm to overreact and confront him in the open battlefield.  If Montcalm had never taken his forces onto the open field the British might have never captured Quebec (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  Instead, Montcalm moved 5,000 of his troops and three guns to confront the British forces led by Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham (BritishBatles.com 2006).  This battle only lasted thirty minutes and saw both generals struck down.  It is documented that it only took two volleys from the British to break the French lines (BritishBatles.com 2006).  Wolfe fought valiantly but was shot three times.  He supposedly kept fighting after the first two wounds in the hand and groin, but was removed from the battlefield after being shot in the chest (BritishBatles.com 2006).  He died on the battlefield, but lived long enough to learn of his glorious victory.  Montcalm died the next day from his wounds suffered during the battle (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  The Battle of Quebec was over and the resilient British were victorious.

The Effects of the Battle of Quebec:

Although the city of Montreal was not conquered until a year after the fall of Quebec , the British victory at Quebec signified the end of New France (u-s-history.com “Battle of Quebec” 2006).  General Wolfe's planning and aggressiveness at Quebec were legendary (u-s-history.com “James Wolfe” 2006).  He conquered the impenetrable city by using his cunningness and deception.  The British gaining much of the French territory, which meant spreading their population into the Ohio Valley region, marked the end of the French and Indian war in the colonies (Mooy 2003).  During this conflict Amerindians fought on both sides.  In the end all of the Native Americans suffered.  Naturally the Amerindians that sided with the French suffered more than the ones who fought for the British, but all would eventually lose their lands to the expanding colonial population (Mooy 2003).  During the French and Indian War many tensions between the British and the colonists surfaced concerning issues such as colonial participation in the war, and colonials refusing to house British soldiers (Purvis n.d.).  These tensions did not evaporate once the British were victorious over the French.  The French and Indian War actually left Britain with a massive national debt (Purvis n.d.).  In order to raise funds for this national debt the British Parliament placed taxes the American colonists with further increased the harsh tensions between the two groups (Purvis n.d.).  These tensions and taxes would eventually boil to the point of rebellion.  Also, the colonists were not as afraid of the British army as they were before the French and Indian War (Purvis n.d.).  Colonists in North America witnessed the frustrations and defeats suffered by the British for the first three years of the war, which eventually provided them with enough gall to declare independence from Britain in 1776.

References:

Age Moody, “French and Indian Wars,” in From Revolution to Reconstruction [electronic bulletin board] (2003 [Cited 30 April 2006]); available from www.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/7yearswar/fiw01.htm .

“James Wolfe,” in u-s-history.com [online database] (2005 [Cited 30 April 2006]); available from www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1183.html .

Philip Keffer, “The Seven Years War,” in From Revolution to Reconstruction [electronic bulletin board] 92003 [Cited 30 April 2006]); available from www.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/7yearswar2/7years01.htm .

Purvis, Thomas L. The Seven Years War and its Political Legacy.  N.p., n.d.

“The Battle of Quebec 1759,” in British Battles .com [online database] (2006 [cited 30 April 2006]); available from www.britishbattles.com/battle-of-quebec.htm .

“The French and Indian War: Battle of Quebec September 13, 1759,” in u-s-history.com [online database] (2005 [Cited 30 April 2006]); available from www.u-s-history.com/pages/h787.html.

Battle of Quebec Question:

Here are a few questions that you can answer to quiz yourself over the history of the French and Indian War and the importance of the Battle of Quebec.

1. What were the three wars that preceded the French and Indian War that were fought between the British and French?

2. Did the British forces in North America experience success or failure at the beginning of the French and Indian War?

3. Why was General James Wolfe selected to lead the British forces against the French stronghold of Quebec ?

4. Describe a few of the characteristics of Quebec that created the impression of impenetrableness that made Quebec famous.

5. How did General Wolfe trick the French into thinking that he was sailing to Montreal ?

6. Where did the British confront the French at the famous Battle fo Quebec ?

7. What happened to both generals during the Battle of Quebec?

8. How did the French and Indian War effect the relationship between the British and the Amerindians?

9. How did this war affect the British financially, and what was their solution to their financial problems.

10. What subsequent war did the French and Indian War repercussions actually lead to?