1. The Fall of New France
Characters, the political and military situations of each country, and the aftermath

2. Pierre de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal

3. Governor Vaudreuil 61 years old in 1759
First Canadian-born man to hold this position
Passionate in his defense of Quebec
Disagreed with Montcalm about everything – felt Montcalm is too passive
Prefers the “Indian-style” guerrilla tactics
Explain: What are Guerilla tactics?

4. Louis-Joseph, Le Marquis de Montcalm

5. Le Marquis de Montcalm 47 years old in 1759
French aristocrat – described as vain, dogmatic (strict, unbending) and tactless
Thought Vaudreuil was “too Canadian” and plotted to have him removed so he could take over his position.
If he couldn’t be governor, he wanted to return to France as soon as possible

6. Defeatist – didn’t see how Quebec could be saved
Defeatist – didn’t see how Quebec could be saved. Planned to retreat to Louisiana and leave the settlers to the enemy.
Preferred European tactics – he had used them to great victories at Fort Oswego and Fort William Henry (French Indian Wars)
Describe a European-Style battle

7. Major-General
James Wolfe

8. Major-General James Wolfe
32 years old in 1759
Came up through the ranks (battlefield promotions), unlike his generals who purchased their commissions
His generals disliked him greatly – he got command because of his leadership in the battle for Fort Louisburg. As a result, his generals described him as insignificant and full of his own importance

9. Had a cruel streak – especially toward the French
Why did he hate the French especially?
In 1757, after being ordered to destroy the Acadian villages, he ordered, “all be burned”.
As for Quebec he wrote, “If for some reason we come to the conclusion that we have very little chance of conquering Quebec, I propose to bombard the city, destroy the crops, houses and animals, expedite as many Canadians as possible to Europe and leave behind me nothing but hunger and desolation…”

10. Military Situation – New France
Montcalm had 16,000 soldiers (regular and militia) at his disposal
What is the difference between regular and militia soldiers?
300 What is your profession?
French supply ships had been blocked by the British
A population of 70,000 Canadians to draw from

11. Military Situation - British
200 ships, 8,000 regular soldiers, 15,000 militia (from the Thirteen Colonies) and marines (sailors trained as soldiers).
Could draw from a population of 1.5 million (Thirteen Colonies)
Had already taken Fort Louisburg in 1758

12. Political Situation – New France
The Bishop of New France (Mgr. de Pontraind) and Governor Vaudreuil wrote to King Louis XV to send troops to assist in the defense
Madame Pompadour, the king’s mistress advised against sending any more troops

13. Political Situation – New France
Montclam and Vaudreuil argued about everything, including how to defend the region
Montcalm, a hero of the French Indian Wars wanted to fight a defensive war – avoid direct confrontation
Vaudreuil was more aggressive – wanted to attack the English at every opportunity

14. Political Situation – British
Were losing the Seven Years War in France
Decided to take all of North America – hoped to distract the French into defending the colony, leaving fewer defenses in Europe
Sent ¼ of their entire fleet to accomplish the task

15. Political Situation – British
Wolfe was desperate for victory
Suffered from some sort of lung disease (needed treatment)
Wanted to retire, but his father had left him no money
Needed a “reward” or a pension from the king so as not to be a burden on anyone else
Kings don’t reward failure

16. Summer, 1759 British ships sail up the St. Lawrence River
Convoy stretches 150 miles down the river
British kidnap 2 French-Canadian pilots and force them to navigate the fleet down the river
British establish a base of operations on Ile d’Orleans
British take the south side of the river – Pointe Levis
Establish cannons across the river from Quebec

17. Montmorency River
St. Charles River
Beauport
Fort Quebec
St. Lawrence River
Ile d’Orleans
Pointe Levis

18. Describe the “Fire ships” tactic.
June 28 – French response to British invasion force – send “fire ships” at the fleet (unsuccessful)
Describe the “Fire ships” tactic.
July 13 – Siege begins – British begin bombarding Fort Quebec
20,000 cannonballs hit the city
Fort 80% destroyed
Most civilians leave the city – flee to an abbey north of the city
One French officer declared, “We do not doubt that you will destroy the town, but we are determined that you shall never set foot within its walls.”

19. Montmorency River
St. Charles River
Beauport
Fort Quebec
St. Lawrence River
Ile d’Orleans
Pointe Levis

20. Montcalm refused to send his army to engage the British, so Wolfe presses the matter – decides to make one grand attack
July 31 – 4000 British soldiers attack Beauport and Montmorency Falls (same tactic that won him fame at Fort Louisbourg)
Well-entrenched French crush the British attack (shooting fish in a barrel)
Wolfe is humiliated by the defeat – decides to leave his mark by burning the countryside (23 villages and more than 1,400 farms burned), taking no prisoners
Why would Wolfe have been particularly humiliated by this defeat?

21. September – Wolfe needs to make one last, desperate attempt to engage in a final confrontation
Winter will set in soon, the fleet needs to leave the river soon or it will be crushed in freezing ice
If he fails now, he is too ill to return the following year, and unlikely to be appointed
Fears loss of pension, reward

22. Wolfe’s generals pressure him into planning one last attack near Beauport – plan to land 5,000 men 30 miles north of Quebec
Rain delays the launch and Wolfe changes his mind
Sept. 13 – Wolfe slips his troops past the French at Quebec, lands 4,441 just south of Quebec at Anse aux Foulon
Men scale the cliffs all night using a goat path; big ships move toward Beauport as a diversion
Wolfe is trying to tempt Montcalm into a European-style battle (Montcalm’s preferred method)
Wolfe has placed himself in a very bad position – forest on one side, cliffs on the other, Bougainville’s army to the west and Montcalm’s army at Beauport to the east

23. Montmorency River
St. Charles River
Beauport
Anse aux Foulon
Plains of Abraham
Fort Quebec
St. Lawrence River
Ile d’Orleans
Pointe Levis

24. Montcalm takes the bait and meets Wolfe with the garrison of Quebec (4,000), deciding not to wait for the 5,000 men at Beauport (one hour away) or 2,000 men under Bougainville (three hours away) – unsure if this is the main attack (seems unlikely as it is so reckless), or if it is a diversion for another attack on Beauport
British army establishes a double line facing the fort (a triple line is usual, but Wolfe wants the psychological advantage – the French will be confronted with a line of red coats a mile wide)

26. British ordered to load two musket balls
The Canadiens and Natives harass the British from the bushes with sniper fire – gives Montcalm time to mobilize
British ordered to load two musket balls
Why would they give this order?
10:00 AM – French advance, fire two relatively ineffective volleys before they were in good range (40+ feet) – uncoordinated, confused
British return fire and advance for hand-to-hand combat
French flee back toward Quebec

27. Highlanders lead the way (“flying devils chasing us”)
Canadiens and Natives cover the retreating French
Both Montcalm and Wolfe mortally wounded during the battle : Wolfe dies a few moments after hearing that the British took Quebec, Montcalm dies a day later knowing he has lost the fort and the colony)
Actual battle only lasts about 15 minutes
1,300 soldiers died (a relatively even number on both sides)

28. The Deaths of Generals

29. Spring, 1760
The French spend the winter in Montreal, training for an attempt to retake Fort Quebec
Both sides are freezing (no firewood, no fuel) and starving (the British burned all the crops the year before)
Early spring – French attack the British at Fort Quebec. Same armies, same territory

30. Battle lasts several hours, going back and forth (a windmill changes hands five times)
British retreat to the fortress
French surround Quebec – they are each hostage to the other
The winner of the stalemate will be determined by which country is first able to send supplies and reinforcements
Roughly two weeks later a ship appears on the river – no flag – they want to see whose flag is flying over the fortress before they reveal themselves

31. Upon seeing the British flag over the fort, the ship unfurls its flag – British
French are forced to retreat to Montreal
French burn their flags rather than be forced to surrender them to the British
French surrender, British now control almost all of North America
Major problem for the British – 65 – 80,000 French Catholics are now citizens of the Protestant British Empire

32. Reasons French Lost New France
Geography – single access to the colony via the St. Lawrence River – vulnerable to blockade
Economy of New France had been stilted – resulting in a small, dependent population
Size of the colony, coupled with the low population meant that there were very few people to defend a vast territory

33. Montcalm and Vaudreuil could not agree on anything – if they had worked together the outcome may have been different
Government officials were greedy – made huge profits on necessary wartime supplies
Montcalm made several tactical errors
What were some of the errors he made?
British navy was tough, experienced and skillful
Even if the French had won this battle, the British were determined to take the colony – they would have come back with more soldiers, more battles would have occurred, more people would have died, and the British would have eventually won anyway