re, and we kept possession of the
Priest's house, which we set about fortifying in the best manner we
could." They remained quietly at St. Joachim for some days. But they
were getting ready for the grim task of desolating the parishes lying
between St. Joachim and Montmorency. Fraser tells the story with
soldier-like brevity, but obviously he hated the work.

"Thursday, 23rd.--We were reinforced by a party of about one hundred and
forty Light Infantry, and a Company of Rangers, under the command of
Captain Montgomery of Kennedy's or forty-third Regiment, who likewise
took the command of our detachment, and we all marched to attack the
village to the west of St. Joachim, which was occupied by a party of the
enemy to the number of about two hundred, as we supposed, Canadians and
Indians. When we came pretty near the village, they fired on us from
the houses pretty smartly; we were ordered to lie behind the fences till
the Rangers, who were detached to attack the Enemy from the woods, began
firing on their left flank, when we advanc^d briskly without great
order; and the French abandoned the houses and endeavoured to get into
the woods, our men pursuing close at their heels. There were several of
the enemy killed, and wounded, and a few prisoners taken, all of whom
the barbarous Captain Montgomery, who commanded us, ordered to be
butchered in a most inhuman and cruel manner; particularly two, who I
sent prisoners by a sergeant, after giving them quarter, and engaging
that they should not be killed, were one shot, and the other knocked
down with a Tomahawk (a little hatchet) and both scalped in my absence,
by the rascally sergeant neglecting to acquaint Montgomery that I wanted
them saved, as he, Montgomery, pretended when I questioned him about it;
but even that was no excuse for such an unparalleled piece of barbarity.
However, as the affair could not be remedied, I was obliged to let it
drop. After this skirmish we set about burning the houses with great
success, setting all in flames till we came to the church of St. Anne's,
[the now famous shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre], where we put up for this
night, and were joined by Captain Ross, with about one hundred and
twenty men of his company.

"Friday, 24th August.--Began to march and burn as yesterday, till we
came to Ange Gardien where our detachment and Captain Ross, who had been
posted for some days at Chateau Richer, joined Colonel Murray with the
three companies of G