"Gentleman," Major General James Wolfe began, "we need to attack next month. If we don't do it, we'll lose the soldiers."
The Brigadiers couldn't believe what they were hearing. The French were entrenched and well-protected by the Ramparts of Québec. The Major General knew that, after all, the siege, at that point, was three months long.
"I know, their walls protect them, and every single attempt we made to conquer has failed because of them. However, I have a plan to make them fight on the open field," James Wolfe announced, full of confidence and waiting for the inevitable question.
"What is the plan?"
Before answering, the Major General smiled. "That, my friend, is a secret."
Brigadier General Robert Monckton, Brigadier General James Murray, and Brigadier General George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend looked at each other in utter shock.
"Is this some kind of joke, sir?"
"Two keep a secret when one of them is dead, dear Brigadier. No, this is not a joke," James Wolfe assured, looking at the Brigadiers that he didn't trust.
"Sir..."
"All in good time, sirs. For now, all you need to know is that I ultimately believe that the Marquis of Montcalm has a great number of bad soldiers. In contrast, we have a small number of good soldiers that wish for nothing more than defeating him," the Major General looked at the Brigadiers; they were confused and not convinced. "I believe that so much that I send a letter with these words to my mom. And I wouldn't lie to her."
Robert Monckton, James Murray, and the 1st Marquess Townshend looked a little calmer. They didn't like the distrust; it only served to raise the suspicions they already had about the Major General. However, the three were honoured, so they understood the weight of involving a mom's name.
"Sir, I don't like this a bit..."
"We don't like."
"...Yes, we don't like it. However, we will obey in respect of your honour. We know that you, as a gentleman, would never lie to your mom."
The Major General thanked and dismissed the three of them.
Before they were out, James Wolfe added one more thing, "We need to attack now because the troops' morale is low. If we wait more time, we will lose this battle and the war. What I'm asking you is not easy, so I want you three to know that I'm forever for the trust you are placing in me."
The three nodded their heads and left without saying anything else.
And so, Major General James Wolfe began his planning and preparations.
The Brigadiers never knew the entire plan before the attack; James Wolfe's plan needed secrecy to work.
On the night of September 12th, the British troops began to move. As Major General James Wolfe had foreseen, he commanded good soldiers while the French had bad ones. The plan was crazy, and the chances of working were low. However, incompetence helped a lot.
During the night, the British secretly surrounded the French in a horseshoe formation. By morning, the first troops attacked. Marquis de Montcalm order all his troops to engage, thinking that this way, he would have a quick, swift, and decisive win. He was wrong.
The other British troops revealed themselves, cutting the French line and stopping them from going back to inside the walls. James Wolfe's army won, but the Major General didn't see the British flag being raised in Québec.
Major General James Wolfe died minutes after the beginning of the main engagement. He closed his eyes for the last time after learning that the French were running; his last words were, "Now, God be praised, I will die in peace."
THE END
*****
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec (French: Bataille des Plaines d'Abraham, Première bataille de Québec), was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War (referred to as the French and Indian War to describe the North American theatre). The battle, which began on 13 September 1759, was fought on a plateau by the British Army and Royal Navy against the French Army, just outside the walls of Quebec City on land that was originally owned by a farmer named Abraham Martin, hence the name of the battle. The battle involved fewer than 10,000 troops in total, but proved to be a deciding moment in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France, influencing the later creation of Canada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Plains_of_Abraham
