Many Of
Them, Particularly In The 'Regiment De La Reine,' Had A Bit Of
Blue Ribbon To The Buttonhole
Of their coat, with a little white
shell fixed to it, which they called 'Papa,' and this, it seems,
Was a mark of honour for having distinguished themselves on some
former occasion. I, at first, mistook them for Freemasons! After
the battle of the Plains of Abraham, on the 13th September, fifty-
nine, when a great many of the French lay killed and wounded on
the field (we killed seventy-two officers alone) it was horrid to
see the effect of blood and dust on their white coats! They lay
there as thick as a flock of sheep, and just as they had fallen,
for the main body had been completely routed off the ground, and
had not an opportunity of carrying away their dead and wounded
men. I recollect to have lost a regimental coat by their means.
There was no place about the town to put the wounded in, and they
had to be carried down the bank to Wolfe's cove, and from thence
put into boats and taken across to the lower ferry-place at Point
Levis, for the purpose of their being placed under the care of our
surgeons at the church (St Joseph's), which was converted into a
temporary hospital. Our men had nothing better to carry them on
than a handbarrow with canvass laid across it. By this means it
required two of our men to carry one of them to the top of the
hill at Point Levis.
The business going on very slowly, I at last got out of patience
looking at them, so I set to work and took up a wounded man to my
own share, and did not let him down at the top of the hill but
landed him safe at the temporary hospital. By the time that we had
done with them I was fatigued enough, and 'afaith, I spoiled my
red coat into the bargain!
The poor fellows would cry out lustily when they were in an uneasy
position, but we could not understand a word of what they said.
One of them had one of his cheeks lying flat down upon his
shoulder, which he got by attempting to run away, though he had a
Highlander at his heels. When the French gave themselves up
quietly they had no harm done them, but faith! if they tried to
outrun a Heelandman they stood but a bad chance, for whash went
the broadsword!" - (Related in August, 1828, as stated in the
Diary of Volunteer Sergt. Jas. Thompson.)
WOLFESFIELD
"The hill they climb'd, and halted at its top, of more than mortal
size."
"The horror of the night, the precipice scaled by Wolfe the empire he
with a handful of men added to England, and the glorious catastrophe
of contentedly terminating life where his fame began... Ancient story
may be ransacked, and ostentatious philosophy thrown into the account,
before an episode can be found to rank with Wolfe's." - (William
Pitt.)
The successful landing at this spot of the English forces, who, in 1759,
invaded Quebec, no less than its scenery, lends to Wolfesfield peculiar
interest.
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