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Corbett, op- ppfite St. Dunjian's Churchy Fleet-Street. I 'Ik LA il '-T ';•■»• f . rv .-.'I a I , r !^. f \. ^■,.., t .1 ■.^; 1 9 3 5 3 8 7 [v] PREFACE. HE conqueft of the capital of the French Possessions in North America^ is of fuch importance to Great-Britain, as mud neceflarily aiFord the higheftjoy to ever^ fincere wcll-wi(her to his country : nor can curiofity deep without wiping to know how fo happy an event was at- chieved, To fatisfy this cutiolity and to do juilice to thofe who have fo ncbly diftinguiflied themfelves in the caufe of liberty and their country, is a principal motive to this publication,. It rl ; -SI iiij ■ m 'Si ■m i'*' i fe [vl] It is hoped, therefore, that the candid public will accept this 'apology for ii|- viting them to partake of an entertain- nient, originally defigned for only a few fele<^ friends. it In the accounts of extraordinary events, given by authority, it has for the xnoft part been thought fufficicnt to men^ pqn the proceedings, and flate the iffue of an adtion in general terms, without defcending to lefjer circumftances; little incidents, however interefling to private people, might not, perhaps, become the tetter of a General or Admiral, and « -i , - - .- . ' CQnfequently find admiflion into a Qa^* zettc. Indeed, if the care and anxiety that every commander in chief, who is really attentive attentive to his duty, muft feel' id thr fcene of a critical adion be dtAy coafi^ dered^ it wiH be readily adnlitted, thtf it is almoft impoffible for him ta be an-^j tentive to all thofe lefi*eF circdmAanc^; The officers of any particular regi^nent can fee no more than what pafles in his own corps: but the equally anxious, though unemployed by-ftandcr, has op- portunity not only for obfervation^ but even for refledlion. Such a byftander is the writer of thcfe letters : fcarce any thing worth notice ef- caped his obfervation; and the confe- quence of obfervation was refledion. The letters were not originally intended fox public view : They have been heard and read by many gentlemen of diftinc- tion ; and it is by their delires they now travel i m Tm « 1„ i- ' f Vlii ] trarel through the prefs. Vanity has no ihare in the compolition of the writer : Whether the editor's friendship has at- tributed to them more merit than they deferve, the candid reader muft deter* mine* ^ cfi <4i GENUINE • » oSNfoci»^Ml9aj[^c$ociMoo^ GENUINE LETTERS, ^c. To Mr. y- — /F. — -. ^ Sterlitig-Cafiky in tbt River Sf, Lawrence^ two fniles heiow ibi dty of Quebec ■ * ■ ■. ■ Dear Sir, Sept. 2, 1759- g^^«211 U N E the 13th, theEccho i)^ - yi^ arrived with the fhips un- }5>jj^^^Sj der her convoy at Louif- ^JtiiWiM bourgh, where I ftayed till the 1 6th : when the Scarborough failing with a convoy for the River St. Law- rence, I took that opportunity to follow 'I m ^■\\i m m B the 1f,r^ '/J I (2) the admiral, who had failed with the grand fleet on the 4th. After a tedious, but pleafant navigation up this vaft river, unus'd to Britifh keels, we arrived, July 1 7th, at Coudre, an ifland on the north- fide of the river, 1 8 leagues below Que- bec, where we found part of the fleet, and were inform'd, that the Admiral with the reft, and all the land-forces, lay up as high as the town. On the 2oth, I wenton board the Sterling-caftle, where the admiral had hoifted his flag, who received me as ufual with afluran- ccs of his friendlhip. I have enclofed you a rough draught, which will give you a better idea of the fituation of the fleet and armies, on both fides, than much writing. «**"»-*,**• tl -iX The %il^'t \ *■?* . <3). .. The Shipping lay about a league from the town, the courfe of the river there being near due E. and W, fomewhat more than four mihs broad ; but bend- ing its courfe to the foutliward, con- tradts its ftream oppofite the town, within the limits of three-fourths of a mile, being confin'd within two points of high land -, the northernmoft of which may, with great propriety, be called a mountain, upon whofe fummit ftands a fortrefs of vaft flrength, overlooking both the river, city, and adjacent coun- try. At the foot of this mountain, to the N. E. llands the lower town, de- fended by feveral batteries, equal with the furface of the water, and fo litua- ted, that (hipping, in pafling by the town, muft come within the dillance of 4 or 500 yards ; but thefe two or B 2 three ' ,.,1 !| ;i- il f hi (4) three fliips might cafily filcnce, were they not covered by formidable batteries from the upper town, of forty-two ancj twenty-four pounders, which, though fcarcely more than point-blank fron^ the middle of the river, enjoy fo fupe.-? rior a fituation, as to defy the cannpi^ of our (hipping. i IR! On the other fide of the river, upoii a high precipice covered with wood, diftant from the lower town 1 1 30 yards, and about ^ mile from the batteries of the upper town, are eredted our fafcine batteries, from which, fincc July 13th, when firft opened, to the lail of Air gufl, we have thrown into the town more than 3000 bombs and 22000 fliot : of difinal confeq[uence to Que- bec, ■^ i 4 > i J S fl (5) t)cc, the* pride of America, who now fits mourning in afhes the deluiiye hopes of her afpiring monarch. r,.. % This city, the metropolis of tht French dominions in America, and which, for flrength, flateHnefs, and the beauty of her lituation, may vie with many in Europe, is the fee of a bifhop^ and contains within its walls feveii. {:lari(h churdies, befided a magnificent cathedral. The governor's and biihop's palaces, though not very regular, arc fine ftrudtures. The college of Jefuits is a noble large building, with Ipacious gardens ; and all the buildings, both public and private, feem to me com- pofed of free-ftone, and eredled in the |E)uropean tafie ; entertaining, even in its Hj :l? »n» m yn- ( 6 ) its ruinsi the beholder with a beautiful and noble proipedt. . '^ I !!|!|| i ;'! I have feen Quebec three feveral times involved in a total blaze, the cffq<5t ,of bombs and carcalTes, not to mention numerous fires of lefs diftinc- tion. The lo^yer town is one entire fcene of 4eftrudion, and the upper fcarcely br^gs a better fituation : the difmal "confequences of war, which ipares nothing, however facred, having laid a cathedral in aihes^ which would have been an ornament to the proudeft city in Europe. The reft of the churches, whofe fteeples are yet ftand- ing, have in part fhared the fame fate ; and the palaces, weakened by the vaft number of Ihot, hourly promife to level their princely roofs, and mix with the ruins of inferior buildings. So ( 7 ) So much for the prefent ftate of this . hoftile city, the infide of whofc walls is the contcfted prize which is to decide the fate of a Weftern world, and as yet is dubious. How vainly did you imagine this place would furrender at the fight of an Ertglifh fleet; fup- pofing the country deflitute of provi- fiohs^ and the inhabitants flarving for want of food ! On the contrary, to oppofe a handful of men, our whole army counting at firft fcarcely 9600, we fee, between Quebec and the falls of Mont Morenci eight miles below the town, not lefs than five camps, containing, by accounts from prifoners, of regulars, Canadians, and Indians, near 22000 ; and the whole country on both fides the river, for richnefs of ' i M it {«) of foil, the' TarioEcs gifts of agricul- tun, dild its iftnumerable viHages feat^ ed ia the fnk^ d plinty, may vie with die choicefl vdos ih Great-Britaiii; The ifland of Orleans^ fituated beloW Quebec, exteods itfelf from eaft to weft n^ar twenty«twD miles, its breadth bemg four; dividing the river into two cbanael^, that for the fhtpinng being ^ the ibuth fide^ and is two milet broad. The weft end of this ifland is diilant from Quebec four miles ; be- tween which, this main land, and Point- Levi, oppofite the town, where our batteries are ere(^ed, is ilatioQe4 all the fleet. This ifland, which I have travers'd through every part, is covered with jioble crops of wheat, rye, and barley, inter- / (9) intermix*d with fields of peafe, fo nu- merous, that both navy and army have been plentifully ferved with them fix weeks, together with greens and fruit in abundance. The whole is, in fliort, a granary, containing about 900 farm- houles, divided into five parilhes, ta each of which belongs a church, that, in the neatnefs of its gilding and fculp- ture, exceeds mofl of the kind in England. •li^ / V This whole ifland, together with numbers of towns, villages, and vaft tra6ts of ground covered with grain, for thirty leagues on both fides the river, in cafe the town does not furren- der, is fentenced to deflrudlon ; fo that C i 1 i». ■14 ( 10 ) a few days may perhaps exhibit a difmal fcene of tempks and cottages, corn Helds and woods^ mixed in one uni« verfal blaze. .*i June 27th, General Wolfe landed fbme brigades on the eaft par^ of Or- leans without oppoj[ition> and mafchsd to the weA, the inhabitants having all £ed ; and on the 29th, General Monk- ton landed without obftrudion at Point Levi, two miles below the town, on the fouth ihore ; the French, for the better defence of it, being encamped on the north. This evening they com- plimented us with {even firediips in full blaze, top and top-gallant mafts fet, having a frefh breeze and ftrong ebb tide : but Providence proteded our fhips» ( n ) fhips ; for, with all boats manned, wc happily towed them afhore, where fome of them burnt very fiercely next day. On the 30th, a tody of Canadians and Indians incommoding the difpofi- tions of our troops at Point Levi, having their commander ilain,« w€re quickly difperfed. This, and the fol- lowing days, our forces are employed in making redoubts, and fortifying themfelves, both on the main and ifland. u ii ;l^ July 4di, A flag of truce to the commandant, from General Wolfe, publifbed his defign of attacking the town on the part of his Britannic Ma- jefly J at the fame time fignifying, that C z it un I (12) It was his Majefty's exprefs command to have the war conducted without pradtifing the inhuman method of fcalp- ing, and that it was expedled the French troops under his command to copy the example, as they fhall anfwer the contrary. ^1. le Marquis de Vadreuil returned a polite anfwer to the admiral, afluring him, when the Britifh fleet and army had done gafconading in the French territories, he would return him the two gentlemen belonging to Admiral Durell, took prifoners in the river; intimating his furprife, that with fo few forces he would attempt the con- queft of fo extenlive and populous a country as Canada, u £ D Tho ( 13 ) The next eight days Includes a va-» riety of incidents, both iides being pro-* digioufly adtive : but notwithftanding the efforts of the enemy. General Wolfe landed and entrenched 5000 men, with- in mufquet (hot of their breafl-works, on the north lide, feparatcd from us by a river, which throws itfelf into the I main ftream from a rock more than 300 feet high perpendicular, forming, per- haps, one of the grandell cafcades in the world. July 1 3 th, We opened our firfl: bat- tery from Point Levi, of fix thirty-twa pounders and four mortars, and played fmartly upon the town, who returned it. We continued day and night a conftant fire from thence, to cover the , , eredtion I'' 1^' ( 14 ) cfe£lIon of moire batteries, till the 1 9th, when the Sutherland, Diana, Squirrel, and two armed veffefe, flealing at mid- n^t by the town, fuftained a mofi vblent fire ; and the Diana, having her main-top-mafl wounded> ran aground j and though within half a mile of the enemies fhot, our brave feamen, at high water next day, brought her ofF in triumph. On the 29th, at midnight, the French general M. Montcalm, fent down the river, with tide of ebb, above an hun- dred fire ftages 5 but the admiral having advice thereof fome hours before, the whole fleet was prepared for the alarm. A fight like this, will indeed infpire the imagination with proper ideas of the refill- ( >5 ) refiftlefs fury and dreadful grandeur of that confuming element, fire : — - fuch a nuinber of machines, each about eighteen feet fquare, compoied of rafts of timber to a confiderable height| filled with the moft combuftible mate- rials, and arm*d with drags and grap- plings to lay hold of hawfers and cables, you muft fuppofe would make a formidable appearance ; each fepa- rately reprefenting a lofty pillar of folid fire, and numbers of them uniting would frequently form a bank of fire a quarter of a mile long. Thefe like- wife did ^8 no barm, and were, like the firefliips, drag'd afhore by the boats. The laft of this month GcneralWdfc made an attempt to land his forces weft of 1V ' ff %Mi i fly «• u ( i6 ) of the fall, and force the enemy from their entrenchments : two armed vefTels from the tranfports were fent before noon to bring their broad-fides to bear upon two b..tteries raifed upon the wa- ter-edge to oppofe our landing, and ac- cordingly did fo, together with the Cen- turion, which fhip I had the pleafure to be in during the adlion; but fhe drawing more water than the others, could approach no nearer than three- quarters of a mile, while they got with- in 500 yards of the French batteries : we kept an inceffant fire from the three flilps fc r four hours, till at length fome of their guns being difmounted, they de- fcrted their works, and ceafed firing : the General's batteries from the mount, during all this time, kept a continual fire ( ^7 )♦ fire from thirty pieces of ordnance, and almofl as many fmall mortars, upon the enemy within their trenches, who, at the fame time, from a large mortar two miles to the weft ward threw numbers of ftiells ^t the fhips, and in the midft of our flat-bottomed boats, but without doing much damage ; the Admiral being in perfon there equally expofed with the meaneft feamen or foldiers. » ^ Mr. Wojfe being in the firftboat, had foon got ;iooo men afhore ; and there Yf^s now the greateft profpedt of fuc- ceeding, when the overbearing courage and inipetuofity of the grenadiers totally defeated thepeneral's fcheme ; for while he was bufy in Landing the remaining troops, and making the proper difpofi- D tions, ■■( IH P ( i8 ) tions, without orders the^ rufhed up the hill, or rather a fleep fandy preci- pice, pickcttcd along, and defended on the top with 8 or 10,000 men, covered with a deep breail-work, incapable of Being hurt by our mufquetry : thefc lines and breail-works they have conti- nued from the falls quite to Quebec, being a trad: of defenfive works more than eight miles long. Into this fnare did our foldiers, not knowing the General's intention, nor waiting his command, heedlefsly throw themfelves, all of them rufhing forward to fupport their comrades 5 when, on a fudden, whilfl: they were labouring up the hill, finking in the fand and en- tangled in the pickets, from the bread- works « > ■ ' ( 19 ) ' works on the brow of the hill defcended fuch a fhower of mufquetry as is not to be defcribed, which continued without intermiffion for the fpace of twenty mi- nutes; when, providentially, thoug'i as line a day as fummer can difpence, one of the moft heavy fhowers, for half an hour, that ever I experienced fell unejf- pedtedly, and put a flop to their firing : our men could not advance, and would not retreat ; what was moft unlucky in their advancing, they got between our fire from the Centurion and a deferted French battery ; \Vhich, when the ene- my faw, they in^antly re-occupied, and by that time the General had reduced his men to fome order, begun with grape and round to fweep away whole ranks, «nd play at ducks and drakes aniongll D 2 the . ;! I ii the boats; biit death is incapable of putting Britains to confufion : they made^ a noble retreat, the General fhip'd part in the boats, and with the reft nlarched a-crofs the falls : our lofs amounted to 400 killed and wounded, and were obliged to burn our two battering vef- fels. ' j\. From Auguft i, to September i,' have been employed in bombarding the town, in various Ikirmiihes about the falls, where fcalping is pradtifed on both fides ', as it is likewife by our ranging parties, who fcour all the country, and are daily bringing in cattle and Iheep by' 2 or 300 head at a time. .V ■ • .1 '. . - i . * ■ ;. . r ' \ F (2O On Aiiguft the 6th, 1200 men pafi the town in boats, and being oppofcd by 4000 of the enemy in making an attempt to land on the 8th we loft fe- veral. This a^dtion was at Trembleau^*^ eleven league's above the fowi?; but landing at Chambaud, feven leagues^ higher up, we defeated a large party, took a great many prifoners, and on the 19th burnt and blew up a large maga- zine of ftores and powder. On the 26th the Leoftolfe, Hunter, two viduallers, and an armed floop, ran the gauntlope by the town, as did, two days ago, the Seahorfe and four more veflels; fb we now have a tolerable fleet above, and arc in hopes of fccuring three frigates and fome tranfportS' that are retreated into Wlit t f ( 22 ) into fhoal water twenty-eight leagues above the town. It is imagined we foon (hall ilorm, having two grand batteries ready to open in a couple of days, and more fhips coming up : God knows the fuccefs, we fhall have warm work, but what Britifh courage can do will be done ; the Admiral, General, and whole fleet and army being in high fpirits. **** _ . Dear Sir, accept of this account to treat your friends with ; you will, I am certain, have it with the iirfl: ; it is all I have at prefent to return for every kind- nefs I have received at your hands. I am confcious you will give me credit when I affirm myfclf to be fincerely Your's, C^c. e C23) ExtraEls from another "Letter of the fame Date, addrejfed to Mr. M. P. : 7- TH E ravages of war are truly terrible, but may be rendered ftill more fo, if cruelty grows wanton. Happily this is not the temper of Bri- tons, whofe natural humanity forbids their iporting with real diftrefs. Some feverity became neceflary to curb the pride of an infulting enemy, and to convince them we were actually m earneft. I III ■ li ,4 u Hence »'*' I >'i 1: ,( u) i , ' i. ■ Hence proceeded thofc devaftations already mentioned, which drew from the Governor of Quebec a fort of re- nionflranqe, a^dreiled to our .comniand-> ingpfficer, with a menace to this ef- ftft. " That if the Englifli did not ** defift from burning and deflroying *• tlie cpuntry, ihe yirould give up all the Englifh prifoners in his po^yer tp the mercy of the Indian favages."— To this threat, our ipirited commai^er 1^ faid to have fent ^ i;eply to the following purport. — " Th^t his Excellency cpuld not be unapprized of his having in hi$ pofleflion a confiderabje number of fair hoftages : that as to the prifoners he might do as he pleafed ; but, at the fame time, he might be aflured, that the very inflant he attempted to carry u t€ \ I » 1 1 I US I • (25 ) his threats Into execution, all the Fren^^ Ladies, without dlftindtion, fhould be given up to the delicate embraces of the Englifh tars." — N. B. We have at leaft three. If not four tranfports, full freighted with French females ; fome of them women of the firft rank in this country. * y t •*■"■* -~^ i. -■ ««^ -i * ^ y t • -»5. • ... ,^i^'^ tj."' ill *- --i • ,* -, '.■':■''■■ E '■-" 5 (26) n. '■' ■• » H rJ, 7he follmwgj^nadote, tahnfrom the preceding Letter^ appear^ to the Editor nioorthy of being ■ '■ •■•,«■ ■'■■''. .^•'.. remembered. NOtwithftanding the check we received in the aaion (of the 3 1 ft of July,) it muft be admitted our people behaved with great vivacity. I cannot omit being particular with re- fpedt to a fingular inftance of perfona} ))ravery and real courage. Captain Ochterlong and Lieutenant Peyton (both of General Mondon's re- gimentjj I i •:S i ( 27 ) giincnt) were wounded, and fell before the breaft-work near the falls. — The fonner> mortally^ being fhot through the body 5 the latter was wounded only in his knee.— Two favages puihed down iipon them with the utmoil precipita- tion, armed with nothing but their dia- bolical knives, — The firflt feized on Captain Ochterlongi when Mr. Peyton^ who lay reclining on hi^ fufee> dif- charged iti and the favage drojpt im- jnediately on the body of his intended !)| I il It »^ ^) The other favage advanced with much eagernefs to Mr; Peyton, who had no more than time to difengage his bayo- net, and conceal its dilpolition.— With one arm he warded off the purpofed E 2 blow, blow, and with the other flung him ta the heart : neverthelefs, the favage, tho* fallen, renewed his attempts, infomuch that Mr. Peyton was obliged to repeart his blows, and flab him through and through the body, i 1?t.?» -^-f't^v* .1*. ■'■ii* i A flraggling grenadier, who had hap- pily efcaped the llaughter of his compa- nions, flumbled upon Captain Ochter- long, and readily offered him his fer- vices. The Captain, with the fpirit and bravery of a true Briton, replied, " Friend, I thank you ! — but with re- " fpedt to me, the mufquet, or fcalping knife, will be only a more fpeedy deliverance from pain. — I ** have but a few minutes to live.— « Go— make hafle — and tender your •* fer- • _■ ^. ;, To Mr. y. W. f^uehec^ Sept. 2o, 1759. Dear Str^ ■ THIS, jom^d to my laft by the Rodney Cutter, will hvMh my long riarrititc j but lirft permit liic t6 give you joy of the effcdual con- queft of Quebec, which I could not venture to promife in my laft.— On the 3d of September, General Wolfe, hav- ing before-hand carried off all his artil- lery and flores, tranfported all the for- ces at Montmorencie over to Point Levi, having firfl fet fire to his redoubts, and deftroy'd his intrenchments. The ene- my ( 3' ) my djurft not pafs the falls, nor did diey jattempt to moleft him in his retreat : ithey contented themfelves with canno- nading the boats, but without any in- jiiry to us. On the 5th, every thing being in rea- dinefs, the general march'd with 5000 men along the fouth fliore, fome fhip- ping, and all the boats attending upon his motions. The enemy, commanded by the Marquis de Montcalm, were ^rawn up on the oppofite fide, and kept a ftridt eye over all his proceed- ings. In this manner marching and counter-marching, with an intent to deceive (tho* in vain) our army (pent jhe following feven days. i t I Be if ( 32 ) - Be the next day recorded for ever !^-a day not lefs fatal to the flag of infolence and ambition, than glorious to the brave men, w^ho fought in the caufe of honour, juftice, and Britain, Hi n In the evening of the 1 2th, or rather a little before midnight, the fhipping made a feint upon the turn of the tide, as if they intended to get higher up the river : but the boats being loaded with troops, taking the advantage of the wind, flole down. — The Marquis de JVlontcahii, who in the dark could barely difcern the motion of our larger vefTels, was deceived, and difcovered his mif- take, but too late to redrefs it. , . , ' Before three o'clock in the morning. General Wolfe landed at a fafcine bat- t; ry> :e e . ■ i ^ (33) tery, erected to gall our (hipping above the town, in fo filent a manner, that the very centinels were furprized upon their pofts. — But let me not be mifun- tierftood, this was efFedled by a party of our troops coming on the back of them, for in truth, the enemy fired very fmartly from their batteries upon the boats, while they were landing. •'t .•. r h The next difficulty he had to fur- mount, was, to gain the afcent of a prodigious high hill, in which he fuc*- ceedcd, and by break of the morning da;wn, the army was regularly drawn up in order of bat*^^e, within two muf- quet (hots of the town, and almoft un^ dcr the walls of the citadel. , ,; .t >n I >'j;»r With I ii (34) With refpedt to the particular difpod- tions of the refpedtive armies, I doubt not but you will receive, by the fame conveyance, a more accurate account, than I can aflume to give you : but I can be tolerably perfedt as to the ac- tion. / 1 * .• '. " r 'I.., >■» . T ... 4 . ,• ' ) . ,- I / : -1 r ■ 1 ■» f » . '• The enemy continued a brifk fire at a > diftance, while ours was kept in referve. —The centre, commanded by General Wolfe in perfon, having fired no more than twice, before the French fcnfibly experienced the Hiarpnefs of their bayo- nets : And the Highlanders difcharging their pieces, fell in fword in hand, /«- deed very unpolitelyy and made a havock not to be defcribed. — A total rout en- fued . * > • <« pofi- loubt fame ounty but I ke ac- •c at a ferve. reneral ) more 'enfibly ' bayo- larging tid, /«- havock )ut en- fued H ( 35 ) .:. fued j part of the enemy fled Into the woods, part into the town, and the reft fell in the field :— But, alas ! our brave general : He like wife fell : — crowned with conqueft, he fmiled in death ; — His principal care was, that he fhould not be fecn to fall : — Support me, faid he, to fuch as were near him, let not my brave foldiers fee me drop : — the day is ours : — Oh! keep it — and he died. V.J . f.Jv. R 1 Thus fell a noble, a much loved, and a much lamented officer. Britain muft regret the lofs, but in the day of dan- ger, may fhc never want a com- mander with the qualities of a Wolfe, to fupport her rights, and fight the battles of honour and liberty. — General Mon^on is alfo dangeroufly v/ounded. F2 I m ! i . ! ■ .■ r ' (37) fkin of the throat, by whkh it ropjiiun- cd Gppnefted witfc ^he body,, ir^nnr't This is a digreflion, and I have np time to fpare. — The French General, the celebrated marquis de Montcalm, could not furvive fo fatal a field. — He was carried off early with a fhot thro* his body. His fecond in command m^t the fame fate. ■ • * T . . » ♦ L;-.^i1^rU 7. On the 17th, the admiral dropping lip with twelve fail of line of battle ihips before the town, ^ flag of truce was hung out, and the fame evening Jt furrendered -, (for by Gar, Monfieur was frightened) tho' the articles of capi- tulation were not figned till the next day, when we took pofl'cflion of it. ai Our r ) (38) - Our joy upon this occafion is fo great, that we fcarcely believe it is Quebec; but it is certain that from thence Ihavetheplea- fure of tranfmitting this to you, wrote in the midfl of ruin : in fome mer- chant's dining-room, whofe prefent or- naments are two pier and one chimney- glafs, fhivered with their frames upon the floor ; a marble flab and a turkey ice-jarr, a fretted cieling and pannelled ' cedar wainfcot, in the fame fliattered condition ; manifefl:ly the efFedt of a bomb, that had fallen thro* all the up- per rooms of the houfe, into a kitchen on the fccond floor." 1.VA ■ . ,u 10 r r I- . ""^ Before I conclude, it may not be a- mifs to mention my own fituation on the important 13th. — I was a volunteer a- ( 39 ) mong a large body of feamen, landed about five o'clock in the morning, and appointed as ^ corps de referve, — But fuch was their impetuolity to engage, and their refehtment at being kept put of danger, that, according to their ac- cuftomed politenefs, they were perpetu- ally d~mn— g their eyes, ^L be- caufe they were reftrained from pufh- . ing into the heat of the fire, before they were wanted. Believe me, very fincerely^ Yours, G'f. POST- -T—nr- I Si; -'?f li^j;. hope fgpn to hgyc a^ogp^j* . portunity of comunjcatin^ mof e good news^ nor ihall I fail emb^cii^ every Qlportunky 'of acquainting my gpod friend, "^th whatever ^peari to ine interefting» or entertaining. .., ' ;.;-v; dri-^n '^ i r-ir 1 i .. vX -T c. O I ■*•>■#• '8