oss the river, to attack and
destroy the works before they were completed; but the detachment fell
into disorder, fired upon each other, and retired in confusion. The
battery being finished without further interruption, the cannons and
mortars began to play with such success, that in a little time the upper
town was considerably damaged, and the lower town reduced to a heap of
rubbish.

ENGLISH FLEET DAMAGED BY A STORM.

In the meantime, the fleet was exposed to the most imminent danger.
Immediately after the troops had been landed on the island of Orleans,
the wind increased to a furious storm, which blew with such violence,
that many transports ran foul of one another, and were disabled. A
number of boats and small craft foundered, and divers large ships lost
their anchors. The enemy resolving to take advantage of the confusion
which they imagined this disaster must have produced, prepared seven
fire ships; and at midnight sent them down from Quebec among the
transports, which lay so thick as to cover the whole surface of the
river. The scheme, though well contrived, and seasonably executed, was
entirely defeated by the deliberation of the British admiral, and the
dexterity of his mariners, who resolutely boarded the fire ships, and
towed them fast aground, where they lay burning to the water's edge,
without having done the least prejudice to the English squadron. On
the very same day of the succeeding month they sent down a raft of
fire-ships, or radeaux, which were likewise consumed without producing
any effect.

GENERAL WOLFE ENCAMPS NEAR THE FALLS OF THE RIVER MONTMORENCI.

The works for the security of the hospital and the stores, on the island
of Orleans, being finished, the British forces crossed the north channel
in boats; and, landing under cover of two sloops, encamped on the side
of the river Montmorenci, which divided them from the left of the
enemy. Next morning a company of rangers, posted in a wood to cover
some workmen, were attacked by the French Indians, and totally defeated;
however, the nearest troops advancing, repulsed the Indians in their
turn with considerable loss. The reasons that induced general Wolfe
to choose this situation by the Falls of Montmorenci, in which he was
divided from Quebec by this and another river called St. Charles, he
explained in a letter to the secretary of state. He observed, that the
ground which he had chosen was high, and in some measure commanded th