The Father of British Canada | Page 2

fortified places that Carleton
acquired the engineering skill which a few years later proved of such
service to the British cause in Canada.
In 1754 George Washington, at that time a young Virginian officer of
only twenty-two, fired the first shot in what presently became the
world-wide Seven Years' War. The immediate result was disastrous to
the British arms; and Washington had to give up the command of the
Ohio by surrendering Fort Necessity to the French on--of all dates--the
4th of July! In 1755 came Braddock's defeat. In 1756 Montcalm arrived
in Canada and won his first victory at Oswego. In 1757 Wolfe
distinguished himself by formulating the plan which, if properly
executed, would have prevented the British fiasco at Rochefort on the
coast of France. But Carleton remained as undistinguished as before.
He simply became lieutenant-colonel commanding the 72nd Foot, now
the Seaforth Highlanders. In 1758 his chance appeared to have come at
last. Amherst had asked for his services at Louisbourg. But the king
had neither forgotten nor forgiven the remarks about the Hanoverians,
and so refused point-blank, to Wolfe's 'very great grief and
disappointment... It is a public loss Carleton's not going.' Wolfe's
confidence in Carleton, either as a friend or as an officer, was stronger
than ever. Writing to George Warde, afterwards the famous cavalry
leader, he said: 'Accidents may happen in the family that may throw my
little affairs into disorder. Carleton is so good as to say he will give
what help is in his power. May I ask the same favour of you, my oldest
friend?' Writing to Lord George Sackville, of whom we shall hear more
than enough at the crisis of Carleton's career Wolfe said: 'Amherst will
tell you his opinion of Carleton, by which you will probably be better
convinced of our loss.' Again, 'We want grave Carleton for every
purpose of the war.' And yet again, after the fall of Louisbourg: 'If His
Majesty had thought proper to let Carleton come with us as engineer it
would have cut the matter much shorter and we might now be ruining
the walls of Quebec and completing the conquest of New France.' A
little later on Wolfe blazes out with indignation over Carleton's
supersession by a junior. 'Can Sir John Ligonier (the
commander-in-chief) allow His Majesty to remain unacquainted with

the merit of that officer, and can he see such a mark of displeasure
without endeavouring to soften or clear the matter up a little? A man of
honour has the right to expect the protection of his Colonel and of the
Commander of the troops, and he can't serve without it. If I was in
Carleton's place I wouldn't stay an hour in the Army after being aimed
at and distinguished in so remarkable a manner.' But Carleton bided his
time.
At the beginning of 1759 Wolfe was appointed to command the army
destined to besiege Quebec. He immediately submitted Carleton's name
for appointment as quartermaster-general. Pitt and Ligonier heartily
approved. But the king again refused. Ligonier went back a second time
to no purpose. Pitt then sent him in for the third time, saying, in a tone
meant for the king to overhear: 'Tell His Majesty that in order to render
the General [Wolfe] completely responsible for his conduct he should
be made, as far as possible, inexcusable if he should fail; and that
whatever an officer entrusted with such a service of confidence
requests ought therefore to be granted.' The king then consented. Thus
began Carleton's long, devoted, and successful service for Canada, the
Empire, and the Crown.
Early in this memorable Empire Year of 1759 he sailed with Wolfe and
Saunders from Spithead. On the 30th of April the fleet rendezvoused at
Halifax, where Admiral Durell, second-in-command to Saunders, had
spent the winter with a squadron intended to block the St Lawrence
directly navigation opened in the spring. Durell was a good
commonplace officer, but very slow. He had lost many hands from
sickness during a particularly cold season, and he was not enterprising
enough to start cruising round Cabot Strait before the month of May.
Saunders, greatly annoyed by this delay, sent him off with eight
men-of-war on the 5th of May. Wolfe gave him seven hundred soldiers
under Carleton. These forces were sufficient to turn back, capture, or
destroy the twenty-three French merchantmen which were then bound
for Quebec with supplies and soldiers as reinforcements for Montcalm.
But the French ships were a week ahead of Durell; and, when he landed
Carleton at Isle-aux-Coudres on the 28th of May, the last of the
enemy's transports had already discharged her cargo at Quebec, sixty

miles above.
Isle-aux-Coudres, so named by Jacques Cartier in 1535, was a point of
great strategic importance; for it commanded the only channel