it is not said he advised with any of those who had a right to be consulted before such a step should be taken.  Nay, it is said:  that the preceding night, at a meeting with the different Commandants of the Corps, he declared his intention of fortifying himself on the heights and not to attack the Enemy, unless he should be forced to it, which we were persuaded of by his orders to carry out intrenching tools.  We had very little chance of beating an Army four times our number [an exaggeration:  they were not twice as numerous] in a situation where we could scarce act; and if the Enemy had made a proper use of their advantage, the consequences must have proved fatal to us, as they might have got betwixt us and the Town, cut off our retreat, and by that means ruined us to all intents.” [It will hardly be denied that the young officer is rather severe upon his future friend and patron, General Murray.]

“Our situation became now extremely critical:  we were beat in the field, by an army greatly superior in numbers, and obliged to rely on what defence we could make within the walls of Quebec, which were hitherto reckoned of very little consequence against a superior army.

“The French that very night after the Battle opened trenches within six hundred yards of the walls, and went on next, 29th April, with their works pretty briskly.  For the first two days after the battle there was very little done by us; and on the 1st of May, the largest of our block houses (small square redoubts of Logs musquet proof) was blown up by accident, and Captain Cameron of our Regiment and a subaltern of the 48th with several men, dangerously burnt and bruised.  On the 3rd day after the battle, the General set about to strengthen or (I may say) fortify the Town, and the men worked with the greatest alacrity.  In a few days there were about one hundred additional guns mounted, with which our people kept an incessant fire on the enemy, and retarded their works very much.

“On the 9th May, the Leostaff Frigate, Captain Dean, arrived from England, and brought us news from thence, and informed us that there was a squadron in the River, which might be expected every tide to our assistance.  This added greatly to the spirits of the Garrison, and our works were carried on briskly.  The General seemed resolved from the first to defend the place to the last.  This, nobody doubted, and every one seemed to forget their late misfortune, and to place entire confidence in the General’s conduct, which all must acknowledge very resolute, when reduced almost to an extremity.

“On the 11th May, the French opened two Batteries mounting thirteen guns, and one or two mortars.  Their heavy metal consisted of one twenty-four and two eighteen pounders, the rest were all light.  They did not seem to confine their fire entirely to any particular part of the Walls, otherwise I believe they might in time have made a breach, and their fire was not very smart.  We were masters of a much superior fire, and annoyed the besiegers at their batteries very much.  Their fire became every day more and more faint, and it was generally believed they intended to raise the seige.