With the melting of the ice on the river ways of Canada, Governor Vaudreuil and the Chevalier Maréchal de Lévis finalized their plans for an attempt to retake Quebec.

Finally the convoy was to rendezvous with two divisions of cavalry, that had traveled there from Montreal by land, and several canoe loads of Indians. This brought the strength of the army to five brigades and eleven battalions, a total of six thousand nine hundred and ten men.

Due to strong winds and rain, the fleet was forced to land at a place known as Pointe-aux-Trembles. Also, there was the hazardous task of bring three field-pieces, that were to follow by land. Once this was done, the army encamped in the area around the church. With the weather, combined with English defenses, the French army would be forced to make the last leg of trip would have to be by land. A march of eighteen miles over all most impassable roads lay ahead.

When the British had taken Quebec on September 18, 1759, the city had been devastated from the siege. Brigadier General James Murray, and the garrison of seven thousand troops within its walls, had few rations and rapidly became victim to illness, particularly scurvy. By April, only about three thousand troops were fit to fight. Efforts had been made to improve the defenses.

General Murray was unaware of the advancing French army being so near, though the rumors of a spring offensive had circulated all winter. The whole Canadian army would soon attack. He had ordered the evacuation of all civilians from Quebec, still, the weather was not yet right for an attack. A guard aboard the war sloop RaceHorse, heard what sounded like a man in distress. The sailors found a man clinging to a large floe of ice. Once he had been taken aboard and somewhat revived, he found to be a sergeant of the French artillery. His floating battery had been overturned in the storm, leaving him the only survivor . At 3am, he was taken to General Murray, where before he died, informed him that Lévis was near-by with a large force.

Murray at once ordered his command to take their posts. At dawn, he set out with five regiments of light infantry, the grenadiers, and ten pieces of artillery. The village of St. Foy was situated on a low hill overlooking to the west, the Cap Rouge River, and opposite it, the hill descends to a swamp called Suete Marsh. The road to from St. Foy to Quebec ascends a greater incline called Cöte Ste. Geneviéve. Now that Murray had gained control of the high ground at St. Foy, Lévis would have to change his plan of attack. He chose to wait until night fall, when under the cover of darkness, he could advance and attempt to turn the English right flank. As he was reforming his incoming troops for the assault, he was surprised to see the church at St. Foy in flames. The English were pulling back to Quebec! Here they established themselves in a house and windmill. The main body of the army had gained positions in the village by 6am. Fortifications were established in houses along the St. Foy road.

Dawn came to find Lévis inspecting the Plains of Abraham, seeking a favorable location to meet the enemy when he appeared. Due to Murray’s actions of the night before, he believed the English would remain on the defensive.

He found that General Murray had come out of the town with his entire army, proceeded by twenty-two field pieces, of which two were howitzers. Each man carried in addition to his weapon, either a pick of shovel, as if Murray intended to establish himself outside of the walls. When the English troops reached the Buttes- á -Neveu, the regiments were formed up in order of battle.

When it became clear he would have to face the entire British army, Lévis withdrew his detachment from the redoubt, and sent orders for Major-General Montreuil to advance his troops to the front. He also ordered Bourlamaque to post five companies of grenadiers in the windmill and its house, and to place the remaining five companies on a slight rise commanding the right. With the two wings secured, he then ordered de Lapause at the entrance to St. Foy road to cover the armies advance. The officers of the remaining regiments were sent word as to what position they would occupy. The ground Murray occupied was as favorable as that were Wolfe had the previous September defeated Montcalm’s forces. On his right, the light infantry was within a few feet of the mill.

The moment appeared to be right for crushing the French advance. Murray gave the order to attack. The artillery opened with grape-shot, which took terrible affect. The brigades of marines and Berry were hardest hit.

Murray ordered his men to charge, at the same time inclining to the right in order to seize Dumont’s mill and house, which commanded the road. Several guns already swept this road, across which the La Sarre brigade began to deploy, forming the French left. With the sweeping motion of the English army, the grenadiers were soon forced to abandon the mill and fall back on the La Sarre regiment.

The English light infantry was relieved by a party of Highlanders. They were sent to the rear guard where they remained through the rest of the battle. The Highlanders managed to gain entry to the mill, and the fighting was reduced to hand-to-hand. The Scotsmen with their swords, grappling with the bayonets of the grenadiers! Possession of the mill changed hands several times in this manner, until as if by common agreement, both general withdrew their men, leaving it as neutral ground for a short time.

The French general gave his two wings his principal attention, the center composed of the marine and Berry brigades, with the main body of the Canadians held firm. Each battalion was proceeded and flanked by Canadian sharpshooters under Repentigny. Firing from cover on the British lines, they did much damage. Several attempts to advance were made by the British, and several times they were pushed back.

Once again, the French General called for his men to charge the British line. The La Sarre brigade, advanced without firing to within thirty paces of the English line where they became mired down in knee deep snow. This exposed them to murderous fire of grapeshot from the British cannon. The losses were so bad, Lévis sent orders for them to make a half-turn to the right, and fall back to a row of houses. These orders were disobeyed by Dalquier, who led a bayonet charge on the English right. Seeing this, the center also advanced. The grenadiers again gained control of the mill.

But an error in judgment caused the Queen’s brigade to fall in behind the French left flank. Lévis was forced to attempt the action with the Royal Roussillon only. Poulariez, taking advantage of a dip in the ground, led his men along the edge of the cliff. This caught the British right flank by surprise, where upon a panic ensued. Confusion spread among the men, and their officers could not rally them. Murray, ordered his reserve to both flanks, but they arrived too late to restore order.

Murray did manage to regain enough control for an semi-organized retreat to the walls of Quebec. The British were spared a total defeat only because of the failure of the Queen’s regiment to cut off their avenue of escape. This and the fact the French were too weary to catch them! In their rush for safety, they had abandoned all their artillery, tools, and the dead and wounded.

The French army encamped around Quebec in preparation for a siege. They attacked the ramparts, but were repelled. Lévis sent reports of the victory along with a request for reinforcements. But help never came. From May 11th to May 16th, the French and British batteries exchanged fire. The British troops again advanced across the Plains, while their fleet attacked the French ships at Sillery. Lévis was forced to lift the siege. He was left no other choice but to fall back to Montreal. Crushed were the hopes of the brave Frenchmen and Canadians who fought here. They had won a hard battle, but lost a country.

After the battle, the English losses were over one thousand killed, wounded and missing. The French losses were said to be, one thousand thirty one killed and wounded.