the parish church; but found few papers, and still fewer stores.  They withdrew towards evening, carrying with them nearly a hundred women, children, and old men; any they were no sooner gone than the Indians returned to plunder the empty houses of their unfortunate allies.  The prisoners were treated with great kindness.  The ladies among them were entertained at supper by Wolfe, who jested with them on the caution of the French generals, saying:  “I have given good chances to attack me, and am surprised that they have not profited by them."[720] On the next day the prisoners were all sent to Quebec under a flag of truce.

[Footnote 720:  Journal tenu a l’Armee que commandoit feu M. le Marquis de Montcalm.]

Thus far Wolfe had refrained from executing the threats he had affixed the month before to the church of Beaumont.  But now he issued another proclamation.  It declared that the Canadians had shown themselves unworthy of the offers he had made them, and that he had therefore ordered his light troops to ravage their country and bring them prisoners to his camp.  Such of the Canadian militia as belonged to the parishes near Quebec were now in a sad dilemma; for Montcalm threatened them on one side, and Wolfe on the other.  They might desert to their homes, or they might stand by their colors; in the one case their houses were to be burned by French savages, and in the other by British light infantry.

Wolfe at once gave orders in accord with his late proclamation; but he commanded that no church should be profaned, and no woman or child injured.  The first effects of his stern policy are thus recorded by Knox:  “Major Dalling’s light infantry brought in this afternoon to our camp two hundred and fifty male and female prisoners.  Among this number was a very respectable looking priest, and about forty men fit to bear arms.  There was almost an equal number of black cattle, with about seventy sheep and lambs, and a few horses.  Brigadier Monckton entertained the reverend father and some other fashionable personages in his tent, and most humanely ordered refreshments to all the rest of the captives; which noble example was followed by the soldiery, who generously crowded about those unhappy people, sharing the provisions, rum, and tobacco with them.  They were sent in the evening on board of transports in the river.”  Again, two days later:  “Colonel Fraser’s detachment returned this morning, and presented us with more scenes of distress and the dismal consequences of war, by a great number of wretched families, whom they brought in prisoners, with some of their effects, and near three hundred black cattle, sheep, hogs, and horses.”