to collect
provisions; and before the next morning all was ready.[804]
Bougainville had taken no part in the retreat, but sturdily
held his ground at Cap-Rouge while the fugitive mob swept
by him. A hundred of the mounted Canadians who formed part of his
command were now sent to Quebec, each with a bag of biscuit across
his saddle. They were to circle round to the Beauport side, where
there was no enemy, and whence they could cross the St. Charles in
canoes to the town. Bougainville followed close with a larger supply.
Vaudreuil sent Ramesay a message, revoking his order to surrender if
threatened with assault, telling him to hold out to the last, and
assuring him that the whole army was coming to his relief.
Levis hastened to be gone; but first he found time to write a
few lines to Bourlamaque. "We have had a very great loss,
for we have lost M. de Montcalm. I regret him as my general
and my friend. I found our army here. It is now on the march to
retrieve our fortunes. I can trust you to hold your position; as I
have not M. de Montcalm's talents, I look to you to second me and
advise me. Put a good face on it. Hide this business as long as you
can. I am mounting my horse this moment. Write me all the news."[805]

[Footnote 804: _Livre d'Ordres, Ordre du 17-18 Sept_. 1759.]

[Footnote 805: _Levis a Bourlamaque, 18 Sept_. 1759.]

The army marched that morning, the eighteenth. In the
evening it reached St. Augustin; and here it was stopped by
the chilling news that Quebec had surrendered. Utter confusion had
reigned in the disheartened garrison. Men deserted hourly, some to
the country, and some to the English camp; while Townshend pushed
his trenches nearer and nearer to the walls, in spite of the cannonade
with which Piedmont and his artillerymen tried to check them. On the
evening of the seventeenth, the English ships of war moved
towards the Lower Town, and a column of troops was seen
approaching over the meadows of the St. Charles, as if to
storm the Palace Gate. The drums beat the alarm; but the
militia refused to fight. Their officers came to Ramesay in
a body; declared that they had no mind to sustain an assault;
that they knew he had orders against it; that they would carry
their guns back to the arsenal; that they were no longer
soldiers, but citizens; that if the army had not abandoned
them they would fight with as much spirit as ever; but that
they would not get themselves killed to no purpose. The town-