The Campaign of 1760 in Canada | Page 3

him upon it, without a possibility of his getting to land, when
he was opposite to the city.

The English, so soon as they perceived that poor distressed
man--moved with humanity and compassion--sent out boats, who with
difficulty saved him (the river being covered with fields of ice), and
brought him to town with scarce any sign of life. Having restored him
with cordials, the moment he began to breathe and recover his senses,
they asked him from whence he came, and who he was? he answered,
innocently, that he was a French cannonier from M. de Levis' army at
Cap Rouge. At first they imagined he raved, and that his sufferings
upon the river had turned his head; but, after examining him more
particularly and his answers being always the same, they were soon
convinced of the truth of his assertions, and were not a little
confounded to have the French army at three leagues from Quebec,
without possessing the smallest information of the fact. All their care
proved ineffectual for the preservation of life; he expired the moment
he had revealed this important secret. What a remarkable and visible
instance of fortune fighting for the English--equal at least to the cloud
of rain that saved General Wolfe's army the year preceding at his attack
of 31st of July, at Montmorenci. Had it not been for this most
unaccountable accident, to all appearance M. de Levis would have
captured all the English advanced posts, which were said to amount to
fifteen hundred men, who retired to the town immediately after setting
fire to the magazine of powder in the church of St. Foy, which
ammunition they had not the time to carry with them.
Nor would it have been surprising if M. de Levis, at the gates of
Quebec with his army, without being discovered, had taken it by
surprise. It is certain that luck has more or less share in all the events of
life, and this is more particularly visible in the operations of war.
Hazards may be constantly in the favor of a general blindly protected
by that goddess, against an adversary with far superior talents.
Everybody must acknowledge Prince Eugene's superiority of genius,
when compared with the Duke of Marlborough; but Marlborough was
always as fortunate in having continually unforeseen accidents in his
favor, as Prince Eugene was unlucky to have them against him to
thwart and cross the execution of the best-combined projects, which
extorted admiration, and seemed to have only need of Fortune's
standing neuter to be successful. The fate of an army,--can it depend

upon the personal good fortune of the General who commands it?
Cardinal Mazarin seemed to be of this opinion, since he never failed to
ask those who recommended persons to him to head expeditions, "is he
lucky?"--_est-il heureux_? Can it be surmised that fortune acts with her
favorite sons at the head of armies, as she does at gambling tables?
However it may be, a great General will always watch vigilantly the
chapter of accidents--seize rapidly that which is favorable to him, and,
by his prudence, foresight and circumspection, will ward off and
correct what is contrary to his interests. The smallest things are not
unworthy of his attention; they often produce the greatest events, and
the neglecting what at first view might appear trivial, has often
overturned the best-calculated schemes. The most trifling of our actions
becomes often a first cause which produces an endless chain of
effects--linked to each other--of the greatest importance. The boat sunk
by the ice, at Cap Rouge, was a first cause. The cannonier, by this
accident, was upon a sheet of ice in the middle of the St. Lawrence,
opposite to Quebec; this inspired with pity the English to save his life.
This humane action of the English in saving the unhappy cannonier,
saved Quebec from being taken by surprise, which probably would
have been the case without his information, that M. de Levis' army was
at Cap Rouge. If taken by M. de Levis, it would have deterred the
English from any further attempt upon Canada, and peace would have
soon ensued. But by the cannonier's declaration, it was not taken, and
consequently the war was prolonged.
Quebec in possession of the English rendered the conquest of Canada
inevitable and sure. The possession of that vast country of Canada, after
so much blood, and such immense expenses it had cost the English in
these different expeditions, excited too much the cupidity of the
English to consent to a peace upon reasonable conditions, and induced
them to extend their conquest to other French colonies.
The possession of so many French and Spanish colonies by the English
brought about the shameful peace that France and Spain were obliged
to receive at the hands of