sion with a transport, and was attacked
by the enemy's boats, but was brought off by the Pembroke and Richmond.
She was so seriously damaged that she had to be sent to Boston for
repairs and then returned to England. On the 20th Wolfe joined the
up-river squadron in a barge, and in passing the town had his mast
carried away by a shot from the Sillery Battery, but no further damage
was done. He made a short reconnaissance which led to nothing at the
time, but may have had an important influence in the choice of a
landing-place afterwards.

ATTACK ON BEAUPORT.

On his return to his camp at Montmorenci he decided to make an attack on
the left of the French lines from boats and from his camp over a ford
which was available at low tide between the falls of Montmorenci and the
St. Lawrence. This attack was to be supported by the Centurion, moored in
the north channel, and by two armed cats which were to be run aground as
near as possible to some small redoubts, the first object of the attack.
Here it is certain that Wolfe and Cook came into personal contact, for on
the latter fell the duty of taking the necessary soundings for the
position to be occupied by the cats, and Wolfe refers in a despatch to a
conversation he had with Cook upon the matter. The attack took place on
31st July, aided by the fire of the Pembroke, Trent, and Richmond, which
were "anchored clear over to the north shore before Beauport, a brisk
firing on both sides," but the boats were thrown into confusion by a reef
(marked on the chart as visible at low water), and were some time before
they could effect a landing, then a heavy storm of rain came on,
rendering the ground, which was steep, very slippery. The troops occupied
one redoubt, but were so dominated by the French musketry that they could
get no further, and Wolfe deemed it desirable to recall them and to stop
the advance across the ford. The two cats were burnt to prevent them
falling into the hands of the enemy, and the losses of the English in
killed, wounded, and missing were 443, those of the French being
estimated at 200. Cook says the repulse was solely owing to the heavy
fire from the entrenchments, "which soon obliged our Troops to retreat
back to the Boats and Montmorency"; whilst Wolfe, in a general order,
throws the blame on the Louisburg Grenadiers, a picked body of men from
several regiments, whom he considers got out of hand. He also, in a
despatch submitted to Saunders, threw some