Français  Contact Us  Help  Search  Canada Site Volume 1 (1000–1754) Volume 2 (1755-1871) Volume 3 (1872–2000) CHAPTER 1 The Conquest Military Situations at the Start of the War Reinforcements from Europe It's War! The Anglo-American Attack General Braddock's Disaster General Dieskau's Defeat The Acadian Tragedy General Montcalm Takes Oswego Tensions Among the French Staff The British Invasion Strategy The French Take Fort William Henry The British Lay Siege to Louisbourg French Victory at Ticonderoga The Invasion of the Ohio Valley A Change in Tactics General Mobilization in Canada The Siege of Quebec The Battle of the Plains of Abraham Quebec Surrenders Other Fronts The War Continues in Canada The Battle of Sainte-Foy The Arrival of Reinforcements The Final Invasion The Surrender The Fate of the Canadian Officers The Military Regime England Wins the War The Treaty of Paris CHAPTER 2 The Revolt of Pontiac and the American Invasion CHAPTER 3 The Coveted Pacific Coast CHAPTER 4 The Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 CHAPTER 5 Demobilization CHAPTER 6 The Royal Navy, Ruler of the Seas CHAPTER 7 A Decade of Turbulence APPENDIX A The British Armed Forces APPENDIX B Daily Life of Soldiers and Officers APPENDIX C Uniforms and Arms APPENDIX D Reference      CHAPTER 1 The Conquest           The Battle of Sainte-Foy ( 2 pages )           1 2      Levis Besieges Quebec                The idea of laying siege to Quebec had its detractors, who did not hesitate to call the undertaking "Lévis's folly."  But Lévis knew that his army, isolated and surrounded by enemy forces that were numerically superior by far, would become discouraged after their defeat on the Plains of Abraham if something daring were not suggested to them.  The men had to be given a boost, to become galvanized to fight hard against the British.  Lévis managed to do this, and in May 1760 the French army arrived at Quebec. General James Murray was in command of the British garrison of approximately 7,300 officers and soldiers, all regulars.  When informed that the French army had come to lay siege he began by evacuating the entire population of Quebec, Sainte-Foy and Lorette, and ordered that the suburbs of Saint-Roch and Sainte-Famille be razed so that the attackers could not hide behind houses to approach the fortifications.  Part of the garrison was then assigned the task of building forward trenches to the west of the city near Sainte-Foy.  On April 27, as the French army approached, there were a few skirmishes between the French cavalry and the British detachments.  The very next day, Murray decided to attack the French before they could entrench.  The British line, 3,200 men strong, advanced on Lévis's troops.  Field artillery nearby shelled the French positions.  If Murray managed to break through the left side of the French line, Lévis's army would find itself cornered between English bayonets and the St. Lawrence River.           1 2   Last Updated: 2004-06-20 Important Notices