of Massachusetts had for many years been set upon the conquest
of Canada, both for her own security and for the extension of her
northern limits, and she had sacrificed much treasure and many lives
for that purpose, but had failed in each attempt. The taking of Quebec
did not complete the conquest of Canada. On the fall of that city,
Montreal became the seat of the French Government; the inhabitants of
Canada remained subjects of the King of France; the French military
forces within the province, were still very considerable;[247] and M. de
Levi, who succeeded Montcalm as Commander-in-Chief of the army, made a
very formidable attempt to recover Quebec.[248] On the reduction of that
city, the fleet under Sir Charles Saunders returned to England, and
General Murray was left in command at Quebec with a garrison of 5,000
men, which, during the ensuing winter, owing to the extreme cold, and
the want of vegetables and fresh provisions, was reduced to 3,000 men
fit for service, when in April M. de Levi, with a superior force,
attacked the city, drove General Murray's little army from the Plains of
Abraham within the walls, and closely besieged the city, which was
relieved, and M. de Levi compelled to raise the siege, by the opportune
arrival of the English fleet.

In the meantime, General Amherst was energetically pursuing the most
effective measures for the complete extinction of French power in
Canada. At the commencement of the year 1760, he applied to the northern
colonies for men and means equal to what they had provided for
1759,[249] and during the winter he made arrangements to bring the
armies from Quebec, Lake Champlain, and Lake Ontario, to act against
Montreal. Colonel Haviland, by his orders, sailed early in the spring
with a detachment from Crown Point, took possession of the Isle aux
Noix, which he found abandoned by the enemy, and proceeded thence to
Montreal; while Lord Amherst, with his own division, consisting of about
10,000 regulars and provincials, left the frontier of New York and
advanced to Oswego, where he was joined by 1,000 Indians of the Six
Nations, under Sir William Johnson. Embarking with his entire army on
Lake Ontario, and taking the fort of Isle Royale in his way, he arrived
at Montreal, after a difficult and dangerous passage, on the same day
that General Murray landed near the place from Quebec. The two generals
met with no opposition in disembarking their troops; and by a happy
concurrence