Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham was a battle fought between French and British soldiers on September 13, 1759. It was part of the French and Indian War, which was part of the Seven Years' War.
The battle took place on a plateau near the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec City, Canada. The plateau was on land once owned by a farmer named Abraham Martin. For this reason, the land was called the "Plains of Abraham".
Each side had about 4500 troops in the battle. The French soldiers, led by Louis de Montcalm, wore blue uniforms. The British soldiers, led by James Wolfe, wore red uniforms. Both leaders were young men. Both died in the battle.
The French had a fort on the Plains of Abraham. Through rumors and spies, they knew the British were coming. But when the British arrived in June, the French were not prepared and did not have all their troops with them. Many of the French troops were not as well trained as the British troops.
The British began a siege that lasted three months. On September 13th, the French attacked. The British held off the attack. Eventually the British took control of the battle. The French withdrew and surrendered on September 18, 1759.
The war continued in 1760 and the British took Montreal. New France was defeated, taking Canada from France and making it part of the British Empire. In North America, however, France still controlled Louisiana, which was not conquered by the British and never became part of the British Empire.
Battle Of The Plains Of Abraham Media
A portrait of Wolfe printed circa 1776
French fire ships sent downriver to block the British advance, as shown in a copy of a painting by Dominic Serres
Initial British landing, claiming the Point Levis and the unsuccessful attack on 31 August
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham
Vaste panorama du fleuve St-Laurent embrassant la marina de Sillery jusqu'au Cap Diamant de Québec.
Landing of the British troops on 12 September
Map of the Quebec City area showing disposition of French and British forces. The Plains of Abraham are to the left.
The British under General Wolfe climbing the heights of Quebec, 1759
Schematic map of Battle of the Plains of Abraham on Sept. 13, 1759
Montcalm leading his troops into battle. Watercolour by Charles William Jefferys (1869–1951)
