Captain Hazen and his rangers soon after had a notable skirmish.  They were posted in a house not far from the station at Lorette.  A scout came in with news that a large party of the enemy was coming to attack them; on which Hazen left a sergeant and fourteen men in the house, and set out for Lorette with the rest to ask a reinforcement.  On the way he met the French, who tried to surround him; and he told his men to fall back to the house.  They remonstrated, saying that they “felt spry,” and wanted to show the regulars that provincials could fight as well as red-coats.  Thereupon they charged the enemy, gave them a close volley of buckshot and bullets, and put them to flight; but scarcely had they reloaded their guns when they were fired upon from behind.  Another body of assailants had got into their rear, in order to cut them off.  Theyfaced about, attacked them, and drove them back like the first.  The two French parties then joined forces, left Hazen topursue his march, and attacked the fourteen rangers in the house, who met them with a brisk fire.  Hazen and his men heard the noise; and, hastening back, fell upon the rear of the French, while those in the house sallied and attacked them infront.  They were again routed; and the rangers chased them two miles, killing six of them and capturing seven.  Knox, in whose eyes provincials usually find no favor, launches this time into warm commendation of “our simply honest New England men.”

Fresh reports came in from time to time that the French were gathering all their strength to recover Quebec; and late in February these stories took a definite shape.  A deserter from Montreal brought Murray a letter from an officer of rangers, who was a prisoner at that place, warning him that eleven thousand men were on the point of marching to attack him.  Three other deserters soon after confirmed the news, but added that the scheme had met with a check; for as it was intended to carry the town by storm, a grand rehearsal had taken place, with the help of scaling-ladders planted against the wall of a church; whereupon the Canadians rushed with such zeal to the assault that numerous broken legs, arms, and heads ensued, along with ruptures, sprains, bruises, and dislocations; insomuch, said the story, that they became disgusted with the attempt.  All remained quiet till after the middle of April, when the garrison was startled by repeated assurances that at the first breaking-up of the ice all Canada would be upon them.  Murray accordingly ordered the French inhabitants to leave the town within three days.[823]

[Footnote 823:  Ordonnance faite a Quebec le 21 Avril, 1760, par son Excellence, Jacques Murray.]