I wish, Sir, I could with an equal degree of certainty ensure the conquest of Quebec and the country, as I did of Louisbourg last year, and I am well satisfied, if General Amherst should join, we must meet with success; but if he should meet with opposition and impediments sufficient to prevent this much-desired junction, I can say that, without assuming to myself too great a knowledge, I shall not go down the river disappointed. From my first knowing the plan of operations, I could not forbear saying that the land force was insufficient, if the enemy did as they ought, and must be expected they would do, and I found my opinion was singular, and was obliged to be silent.

And even now, Sir, I cannot forbear saying that I think the army was rather tardy in attempting the enemy's trenches, for they had four weeks, after our troops got up, to strengthen their works and call in the peasants, which they did, and to a very good degree, so that as we did not attempt them at first, we should have delayed 'till we had certain accounts of Mr. Amherst's motions, and perhaps, by such time, the enemy would have been tired out, and Vaudreuil and Montcalm would have thought it prudent to send a part of the inhabitants to gather in the harvest, which is now the case in those parts, where it is risking a detachment too much to send and molest them.

This, Sir, I communicate without the least design of prejudice to Admirals or Generals, and purely, Sir, for your amusement, and I hope soon affairs will bear a more favourable aspect.

The disposition of the ships, Sir, I conclude will depend on the fate of the place. I very much fear, Sir, the reason of our ill success, will not originate wholly in

VOL. I.

Y

the superiority of the enemy as to numbers, but in some unrevealed causes subsisting among ourselves, which I hope the conquest of the place will suffer to lay unnoticed'.

28th August, 1759.

Since the foregoing a detachment from our army have been down the North shore almost to Cape Torment, at the East end of Orleans, and have burnt all the houses and barns between the Cape and the Falls of Montmorency, and it is expected that the South shore and the Isle of Orleans will soon suffer the same fate.

Admiral Holmes and Brigadier Murray joined the army on the 26th instant, and from them we have the following account: that in their excursion above the town they have burnt a large Magazine, with clothing, provisions, &c.; that they had frequently small skirmishes with the enemy, and have taken some prisoners, from whom, and by letters found with them, we learn that Brigadier Prideaux has succeeded in taking Niagara, though he lost his life, together with the second in command, who we supposed to be Colonel Haldiman; that upon General Amherst's approach the enemy had abandoned and destroyed Ticonderago and Crown Point, and retired to St. John's, where he is closely pursuing them, and are in hopes he will have it in his power to reinforce us here. This, Sir, is the account from the prisoners and the letters; I cannot but wish the truth, as it has

1 Evidently an allusion to the difference of opinion which was supposed to exist between Wolfe and Townshend, and perhaps some others of the officers, with respect to the plan of operations before Quebec. In the pamphlet entitled A Letter to an Honourable Brigadier General, already mentioned, Townshend is particularly charged with opposing, both in public and private, the intentions of Wolfe, as well as protesting in form against the last desperate, but eventually successful, attempt, in which his life was sacrificed.

the air of probability, and gains credit amongst us, and the channel in which I have it is so good, that its falsity must originate with the prisoners, in order to blind us more effectually, which, as things are circumstanced, I cannot think to be the case.

As to the cannonade and bombardment, it has been continued on the town with the same violence as at first, that it is now but a scene of ruin and destruction.

We still continue to maintain our posts as usual, and shall find it equally difficult to gain a footing between the Falls of Montmorency and the River St. Charles, as the enemy are so strongly entrenched.

The wind has not yet favoured the Lowestoff and Hunter's going above the town. I have the honour, &c., &c. NATH. COTTON.

N.B. The Lowestoff and Hunter passed the town the 28th, in the evening, without any other damage than one man killed and two wounded on board the latter. P.S. This is to come by the Rodney Cutter, Captain Percival.

September 6, 1759.

We have the confirmation of the enemy's destroying and abandoning Ticonderago on the 26th of July, and the melancholy news of Colonel Roger Townshend' being killed the day before by a cannon-ball.

That Colonel Haldiman was attacked in his entrenched camp at Oswego, by 1800 French and Indians, and that he obliged them to retreat and leave him.

As also, that our troops had besieged Niagara, and the enemy had offered to capitulate on the honours of war being granted, but were refused; and it is reasonably thought that we are long before this in quiet

1 Fourth son of Charles, third Viscount Townshend.

possession of the Fort, on our own terms. That Brigadier Prideaux was killed by the bursting of one of our

cannon or mortars.

A detachment from General Wolfe's army is come down to burn and destroy whatever they can on the South shore.

General Wolfe has moved his camp from Montmorency, and is gone above the town with 5000 men. Two days ago four men arrived from General Amherst, and left him at Crown Point. What we are to expect from him, and what will be the issue of this campaign, I do not presume to say, as the purport of General Amherst's despatches is known only by Brigadier Generals and Admiral. I am, &c., &c.

N. C.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Bury Street, September 6, 1759.

DEAR SIR,-I came to town but a week ago, and

before, if anything had Our Mails from Holland

should have written to you occurred worth your notice. arrived at last this morning: there are no letters as yet from Mr. Mitchell, or any direct accounts from the King of Prussia, but it is certain that Marshal Daun, to improve the Russian victory, is advancing with his army towards Berlin; that Prince Henry is following him; that upon this account the King himself is drawn nearer his capital; that His Majesty's army is brought again into tolerable condition, and that it does not as yet appear that the Russian army has advanced over the Oder. All the forces, however, of His Prussian Majesty, and his enemies, are drawing now towards a point,

and he may probably fight in the sight of his capital, both for his crown and his life.

The last accounts from Prince Ferdinand are of the 23rd: the French were then at Marlborough, but it is thought they have since quitted it. Lord Granby had then taken the command of the British forces. I do not find that Lord George' is yet come to England, and he has not been heard of at the Hague, or anywhere on the road.

I hear nothing yet, of any consequence, of the King of Spain's death2. I have, &c., &c. C. JENKINSON.

THE REV. MR. COTTON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Isle Madame, Princess Amelia, September, 20, 1759. SIR, I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that through the smiles of Providence, we are in safe and quiet possession of Quebec, and in the following manner, viz.

On the 3rd instant General Wolfe decamped from Montmorency, and soon after proceeded above the town with nigh 4000 men, and continued in a moving posture 'till the 12th, when towards night he went up the river in boats with the tide of flood for several leagues with his little army; and the enemy on shore, observing his motions, marched their army up also, thinking he would attempt landing towards the Trois Rivières.

When the tide of ebb made, he silently dropped down with all his boats 'till he came within a few miles of the

1 Lord George Sackville.

2 Ferdinand the Sixth, King of Spain, died on the 10th of August, in his 46th year.