Background Notes

Canadians are familiar with the story of General Wolfe's climb up the cliffs along the St. Lawrence River to the Plains of Abraham, his defeat of the Marquis de Montcalm, the deaths of both Wolfe and Montcalm, and the fall of New France. This baffle, the first Europeanstyle baffle fought in North America, was the culmination of a series of British strokes in 1758-9 against French strong points in North America.

The French colonial empire in North America in 1756 stretched from Acadia (Nova Scotia) in the east, down the St. Lawrence River to the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, and down the Mississippi River to Louisiana.

This line of forts and trading posts which had been established over the last century had prevented the westward expansion of the American colonies. An uneasy peace which had existed along this frontier for many years was broken in 1754 when an unofficial boarder war began. At first the French successfully maintained the line against the colonial troops from the disunited and mutually suspicious American colonies.

George Washington's force of Virginia provincial troops was defeated at Ft. Necessity near Ft. Duquesne and forced to withdraw. In 1755, British regulars arrived in the colonies under the command of General Braddock who, unfamiliar with North American methods of warfare, was surprised and defeated near Ft. Duquesne. The British also failed to take Crown Point on Lake Champlain and Ft. Niagara on Lake Ontario but were successful in capturing Acadia.

In 1756 Montcalm arrived in New France to take over the leadership of French forces there. He succeeded in taking Ft. Oswego on Lake Ontario in that year and Ft. William Henry on Lake George in 1757 while holding out against a British attack on Ft. Carillon (Ticonderoga).

Changes

However, in 1758 things began to change. William Pitt became Prime Minister of England and injected a new direction into British efforts. Within a year Louisbourg, the most powerful fortress in North America, Ft. Frontenac, and Ft. Duquesne were lost and with them the Ohio Valley and the eastern approaches to North America. In 1759 Ft. Niagara, Crown Point, and Ticonderoga were captured. Montcalm decided to consolidate his forces in the heart of the colony at Montreal and Quebec. In June of that year Admiral Saunders sailed a British fleet up the St. Lawrence and disembarked Major-General James Wolfe's army across the river from Quebec. At the same time General Amherst slowly moved up Lake Champlain towards Montreal. The colony of New France was surrounded.

Wolfe spent July, August, and the beginning of September vacillating between inactivity, searching for a way up the steep 175 foot cliffs along the river, and unsuccessfully attacking the French defences on the Beauport shore. His seizure of the Isle d'Orleans and Point Levi brought the city of Quebec under British bombardment. Finally in mid-September the decision to attack Quebec was made. The campaigning season was drawing to a close. With the approach of winter and the freezing of the St. Lawrence, the British fleet would be forced to withdraw to Halifax and take Wolfe and his army with it. A point for the scaling of the cliffs had been found at the Anse au Foulon, just west of the city. The date was September 13, 1756. The time was 2:00 a.m.

The troops began to disembark from their ships, board the flatboats, and head for the shore. There then occurred a series of blunders, mishaps, and good fortune which allowed Wolfe to pull off this bold move. The British had gotten the password to by-pass the French sentries who were expecting a supply convoy. The landing parties took two hours to pass from the fleet to the landing site. They went undetected. The guard above the landing area was unusually light that night and easily overcome by Howe's light troops.

Wolfe stepped ashore at 4:00 a.m. When the alarm was finally sounded it was at first dismissed as false before any action was taken. A message was dispatched to Bougainville at Cap Rouge to hasten to the plains. It was after 7:00 a.m. Daylight revealed to Montcalm in his camp on the Beauport shore the long line of red coats deployed for baffle. He responded immediately by sending all his available forces through Quebec or over the bridge across the St. Charles River to the plains.

And the rest, they say, is history. New France was lost and North America became British. With their traditional enemy now removed the American colonies began the drift into revolution and their eventual separation from the mother country and the division of North America into Canada and the United States.

British

C-in-C: Major-General James Wolfe +2
(all units are 12 castings except where noted)

Right Wing: Monckton +1

1 Royal Americans, Morale 2 (See scenario notes.)
2 35th Foot, Morale 2
3 Louisburg Grenadiers, Morale 3
4 28th Foot, Morale 2
5 43rd Foot, Morale 2

Left Wing: Murray +1

6 47th Foot, Morale 2
7 Fraser's Highlanders (78th Foot), 15 castings, Irregular, Morale 3
8 58th Foot, Morale 2
9 15th Foot, Morale 2
10 48th Foot, Morale 2, (in reserve)

Artillery: (may be placed anywhere along the front)

1 medium gun, Morale 2, 4 crew

French

C-in-C: Marquis de Montcalm +2
(all French regular units are 12 castings. All Canadian Militia and Companies Franches de la Marine units are 16 castings and irregular)

Right Wing: Senezergus 0

A Quebec Militia, Morale 1
B La Sarre, Morale 2
C Languedoc, Morale 2
D Beam, Morale 2
Artillery: 1 medium gun, Morale 2, 4 crew

Left Wing: Fontbonne 0

E Guyenne, Morale 2
F Royal-Roussillon, Morale 2
G Montreal Militia, Morale 1
H Trois-Rivieres Militia, Morale 1
Artillery: 1 medium gun, Morale 2, 4 crew

(Optional) Garrison of Quebec:

See scenario notes for arrival schedule.
2 units, Companies Franches de la Marine, Morale 1 (Morale 2 for movement)
Artillery: I medium gun, Morale 2, 4 crew

Comte de Bougainville:

See scenario notes for arrival schedule.
2 units, regular line (Berry and la Reine), Morale 2
1 unit, Companies Franches de la Marine, Morale 1 (Morale 2 for movement)
1 unit of Quebec Militia, Morale 1
1 unit Dragoons, 6 castings, Morale 2

Scenario Notes

The Battle for Quebec, or the Baffle of the Plains of Abraham, was the first European-styled pitched baffle in North America. It lasted a mere 15 minutes and when it was over 4,500 British troops had defeated a like number of French and their colonial allies. Canada became British.

This scenario has been play tested by the Trumpeter Wargamers on several occasions. To date the British have won every encounter but they have been very close games. The game was played using Warfare in the Age of Reason rules with the modifications outlined below:

1. French move first until Bougainville arrives on the field, then return to brigade cards (Monckton, Murray, Fontbonne, Senezergus, and Bougainville).

2. French set up 3 line moves (24 inches) from the British front line and 18 inches from the base line.

3. French regulars in Montcalm's command receive a +1 on their charge initiative the first time that they come within charge reach of the enemy. Should the French commander decide not to use this at that time it is lost for the remainder of the game.

4. French Canadian militia may skirmish.

5. Of the six main commanders in the battle four were killed and one was wounded. To simulate this, commanders (C-in-C's and Wing Commanders) must be attached to units in their command radius as outlined below.

Wolfe must be permanently attached to the Louisburg Grenadiers.

Montcalm may be attached to Bearn, Guyenne, or the Royal Roussillon but may move from unit to unit.

Wing Commanders may be attached to any unit under their command, but may move from unit to unit.

6. Wolfe and Montcalm count two army withdrawal factors. All other wing commanders count one army withdrawal point each.

7. Neither side has battalion guns (thus no +1 on the small arms fire table for them).

8. British generals are on foot and can move at skirmisher speed (16 inches).

9. Montcalm's best commanders, de Levis and Boulemarque, were not present at the battle. The two French wing commanders, Fontbonne and Senezergus, were second rate commanders and were not highly thought of by Montcalm and thus are rated as 0.

Victory Conditions:

If Montcalm is defeated the British win automatically no matter what else happens.

If the British fail to defeat Montcalm they lose automatically no matter what else happens.

Options

As a stand up fire fight the Plains of Abraham is a onesided affair in favour of the British. But there were many what ifs which occurred during the course of that fateful September 13, 1759 that could have altered the results of the battle and the history of Canada.

1. The Comte de Bougainville had been stationed down the St. Lawrence River near Cap Rouge with a force of 3,000 men, including cavalry, to guard against any British attempted landings south of Quebec. At 8 o'clock on the morning of September 13, he received a note from Governor Vaudreuil stating that Wolfe had landed on the Plains of Abraham and meant to fight a battle.

Bougainville was between 10 and 15 miles from the Plains. He claimed to have set off immediately but arrived in the British rear at noon, some two hours after the issue had been decided. After a brief exchange of gunfire with the rear of the British line he withdrew.

Bougainville's earlier arrival could have decided the issue in favour of France as the British would have been trapped on the heights between two French forces.

At the end of turn one the French player rolls one d6 dice. A roll of a 1 means Bougainville arrives during the Arrivals phase of the next turn (see turn sequence below). This force may move one infantry column move onto the table - including the cavalry.

Turn:
1 no arrival
2 arrives on a roll of a 1
3 arrives on a roll of 1 or 2
4 arrives on a roll of 1, 2, or 3
5 arrives on a roll of 1, 2, 3, or 4
6 to 12arrives on a roll of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5

Bougainville's force may only enter the table on the Sillery Road and in column.

2. The Anse au Foulon, on the St. Lawrence shore, is where Wolfe landed his army and then climbed the cliffs to offer battle to the French. It was also the British army's only escape route. The Royal Americans, who are guarding it, can only be moved forward when Brigadier-General Monckton is moved and attached to them. However, it is assumed that the officers in the unit will react to battle situations and direct the unit to take appropriate action (charge, fire, etc.).

When Bougainville arrives on the field, roll one d6 dice that turn and every turn thereafter. A roll of a 1-2 activates the Royal Americans. Once activated they are normal for the rest of the battle.

3. The 15th Foot are facing the woods along the Ste. Foy Road to protect the British flank from sniper fire. A roll of a 1-2 on one d6 activates them. Once activated they are normal for the rest of the battle.

4. Howe's Light Infantry and the Canadian militia and Indians: Players wishing to simulate the skirmisher action on the British left flank along the Ste. Foy Rd. can add one unit, 12 British light infantry skirmishers, regular, morale 2, and one to two units units of Indians and Canadian skirmishers, 16 light infantry, irregular, mass formation, Morale 1, to the orders of battle. These troops were fully occupied in the woods along the Ste. Foy Rd. and should take little part in the main baffle.

5. Garrison of Quebec: These troops were under the direct control of the corrupt Governor of New France, the Marquis de Vaudreuil. The garrison commander, Bemetz, refused to release them to Montcalm without orders from Vaudreuil. The negotiations were still underway as Wolfe deployed for battle.

To simulate the delay in releasing these troops because the negotiations dragged on the French player rolls one d6 on each. turn after the second. A roll of a 1 will release the garrison to take part in the battle. They arrive during the Arrivals phase of the next turn, in column, and on the roads. To determine by which road they enter roll one d6 for each unit. A roll of 1-2-3 means that they enter on the Ste Foy Rd., a 4-5-6 means that they enter on the Sillery Rd. Attach them to either or both brigades. They become part of Montcalm's command.

Turn
1 & 2 no arrival
3 to 12 arrives on a roll of 1