THE TAKING OF QUEBEC
After Hervey Smyth, as originally published by Laurie & Whittle London 1797
Ink Jet Reproduction 11 ½ x 15 ¾ matted glazed, natural wood frame 17 ½ x 21 ½”
Ref. CG18(210)/DL/r.ande>DAL PRICE CODE A.
Known as a perspective view, wherein Hervey Smyth compressed the events of twelve hours into a single moment. Depicts the amphibious landing of British troops, from the St. Lawrence river, their scaling of the cliffs below, and the arrival of French troops onto the plains of Abraham outside of Quebec.
One British participant described what happened next:
“The French Line began … advancing briskly and for some little time in good order, [but] a part of their Line began to fire too soon, which immediately catched throughout the whole, then they began to waver but kept advancing with a scattering Fire.—When they had got within about a hundred yards of us our Line moved up regularly with a steady Fire, and when within twenty or thrity yards of closing gave a general [fire]; upon which a total [rout] of the Enemy immediately ensued.”
The battle was over in just fifteen minutes as the British swept forward, claiming the field and capturing hundreds of prisoners. Both sides each lost over 600 men killed and wounded, including both respective commanders. Wolfe was mortally wounded and died a hero on the field. Montcalm, too, was hit by grapeshot in the abdomen and died the next morning. Five days later, Quebec surrendered. The French retreated further downstream to Montreal, attacked and failed to retake Quebec the next spring, and surrendered in whole on September 8, 1760, effectively ending all major military operations in North America during the French and Indian War. The battle for the continent between Britain and France was over.