tain Nairne fell, wrote to Judge Bowen what words of comfort he could
for Nairne's friends:

He was a gallant officer of most amiable Manners and
Disposition.... It may be of some comfort to his family that he has
fallen in the honourable service of his country. We obtained a
complete victory, having beaten a force greatly superior to ours,
driven him from the field of battle, and captured one Gun and
several Prisoners.

If Nairne fell Canada was saved and the gallant young officer did not
die in vain.

News travelled slowly in those days but bad news has swifter wings than
good; a week after Thomas Nairne fell the particulars of his death had
reached Quebec. It was Judge Bowen's painful duty to send to Murray Bay
the intelligence he had received from Nairne's Colonel. He wrote to Mr.
Le Courtois, the cure, giving the sad news and adding "I understand that
the enemy have since crossed over to their own side.... Would to God
their visit had fallen upon any other head than that of our poor
friends." He begged Mr. Le Courtois, who, himself an exile from France
because of the Revolution, had witnessed many sad days, to be the
minister of consolation at this time. "You will, I am sure be the friend
of the distressed and instil into their bosoms that peace which, I am
afraid, nothing but your assistance and time can restore to them." Mr.
Le Courtois was to hand to Miss Nairne a touching and wise letter from
Bowen. "Do not, my dear Miss Nairne," he wrote, "give way to feelings
but too natural upon a trying moment like this but rather exert
yourself to speak comfort and consolation to your dear Mother. Recall to
her that we are all but sojourners here on earth and that he is but gone
before to those blessed mansions of eternal peace and happiness where
she will one day meet him never to part again." Old Malcolm Fraser sent
the sad news to Tom's friends in Scotland. "I am not fit to write much,"
he said, but he found comfort in the thought that the young Captain died
gallantly and that the enemy "must have suffered great loss of men, as
they were entirely drove off the Field and they lost a piece of cannon.
But, alas! all this can afford little consolation to his good and
afflicted mother."

Nairne's body was not allowed to remain where he had fallen. Judge Bowen
thought he ought to lie at Quebec beside his soldier father and this was
also in accord with Mrs. Nairne's wishes. Colonel Morrison, t