Thither the troops advanced, marched by files till they reached the ground, and then wheeled to form their line of battle, which stretched across the plateau and faced the city.  It consisted of six battalions and the detached grenadiers from Louisbourg, all drawn up in ranks three deep.  Its right wing was near the brink of the heights along the St. Lawrence; but the left could not reach those along the St. Charles.  On this side a wide space was perforce left open, and there was danger of being outflanked.  To prevent this, Brigadier Townshend was stationed here with two battalions, drawn up at right angles with the rest, and fronting the St. Charles.  The battalion of Webb’s regiment, under Colonel Burton, formed the reserve; the third battalion of Royal Americans was left to guard the landing; and Howe’s light infantry occupied a wood far in the rear.  Wolfe, with Monckton and Murray, commanded the front line, on which the heavy fighting was to fall, and which, when all the troops had arrived, numbered less than thirty-five hundred men.[777]

[Footnote 777:  See Note, end of chapter.]

Quebec was not a mile distant, but they could not see it; for a ridge of broken ground intervened, called Buttes-a-Neveu, about six hundred paces off.  The first division of troops had scarcely come up when, about six o’clock, this ridge was suddenly thronged with white uniforms.  It was the battalion of Guienne, arrived at the eleventh hour from its camp by the St. Charles.  Some time after there was hot firing in the rear.  It came from a detachment of Bougainville’s command attacking a house where some of the light infantry were posted.  The assailants were repulsed, and the firing ceased.  Light showers fell at intervals, besprinkling the troops as they stood patiently waiting the event.

Montcalm had passed a troubled night.  Through all the evening the cannon bellowed from the ships of Saunders, and the boats of the fleet hovered in the dusk off the Beauport shore, threatening every moment to land.  Troops lined intrenchments till day, while the General walked the field that adjoined his headquarters till one in the morning, accompanied by the Chevalier Johnstone and Colonel Poulariez.  Johnstone says that he was in great agitation, and took no rest all night.  At daybreak he heard the sound of cannon above the town.  It was the battery at Samos firing on the English ships.  He had sent an officer to the quarters of Vaudreuil, which were much nearer Quebec, with orders to bring him word at once should anything unusual happen.  But no word came, and about six o’clock he mounted and rode thither with Johnstone.  As they advanced, the country behind the town opened more and more upon their sight; till at length, when opposite Vaudreuil’s house, they saw across the St. Charles, some two miles away, the red ranks of British soldiers on the heights beyond.

“This is a serious business,” Montcalm said; and sent off Johnstone at full gallop to bring up the troops from the centre and left of the camp.  Those of the right were in motion already, doubtless by the Governor’s order.  Vaudreuil came out of the house.  Montcalm stopped for a few words with him; then set spurs to his horse, and rode over the bridge of the St. Charles to the scene of danger.[778] He rode with a fixed look, uttering not a word.[779]