Bienvenue sur les plaines d'Abraham

Historical context

Battle of the Plains of Abraham - September 13, 1759

The British army, under the command of General James Wolfe, had besieged Quebec since 1759. The British partly controlled the river through installations on the south shore, facing the city, on the tip of the Île d’Orléans and on the eastern bank of the Montmorency River. The French army of the marquis de Montcalm had been strengthened at Beauport and was expecting an attack originating from Montmorency. Wolfe gave way to the pressures of his staff, who wanted the landing to occur upstream from the city. Wolfe landed at Anse au Foulon.

During the night of September 12, the British climbed up the cliff and, in the morning of the 13, the troop of 4500 soldiers was arranged in two lines in front of Quebec, across the width of the promontory. Montcalm, who had been alerted, ran in front of the city walls, facing the enemy. Without waiting for reinforcements, Montcalm launched his army, which had the same number of combatants as his opponent, in an attack that turned out to be disorderly. In just a few minutes the battle was over and the French withdrew to the city. Both generals were wounded. Wolfe died on the battlefield and Montcalm managed to stay on his horse to enter the city, where he expired that same night. On September 18, 1759, the capitulation of Quebec was signed.

Battle of Sainte-Foy - April 28, 1760

Following the British occupation of Quebec by General James Murray’s troops at the end of September 1759, the French agreed that they should attempt to recapture Quebec the following spring. The army of the chevalier de Lévis left Montreal to sail towards Quebec. After landing at Pointe aux Trembles (Neuville) on April 24, the French army marched on the capital and reached the Plains of Abraham on the 28.

Murray, when he saw the enemy, came out to meet him. Through skilful manœuvres, Lévis succeeded in enticing Murray outside the city, to the Dumo mill (des Braves Park) occupied by the French army. The battle started, and the French came out victorious. Defeated, Murray retired to the city, and Lévis began the siege of Quebec. At the beginning of May, the arrival of a British fleet forced him to lift the siege and return to Montreal, where he had to capitulate on September 8, 1760.

The year 2010 marks the 250th anniversary of the battle of Sainte-Foy.
Commemorative activities are scheduled including a thematic day, lectures, a legacy, archaeological digs, an exhibition, and other historical reminders.

Be on the lookout for the time capsules posted every week on our web site, from the book Québec ville assiégée, 1759-1760, par les acteurs et les témoins.

The National Battlefields Commission invites the public to this first free activity for families. Every Saturday and Sunday of January and of February, the residents of Québec City and its surroundings will have the chance to visit, free of charge, the multimedia exhibition Odyssey: a journey through history on the Plains of Abraham, by showing proof of residency.

The Plains of Abraham: a park at the centre of the lives of citizens, a unique historic site in North America. Head for the Odyssey multimedia exhibition and discover the importance of the Plains of Abraham in the country’s history. A 400-year captivating virtual journey alongside the great characters who helped shape our history, from the birth of New France to the creation of the park through the famous battles of the Plains of Abraham and Sainte-Foy.

Pretend you’re a tourist visiting your own city and get to know this important chapter of the Plains of Abraham's history.

From 10 am to 5 pm at the
Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham
835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue, level 0, Québec
(next to the Drill Hall)

Sunday, April 25, 2010, between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
At Martello Tower 1 and 2, and along the itinerary that separates them (at the corner of Taché and de Bernières streets), and at the Pavilion (near the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand).
Free.

Next Sunday April 25, the National Battlefields Commission will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Sainte-Foy with a day of free historical activities. The population is invited to discover various aspects of this French victory on the Plains of Abraham, one of the last major battles of the Seven Years War in North America. On the agenda: historical stations with workshops, lecture and animation.

On September 18, 1759, that is, five days after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, Québec City surrendered. The British troops took possession of the city, and Brigadier General James Murray became military commander. Henceforth at the head of the French troops, Chevalier François-Gaston de Lévis was still determined to recapture the city and save the colony. During the winter he therefore drew up plans and gathered the necessary equipment. It was in mid-April that some 7,000 men got moving towards Québec City. Murray learned that the French army was approaching, so he immediately put his troops, which amounted to approximately 3,400 soldiers, on the alert. A battle was imminent. It started in the morning of April 28, 1760.

To get a better grasp of the historic events surrounding the Battle of Sainte-Foy, a day of historical activities will be devoted to exploring the hidden side of this little-known confrontation. The general public will get a chance to stop at any one of the fifteen or so stations offering interpretation workshops on archaeology, military strategies and the historical context of the battle. Visitors will get to meet several witnesses of the past, including the owner of the Dumont Mill, an Augustine nun, a sailor, a Fraser Highlander and Louis Antoine de Bougainville. To better understand the difficult climate that prevailed at the time, they will discuss the military life, the winter and the illnesses endured by the British, the presence and role of the Amerindians, the surgery and care of the wounded, the siege of Québec City by the French, the Canadian inhabitants and the occupied town, the destruction of Québec City, etc. The visitors will also get to see gun and cannon fire demonstrations, as well as military drills.

Daniel Drouin, curator at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, extends an invitation to history buffs so they do not miss the lecture, “La prise de Québec (1759-1760), 250 ans d’échos artistiques” (the taking of Québec City (1759-1760), 250 years of artistic developments). The lecture (in French, places are limited) will be given at 1:00 p.m. at the Pavilion (near the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand).

Non-stop from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Martello Towers 1 and 2, and in-between, the following:

Historical stations:

the French prepare for battle
the British spend the winter in Québec City
the wounded are cared for during the cold season
the 1759 bombings of Québec City
detailed description of the Battle of Sainte-Foy
siege of Québec City by the French in 1760
gun and cannon fire training
winter as experienced by the Québec City area population
British raid on the Amerindian village of Saint-François
description of the occupation of the battle site
the Navy during the winter 1759-1760
pageant: cannon and gun fire
presentation of artefacts from the Murray Blockhouse
presentation of archaeological digs to take place in Des Braves Park

Also at 1:00 p.m. at the Pavilion (near the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand):

Lecture (in French only): «La prise de Québec (1759-1760), 250 ans d’échos artistiques» (The taking of Québec City (1759-1760), 250 years of artistic developments).

Collaboration:

Lecture Bataille de Sainte-Foy : un affrontement méconnu

In French only (Battle of Sainte-Foy: a little-known confrontation)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.
At the Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham
835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue, level 0, Québec (east of Drill Hall)
No reservations required
Free of charge (entry and parking)

The National Battlefields Commission invites the general public to attend a lecture entitled Bataille de Sainte-Foy: un affrontement méconnu, given at the Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham next April 27 within the framework of the 250th anniversary of this historical confrontation.

Hélène Quimper, the Commission’s historian and co-author of the book Québec ville assiégée, 1759-1760, par les acteurs et les témoins, will give an account of the historical facts and decisive steps leading to this little known French victory. The presentation (in French), lasting approximately 60 minutes, will be followed by a question period.

On September 18, 1759, Québec City capitulated following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and was henceforth occupied by the British army under the leadership of Colonel James Murray. At the head of the French army, the Chevalier de Lévis was determined to recapture the city. During the winter of 1760, both armies were getting ready for a confrontation. In mid-April, the French forces marched towards Québec City. It was in the morning of April 28, 1760 that the Battle of Sainte-Foy, the last major battle of New France, was waged.

Commemoration - Battle of Sainte-Foy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 10:00 a.m.
At Des Braves Park.
(chemin Sainte-Foy, between Murray and Chouinard Avenues).
Free.

This morning, on the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Sainte-Foy, the deputy chairman of the National Battlefields Commission, Mr. Jacques Mathieu, and the Commission’s secretary and CEO, Mr. André Beaudet, unveiled two monuments celebrating the memory of the French and British troop commanders and of their respective allies. A short ceremony was held at Des Braves Park, site of the confrontation.

André Beaudet, National Battlefields Commission’s secretary and CEO, Hélène Le Gal, Consul General of France in Québec, and Jacques Mathieu, deputy chairman of the National Battlefields Commission.

“Today, the representation of the men who led the two armies, François-Gaston chevalier de Lévis and James Murray, is intended as a symbol of the people who, as individuals, participated in the battle in which several of them lost their lives”, said Mr. Mathieu, who is also a historian by training, before he unveiled the monuments. The sound of the bugle filled the air and a minute of silence was observed in memory of the heavy toll exacted by the April 28, 1760 battle: 193 soldiers killed and 640 wounded on the French side, and among the British, 292 soldiers killed, 837 wounded and 53 who were taken prisoner.

Michel Binette, the sculptor, created two finely chiselled bronze works complementing each other, which are worthy representations of generals Lévis and Murray. The sculptures are laid on granite pedestals and bear an inscription paying tribute to the generals who led the French and British troops. Nearby, an interpretation panel evokes the Battle of Sainte-Foy, Des Braves Monument, and the park that bears the same name.

François-Gaston, chevalier de Lévis, and James Murray.

Casualty toll, 1759-1760
Interpretation panel

In April 1760, Lévis left Montréal with his army and marched towards Québec City. Informed of the arrival of enemy troops, Murray immediately gathered up his men. In the morning of April 28, he took up position on the Heights of Abraham.

Assailed by enemy fire, Lévis then ordered his men to withdraw and form a battle line. Mistakenly believing that the French had retreated, Murray was compelled to leave his position and make a rush in pursuit of the French army, towards the Dumont Mill.

There followed a terrible hand-to-hand combat in which the French troops initiated a double encircling manoeuvre. The two British wings were crushed in the centre. Murray ordered a retreat to avoid being totally surrounded, and the army was put to flight. It was a victory for the French.

For more information, consult the section concerning the 1759-1760 battles.