[Footnote 691:  Belleisle a Montcalm, 19 Fev. 1759.]

It was believed that Canada would be attacked with at least fifty thousand men.  Vaudreuil had caused a census to be made of the governments of Montreal, Three Rivers, and Quebec.  It showed a little more than thirteen thousand effective men.[692] To these were to be added thirty-five hundred troops of the line, including the late reinforcement, fifteen hundred colony troops, a body of irregulars in Acadia, and the militia and coureurs-de-bois of Detroit and the other upper posts, along with from one to two thousand Indians who could still be counted on.  Great as was the disparity of numbers, there was good hope that the centre of the colony could be defended; for the only avenues by which an enemy could approach were barred by the rock of Quebec, the rapids of the St. Lawrence, and the strong position of Isle-aux-Noix, at the outlet of Lake Champlain.  Montcalm had long inclined to the plan of concentration enjoined on him by the Minister of War.  Vaudreuil was of another mind; he insisted on still occupying Acadia and the forts of the upper country:  matters on which he and the General exchanged a correspondence that widened the breach between them.

[Footnote 692:  Vaudreuil au Ministre, 8 Avril, 1759.  The Memoires sur le Canada, 1749-1760, says 15,229 effective men.]

Should every effort of resistance fail, and the invaders force their way into the heart of Canada, Montcalm proposed the desperate resort of abandoning the valley of the St. Lawrence, descending the Mississippi with his troops and as many as possible of the inhabitants, and making a last stand for France among the swamps of Louisiana.[693]

[Footnote 693:  Memoire sur le Canada remis au Ministre, 27 Dec. 1758._]

In April, before Bougainville’s return, he wrote to his wife:  “Can we hope for another miracle to save us?  I trust in God; he fought for us on the eighth of July.  Come what may, his will be done!  I wait the news from France with impatience and dread.  We have had none for eight months; and who knows if much can reach us at all this year?  How dearly I have to pay for the dismal privilege of figuring two or three times in the gazettes!” A month later, after Bougainvile had come:  “Our daughter is well married.  I think I would renounce every honor to join you again; but the King must be obeyed.  The moment when I see you once more will be the brightest of my life.  Adieu, my heart!  I believe that I love you more than ever.”

Bougainville had brought sad news.  He had heard before sailing from France that one of Montcalm’s daughters was dead, but could not learn which of them.  “I think,” says the father, “that it must be poor Mirete, who was like me, and whom I loved very much.”  He was never to know if this conjecture was true.