How Canada Was Won

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 May 1911, Page 4

How Canada Was Won

A statue of "Wolfe lias recently been erected at AVestoi-ham, in Kent, which was the birthplace of the victor of Quebec. The ceremony was performed by Field Marshal Lord Roberts, who, in the course of his remarks, said:—

"It is to Wolfe w* nvtf indebted for. the greatest of the dominions. How after a prolonged and anxious examination of the locality in which Quebec is situated, Wolfe formed his daring plan and led his troops to victory, is one of the brightest-pages in the history of our Empire. "The story has often been told, but it never loses its thrilling in.tei'est by repetition. The silent 'drifting down-stream on the mighty St. Lawrence of the boats which conveyed the little army; the|scaling of the heights of Abraham in the dark; t!he impossibility of ob-taining-the slightest knowledge of the position of the enemy's tropps oa* of the nature of the ground where the fighting would have to ; take place; the rapidly-arrived-at decision form up his infantry into two deep, in order to save their flanks being turned bv the superior numbers of the = French—showed Wolfe to 'be a consummate commander,. " This formation had never before been tried in our army, and could' only be justified on such an occasion by the firm belief Wolfe had inJ the courage and discipline of his troops. It <wae the same grand trust in. his men—a feeling reciprocated by the men towards their commander— which enabled Wolfe to order his soldiers to remain with their 'arms shouldered, and to reserve their fire until he gave the word; and it was not until iihe French had approached within forty yards, and Wolfe himself !had been severely wounded, that he gave that word. ' The single volley then fired shattered ' the enemy's formation and decided the fate of Canada. No wonder that Wolfe, as he lay mortally wounded was 1 able to murmur, ' T die content., "