time, so much broken and dispersed, that Bougainville did not think it adviseable to hazard a new attack3.

The victory was indeed decisive. The brave marquis de Montcalm, and his second in command, were both mortally wounded. About a thousand of the enemy were made prisoners, and near an equal number fell in the battle or pursuit. The remainder of their army, unable to keep the field, retired first to Point au Tremble, and afterward to Trois Rivieres and Montreal.

The loss of the English, with respect to numbers, was very inconsiderable: both the killed and wounded did not exceed five hundred men. But the death of general Wolfe was a national misfortune, and accompanied with circumstances sufficiently interesting to merit a particular detail. He first received a shot in the wrist; but wrapt a handkerchief round his arm, and encouraged his men to advance, without discovering the least discomposure. He next received a shot in the groin, which he also concealed. Even after the mortal bullet had pierced his breast, he suffered himself unwillingly to be carried behind the ranks. Under all the agonies of approaching dissolution, his anxiety for the fortune of the field continued; and when told that the French army was totally routed, and fled on all sides, "Then," said he, "I am happy!"—and instantly expired, in a kind of patriotic transport, which seemed to diffuse over his darkening countenance an air of exultation and triumph.

Wolfe, at the age of thirty-five, to all the fervour of spirit, the liberality of sentiment, the humanity, generosity, and enlarged views of the hero, united no inconsiderable share of the presence of mind and military skill that constitute the great commander, He needed only years and opportunity of action, to place him on a level with the most celebrated generals of any age or nation;

15. Letter from brigadier-general Townshend to Mr. secretary Pitt. in London Gazette, Oct. 17, 1759. Knox's Campaigns, vol. ii.

to

to moderate his ardour, expand his faculties, and give to his intuitive perception and scientific knowledge, the correctness of judgment perfected by experience.

Montcalm, the French general, was not inferior to his antagonist in military talents. Though less fortunate in the last scene of his life, he had often been victorious; and he made the most judicious dispositions that human prudence could suggest, both before the battle of Quebec, and during the engagement. Nor were his dying words less remarkable than those of Wolfe. "I am glad of it!" said he, when informed that his wound was mortal; and on being told he could survive only a few hours, he gallantly replied, "So much the better!-I shall not then "live to see the surrender of Quebec16. "

SEPT. 18.

That event, as the illustrious Montcalm foresaw, was not distant. Five days after the victory gained in its neighbourhood, the city of Quebec surrendered to the English fleet and army, which were preparing for a grand attack. By the articles of capitulation, the inhabitants were to be protected in the free exercise of their religion, and in the full enjoyment of their civil rights, until a general peace should decide their future condition'. Thus was the capital of NewFrance reduced under the dominion of Great-Britain, after an arduous campaign of about three months; and all circumstances considered, perhaps there never was a naval and military enterprise conducted with more steady perseverance, or distinguished by more vigour and ability.

While the British generals were thus making rapid strides toward the final conquest of the French empire in America, M. de Lally, the French governor-general in the East Indies threatened with utter subjection the English settlements in the Carnatic. Having reduced fort St. David and Cudalore, as already related, his next attempt was against Madrass, the principal English set17. London Gazette, ubi sup.

16. Knox's Campaigns, vol. ii.

tlement on the coast of Coromandel. This place was regularly invested by two thousand European troops, and a large body of sepoys, after its brave but slender gar rison had made every possible effort to keep the enemy at a distance. And by the resolution of governor Pigot, and the persevering courage of colonel Draper, colonel Lawrence, and other gallant officers, it was enabled to hold out till the arrival of succours. On the appearance of captain Kempenfelt in the Queenborough man of war, and the company's ship Revenge, with a reinforcement of six hundred men from England, the French general found himself under the necessity of raising the siege; greatly mortified and enraged at a disappointment, which blasted all his sanguine hopes of expelling the English from the peninsula of Indostan.

The British forces in the Carnatic, though still inferior to those of the enemy in numbers, now took the field in different divisions, and reduced successively the French settlements of Masulipatam and Conjeveram. Major Brereton, however, unhappily failed in a rash but vigorous attack upon Vandivash. He was repulsed with the loss of two hundred men. But Vandivash was afterward reduced, and also Carnagolly, by colonel Coote, who had superseded Brereton in the command of the British forces. This able officer bravely maintained his conquest, and defeated a strong army under general Lally, who made a bold attempt to regain possession of the disputed settlement.

The battle of Vandivash was accompanied with several circumstances sufficiently interesting to merit a description. General Lally being early deserted by his whole body of cavalry, in consequence of a brisk cannonade, put himself at the head of his line of infantry, and impetuously rushed into action. Colonel Coote coolly received the enemy at the head of his own regiment, which he had formed in a line, opposed obliquely to theirs. Nor did he alter his disposition, although they did. After two discharges, the regiment of Lorrain vigorously

vigorously pressed on, in the form of a column, through a heavy fire, and threatened to bear down all resistance. In an instant the two regiments were engaged at the push of the bayonet. The front of the French column at first broke the English line, and a momentary confusion ensued. But no sooner did man encounter man, in single opposition, than the superiority of British prowess was conspicuous. The field was suddenly strewed with killed and wounded Frenchmen. The regiment of Lorrain was broken, routed, and hotly pursued.

This conflict was followed by another, no less bloody, which finally decided the fortune of the day. As soon as colonel Coote could restrain the ardour of his own victorious battalion, he rode along the line, and ordered major Brereton to advance with Draper's regiment (the colonel having returned to England for the recovery of his health), and take possession of a fortified post, which the enemy seemed to have abandoned. In making this effort, the major was mortally wounded, but not before he saw that the post was gained. "Follow your blow!" said he, greatly, to some of the soldiers who offered to assist him; " and leave me to my fate!"

That service was gallantly performed by major Monson, who now succeeded to the command of Draper's regiment. In vain did M. de Bussy attempt to recover the dear-earned post, at the head of the regiment of Lally; in vain, to maintain the combat on the plain. His horse being shot under him, he was made prisoner, in leading on to the push of the bayonet the few troops that preserved any countenance. Major Monson received his sword. The regiment of Lally was utterly broken; and the French general, having lost six hundred men, was happy to save the wreck of his army, by abandoning his camp to the victors 8. The routed infantry formed behind the cavalry, which had recovered from their panic, and the flight was conducted with some degree of order.

18. Orme, Hiat. Indost, book xii.

Nor

Nor were these the only achievements of the British forces in the East Indies, in the course of this memorable year. During the progress of colonel Coote on the coast of Coromandel, admiral Pococke, with an inferior force, defeated the French fleet under M. d'Aché, in a third and desperate engagement, though without capturing any ships. Surat, a place of great consequence, on the coast of Malabar, was taken by a detachment from the English settlement of Bombay. The French factory there was destroyed; and, on the opposite side of the peninsula, the Dutch were chastised for attempting to acquire an ascendancy in Bengal.

These avaricious republicans, whose grasping spirit no principles can moderate, no treaties restrain, become jealous of the growth of the English power in the East Indies, and, enraged at the loss of certain branches of trade, which they had been accustomed to monopolize, formed a conspiracy for the extirpation of their rivals, as atrocious as that of Amboyna. In consequence of this conspiracy (in which the French and the nabob of Bengal are supposed to have been engaged), the government of Batavia, under pretence of reinforcing their settlement at Chincura, sent an armament of seven ships, and thirteen hundred land forces, up the river Hughley. The troops were landed near Tannah Fort, and a detachment from Chincura advanced to meet them. Meantime colonel Forde, who had been appointed to watch their motions, at the head of the troops of the English East India company, gave battle first to the detachment, and afterward to the main body; defeated both; killed four hundred and forty men, and made all the fugitives prisoners. About the same time, three English East India ships (armed and manned for desperate service), gave battle to the Dutch squadron, and obliged the whole to strike, after an obstinate engagement19.

Seeing their armament thus humbled, the factory at Chincura agreed to such conditions as the government of

19. Compared Relations of the hostile attempt of the Dutch in Bengal, transmitted to the East India house.

Calcutta