Without a moment's hesitation, the Grenadiers and Americans dashed
forward, and strove to climb the steep ascent, swept as it was by a
terrific hail of bullets and buckshot from the French and Canadians.
Numbers rolled, dead or wounded, to the bottom of the hill, but the
others struggled on.
But at this moment, the cloud, which had been threatening all day,
suddenly opened, and the rain poured down in a torrent. The grassy
slopes instantly became so slippery that it was absolutely impossible
to climb them, and the fire from above died away, as the wet rendered
the firelocks unserviceable.
The Grenadiers fell back into the redoubt. Wolfe, who had now arrived
upon the spot, saw that it was absolutely impossible to carry the
heights under the present conditions, and ordered the troops to
retreat. Carrying off many of the wounded with them, they fell back in
good order. Those of the Grenadiers and Americans who survived
recrossed, in their boats, to the island; the 15th Regiment rowed back
to Point Levi; and the 78th Highlanders, who belonged to Monckton's
brigade, joined the column from below the Montmorenci, and slowly
retired along the flats and across the ford.
The loss fell entirely upon the Grenadiers and Americans, and was, in
proportion to their number, enormous--four hundred and forty-three,
including one colonel, eight captains, twenty-one lieutenants, and
three ensigns, being killed, wounded, or missing.
Pages:
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433