uation where we could scarce act; and if the Enemy had
made a proper use of their advantage, the consequences must have proved
fatal to us, as they might have got betwixt us and the Town, cut off our
retreat, and by that means ruined us to all intents." [It will hardly be
denied that the young officer is rather severe upon his future friend
and patron, General Murray.]

"Our situation became now extremely critical: we were beat in the field,
by an army greatly superior in numbers, and obliged to rely on what
defence we could make within the walls of Quebec, which were hitherto
reckoned of very little consequence against a superior army.

"The French that very night after the Battle opened trenches within six
hundred yards of the walls, and went on next, 29th April, with their
works pretty briskly. For the first two days after the battle there was
very little done by us; and on the 1st of May, the largest of our block
houses (small square redoubts of Logs musquet proof) was blown up by
accident, and Captain Cameron of our Regiment and a subaltern of the
48th with several men, dangerously burnt and bruised. On the 3rd day
after the battle, the General set about to strengthen or (I may say)
fortify the Town, and the men worked with the greatest alacrity. In a
few days there were about one hundred additional guns mounted, with
which our people kept an incessant fire on the enemy, and retarded their
works very much.

"On the 9th May, the Leostaff Frigate, Captain Dean, arrived from
England, and brought us news from thence, and informed us that there
was a squadron in the River, which might be expected every tide to our
assistance. This added greatly to the spirits of the Garrison, and our
works were carried on briskly. The General seemed resolved from the
first to defend the place to the last. This, nobody doubted, and every
one seemed to forget their late misfortune, and to place entire
confidence in the General's conduct, which all must acknowledge very
resolute, when reduced almost to an extremity.

"On the 11th May, the French opened two Batteries mounting thirteen
guns, and one or two mortars. Their heavy metal consisted of one
twenty-four and two eighteen pounders, the rest were all light. They did
not seem to confine their fire entirely to any particular part of the
Walls, otherwise I believe they might in time have made a breach, and
their fire was not very smart. We were masters of a much superior fire,
and anno