After the reduction of Guadaloupe, the services of the
second battalion of Royal Highlanders were transferred to North America, where they
arrived early in July, and after reaching the head quarters of the British army, were
combined with the first battalion. About this time a series of combined operations had
been projected against the French settlements in Canada. Whilst Major-general Wolfe, who
had given proofs of great military talents at the siege of Louisburg was to proceed up the
St Lawerence and besiege Quebec, General Amherst, who had succeeded General Abercromby as
commander-in-chief, was to attempt the reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, after
which he was to cross Lake Champlain and effect a junction with General Wolfe before
Quebec. Brigadier-general Prideaux was to proceed against the French fort near the falls
of the Niagra, the most important post of all French America. The army under General
Amherst, which was the first put in motion, assembled at Fort Edward on the 19th of June.
It included the 42d and Montgomery's Highlanders, and when afterwards joined by the second
battalion of the Royal Highlanders, it amounted to 14,500 men. Preceded by the first
battalion of the last named regiment and the light infantry, the main body of the army
moved forward on the 21st, and encamped in the neighborhood of Ticonderoga. The enemy
seemed at first resolved to defend that important fortress; but perceiving the fort, after
having in part dismantled the fortifications, and retired to Crown Point.
On taking possession of this important post, which effectually covered the frontiers of
New York, General Amherst proceeded to repair the fortifications; and while these were
going on, he directed batteaux and other vessels to be prepared, to enable him to obtain
the command of the lakes. Meanwhile the enemy, who seems to have had no intention of
hazarding an action, evacuated Crown Point, and retired to Isle aux Noix, on the northern
extremity of Lake Champlain. Detaching a body or rangers to take possession of the place
the general embarked the rest of the army and landed at the fort on the 4th of August,
where he encamped. The general then ordered up the second battalion of the Royal
Highlanders from Oswego, with the exception of 150 men under Captain James Stewart, who
were left to guard that post. Having by great exertions acquired a naval superiority on
Lake Champlain, the general embarked his army in furtherance of his original plan of
descending the St Lawrence, and co-operating with General Wolfe in the reduction of
Quebec; but in consequence of contrary winds, the tempestuous state of the weather, and
the early setting in of winter, he was compelled to abandon further prosecution of active
operations in the mean time. He then returned to Crown Point to winter. A detailed account
of the important enterprise against Quebec will be found in the history of Fraser's
Highlanders.
After the fall of the fort of Niagra, which was taken by Prideaux's division, and the
conquest of Quebec, Montreal was the only place of strength which remained in possession
of the French in Canada. General Murray was ordered to proceed up the St Lawrence to
attack Montreal, and General Amherst, as soon as the season permitted, made arrangements
to join him. After his preparation wee completed, he ordered Colonel Haviland, with a
detachment of troops, to take possession of the Isle aux Noix, and thence to proceed to
the banks of the St Lawrence by the nearest route. To facilitate the passage of the armed
vessels to La Galette, Colonel Haldimand with the grenadiers, light infantry, and a
battalion of the Royal Highlanders, took post at the bottom of the lake. Embarking the
whole of his army on the 10th of August, he proceeded towards the mouth of the St
Lawrence, and, after a dangerous navigation, in the course of which several boats were
upset and about eighty men drowned, landed six miles above Montreal on the 6th of
September. General Murray appeared before Montreal on the evening of the same day, and the
detachments under Colonel Haviland came down the following day on the south side of the
river. Thus beset by three armies, who, by a singular combination, had united almost at
the same instant of time, after traversing a great extent of unknown country, Monsieur
Vandreuil, the governor, seeing resistance hopeless, surrendered upon favorable terms.
Thus ended a series of successful operations, which secured Canada to the Crown of Great
Britain. |
