The Pivotal Battle of the French and Indian Wars: Fortress Quebec, 1759 | NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY |
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Peter visits Quebec City for the reenactment of the battle for the North American continent on the Plains of Abraham. Both General Wolfe and the Marquis de Montcalm succumb to their wounds. Although the British win that battle, the French retake Fortress Quebec and a decisive victory for the British isn't realized until the following year.
At the reenactment, Peter demonstrates birch bark canoe building for the general public.
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Featuring - Peter Kelly
Cinematography - Denis Caron
Producer & Editor - Catherine Wolfe
Contact Us: thewoodlandescape1@gmail.com
The Woodland Escape
Facebook - / the.woodland.escape
MUSIC
The amazing music in this episode is graciously provided by our friends, Richard Fortier and Al MacDonald.
#reenacting #reenactors #canadianhistory #americanhistory #1700s
As an 84 year old, 11th generation Mainer from the central coast of Maine, the French and Indian Wars were a very local phenomenon for my forbears.
I’m sure it was, William. Any coast line say an amazing amount of activity during those turbulent times.
You should have a million subscribers. Alas, you're not a silly influence peddler that people blindly follow instead of enriching their minds and honing their intellect with you. Excellent presentation as a;eays.
I’d much sooner have a handful of interested historians than a million subscribers. Those with a passion for history. So you’ll never see us selling merchandise,lol. I sincerely appreciate your kind words.
These videos have inspired me to start a log cabin build this year with the historically accurate tools and techniques. all of which I’ve learned from the videos you made recording the building of your log cabin.
I am indeed flattered and I wish you all the best in your endeavour!
The best of luck with your build and many, many years of happy living in it wished to you and your household!
I was reminded today of a place in New Brunswick I go to often called king’s landing it’s a historical reenactment site and every time I go I’m reminded of these videos I highly recommend checking it out next time your out east
I will indeed. We get to the east coast a couple of times a year.
I’ll be working there next summer so I might run into you
Canadian history thank you. Always enjoyed. Hope your fort is well. Boys from. Ohio .
We do have a fascinating history on this side of the border but, sadly a lot remains untold. Thanks for your interest.
I've had the chance to explore the Plains of Abraham several times. The first time quickly, the second time in greater detail. The height of the plains above the St. Lawerence made the battle seem impossible to end in a British victory. I first learned about the battle in elementary school; our French teacher also loved history and interspersed French-Canadian history with language lessons.
It does seem impossible, given the topography that it ended in a British Victory. Wolfe must have had a death wish to undertake such an audacious plan.
@@TheWoodlandEscape Celer Et Audax! Swift & Bold!
Very interesting video, Peter. Thanks as always for all of the effort you put in to making them!
My pleasure!
Fascinating episode and great videography 🎉
Thank you so much 😀
That was more than a wee bit of history! Enjoyed it.
There is indeed more than a wee bit of history at that historical site!
Very informative video, Peter. Of course being an American I do not know much about Canadian history, the battles etc.! I appreciate your history of these wars. Thank you.
So much written about American history, thought I’d let folks know a wee bit about ours.
Great production Peter! I always think of how the French trappers navigated through the forests and water ways here where I live in northern MI.
And the canoe is still used to this day for the most part unchanged with the exception of construction materials.
Same here in northeast Indiana, the great portage between the Wabash River and Lake Erie.
Still a touchy topic for Canadians . Thanks for the history lesson
Any time!
That is a sight i have never been too ! Thank you ! Good history lesson!
It is one if you’re ever passing by Quebec to add to your list, Ian.
Hey Peter! Quebec has held a special interest for me ever since I came across Mr. Bruce Lancaster's book, "The Battle Of Quebec" in the School Library, when I was in the 5th Grade (Lo, these many years ago). One of the pictures showed a group of Gorham's Rangers going over the side of a whale boat and onto the beach of a French held island. I must have looked at that picture for hours & hours. Montcalm & Wolfe stand pretty tall in the history of the times. Montgomery & Arnold came close during the Am. Rev.... and American efforts to take the city over in 1812 looked like something from a bad comedy skit. (Heartfelt Sigh!) Even to this day, when I look across the border to the North... I can't help but wonder, "If things had gone differently... what could have been." On the other hand, peace between us has prevailed since then, The World's Longest, Undefended Border lies between us. Last, but not least, we stand as firm Allies on the world stage.
“ Heartfelt sigh”, now if that didn’t give me a hearty laugh, thank you. History is full of what ifs. Thanks for your continued interest in our channel.
You are very welcome! @@TheWoodlandEscape
Fantastic video Peter. I love The Seven Years War. There is a fantastic book by Fred Anderson about the conflict in North America, Crucible of War….
And yet another recommended book to add to my winters reading material.
A 'grand' bit of history this time!
Thank you.
As always sir great video hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks, you too!
Excellent, as always.
Thanks again!
As always, a excellent video, and a excellent wee bit of history. Thank you both.!!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Love your history videos I live in northeast Michigan so a lot of them relate to our early history great info as always
Glad you like them!
Always a great history lesson.
Glad you think so!
Great as always!!! Thank you.
You are so welcome!
Appreciate your efforts and dedication! Wonderful location and great history lesson as always. Love your on location videos. Thanks again and keep your powder dry!
Thank you very much, Ashley. I too like actually being on the very ground where history was played out.
Man Peter. You sure have some cool places to reenact at. Enjoyed it. Im doing a colonial event tomorrow in Texas, imagine that LOL. Wont compare.
I do have some interesting spots but,I’m sure your event will be good as well. A day under cavas beats a day under a roof.
Thank you Peter for this video. I have never seen the Plains of Abraham. This story has a personal interest to me, as my 7th Great Grandfather and his nephew fought in this battle. At some point they were both captured by the French and moved to a prison camp (I think near Montreal). Conditions were deplorable and supplies short, so many prisoners starved. At one point they were nearly starved to death and taken out to be buried with the dead. They both agreed to escape at all cost, even if they couldn't escape together. His nephew escaped and lived to tell about it. My ancestor didn't. Whether he was dispatched before being buried or buried alive is not known. I would like to visit this site, even though I live in Oregon which is a fair piece away, I hope to get there at some time. Thanks again, and I look forward to seeing how your fort is progressing!
Fascinating, albeit a sad story . Should you ever be making the trek to Quebec you’d be almost driving past us. Please consider dropping in.
Could you do " A We Bit of History " on the last of the Mohicans ? What was factual and what was not . I think it would be very interesting and entertaining .
That is an interesting idea given the popularity of the movie. I’ll see what we can come up with.
Thanks for this we bit of history, the plains of Abraham looks like a great place to visit with a nice view of the Saint Lawrence River and wow look at those military uninforms
They reenactors are very authentic and the location steeped in history.
A very informative and interesting history Peter.
Thank you very much.
It was 1960 when I first learned about General Wolfe and Québec and around that time I remember a sweet old lady neighbour who visited Québec told me that she was spat on for being English, thanks for the refresher on that fascinating history Peter and the chance to see where it took place.
Fortunately it is no longer that way in Canada.
Wonderful video, very interesting and a beautiful location. Thanks to the both of you.
Our pleasure!
Great subject matter , beautiful scenery, concisely stated , as always”good job”!
Thank you very much!
Wow!! What a marvelous job you have done here. I am so pleased, and so impressed. You not only have a new, and grateful, subscriber but you have inspired me to delve deeper into my studies of our country's history. I actually have a Master's Degree in history, but my knowledge of this era is frightfully deficient. It struck me as I watched that my own relatives, the Lalondes, who arrived in Canada in the mid 1600s, as soldiers, were likely to have taken part in these events. Now I need to know. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Dave Lalonde
Glad you’re enjoying our step back in time endeavour. History for me is an absolutely all encompassing pass time… sounds like we have a wee bit of a common interest.
Another great installment. Your comments about French regulars + French Militia mirrors the same comments about US colonial regulars + local militia during the Revolution. Another great place to visit.
Everyone was trying to do their part during war but, lack of drilling together did most certainly show.
You’re so good at sharing these interesting details of history. Great job and excellent video!
Thank you very much!
Thanks for another 18th-century history lesson of North America. Can't wait to see the progress on the fort!
Thanks and I am making progress getting material cut.
So good as always
Glad you think so!
Great episode! I portray a major in the 78th Fraser Highlanders, who fought all through the Quebec campaign.
Your poor Highlanders took a beating at Quebec … charged prematurely with broad swords drawn and were mowed down by the natives in the tree line.
@@TheWoodlandEscape yes indeed….but what a charge!
Good afternoon from Syracuse NY USA brother and everyone else thank you for sharing your live history videos and the facts and truth brother
Thank you for your continued interest.
Thank you for sharing your adventures and live history videos
As an American, I can tell you that we know nothing of Canadian History or even American History for that mater. Thank you for the history lesson.
My pleasure!
Don’t forget the British had taken Ft. Louisbourg earlier in Nova Scotia so they had that in the bag first…staging ground to hit Quebec. From what I am reading the British got 4,500 men up there and the French had 3,400 . I enjoyed the video it’s one of the most important battles ever fought on the North American continent.
Louisbourg is where Wolfe made his reputation fora very daring and successful charge and the reason Pitt selected hi to lead the Quebec flotilla. Sept13th, as I understand sees only about 500 British soldiers on the Plains. There were thousand of French on the March east from Montreal but, arrived after the fortress was taken.
There where around 2000 soldiers in both armies facing each other on the plains of Abraham. Now knowing that on the french side were non-professional soldier amongst the rank you can kind f understand why the charge failed. Even by today’s standard you don’t charge an equal size element in defensive position.
Another wee bit or history. Great job with this.
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for sharing a wonderful piece of history!
Our pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.
I have always been interested in history, this is special, your videos with a wee bit of history. This will go into all the rest of these special videos that you and Kathy make. Great job as always. Keep your powder dry
Many thanks, Lance.
What a nice history lesson for your southern neighbors. I visited Quebec City in the wintertime, it was way too cold to see most of the sights, your video really filled in the blanks. The parking lots had electrical outlets to plug in the car's engine heater.
The troops sure look well fed! The rifle squad firing their long guns was impressive.
It must have been rewarding being with so many likeminded souls...
Can Cathy trace her roots to General Wolfe?
She can indeed trace her roots to General Wolfe, but on his brothers side. Quebec City is one of our best, particularly the old city which didn’t all get bombarded by Wolfe.
Well, that's an interesting wee bit of ancestry.@@TheWoodlandEscape
One more interesting lesson in History.
A great discussion of the history
Frank
Thanks, Frank.
Great video! I've been loving going through this channel over the last few months. Though here's a fun fact I thought you'd like. When you mentioned that we had no rebellion in Canada, we actually did! From 1837-1838 there were rebellions in both Upper and Lower Canada. Although the Upper Canadian one only consisted of a few battles spread out over a year with not too many casualties, the Lower Canadian rebellion was much more brutal. Those rebellions were one of the major reasons for the 1840 Act of Union, which united Lower and Upper Canada into the Province of Canada and formed our first quasi-independent government. It also began the negotiations between ministers and the other British provinces, eventually leading to the 1867 Confederation. In many ways, the several battles and skirmishes that occurred with Papineau's rebels in Quebec and Mackenzie's in Ontario are the reason why Canada exists as it does today, but it's not talked about that much today as it should be.
You’re absolutely correct and you present an excellent argument as to why we are the way we are. I should have prefaced it with no successful rebellion. Not to make light of their significance but, they certainly were colourful times between 37 and 38. I thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for the video!
I was raised at Fort pickawillany where the first battle started it all
Glad you enjoyed it! You have a lot of history in your area … might have to visit some day.
Proves that 'Montcalm' was 'not-so-'CALM' when he needed 2 B! AHhh, the senseless loss of life when planning is not given a 'respect' near reverence for life. I thank you dear Catherine, 4 your fine and steady hand, trained eyes. always a joy 2 watch! You found one 'wallop-of-a-tree' 2 stand by! YIKES! I can well imagine how an intro to French language, would have helped U Peter, especially when U dress 'in time'. How many would have engaged your 'welcoming smile' 2 ask questions and then walk away quizzicallly , wondering 'why' U could not parlez-vous? LOL! History is most interesting when truth be known. Hard 2 eradicate the fact from fiction. Though, going 2 the place of action helps clear the improbable. "There is such a choice of difficulties that I am myself at a loss how to determine." (James Wolfe). Health and God bless, dear ones! :)
I must say, if I knew history as well as you, we’d have a million subscribers. Wolfe did indeed find himself with a wee bit of a conundrum. I believe he knew he was close to death and desperately want to go out a hero. Having said that, I don’t believe he wanted to die that very day. As always, Marie, I look forward to your comments.
Great video, we appreciate it!
Thanks for watching!
I am so happy this appeared in my feed tonight. Well done! Great videography, narration, and interesting historical facts!
I am now a new subscriber and look forward to following your channel.
It seems that there is a lot to catch up on which thrills me.
Due to finances and more so, physical frailties, I am unable to travel but channels like yours enable me to see things I will never get to see in person.
I will also learn some history too!
Thank you so much for doing what you do.
Welcome aboard, we are gland you found us and appreciate your interest and support.
Howdy Peter
Very interesting story ...
That canon was pretty loud..... why did the solder back off ? was there a real ball in it ? LOL ....or just a bunch of sparks to close ?
No ball and a good question … maybe a new crew, lol.
Very detailed presentation. Well done.
Thank you kindly, Roger.
Was just here about two months ago!
Hey, Alex, you should have dropped in to the Cedar Hollow Tavern.
In westvlafayette, indiana, there is a salute to the french and british control of Ft. Queatinon, a french fur trading outpost in Illinois. They have French snd British military units and it is a great event. Next one is October 7 and 8....lots of people show up to watch it.....
Wish I had the time to visit this event, sounds right up my alley.
Outstanding Peter! Love the history you bring us.Things Inever knew. Great teacher sir.Thanks
I’m flattered by your kind words, Dean.
Great video Peter. Looks like you and Cathy have two young students for canoeing classes 1.0. LOL be safe out there. Miigwich IIBYRDS
Thanks 👍. Start em young I always say.
WELL DONE. Just think if all the labor and resources that went into building forts and navies and arming thousands of men had gone into infrastructure and caring for the people. We still have not learned that lesson and probably never will.
Truer words have never been spoken … a sad reflection of our species!
Thank you very informative, in how many battles skirmishes do both leader die.
Non other that I can recall.
A couple of 6 pounders will ruin anyone's day!
Yup, it would get one’s nerves on edge!
Peter, were loading blocks used in the 17 century A piece of wood with holes to hold the lead balls with a patch for quicker reloading?
A controversial question, sir. I do believe they were and there are couple of references well kinda, well sorta, lol. In the 1700’s there is but one first person account of a hat being black and there’re those that take that as meaning they didn’t wear brown… if you get my drift.
In Québec, it is called "La guerre de conquête" (the conquest).
It was indeed a sad day for the French Canadians!
You should not write French Canadians as Canadiens were all francophones and Catholics by definition. The wording French Canadians is to make a distinction with English Canadians which only appeared after the BNA Act of 1867. @@TheWoodlandEscape
Has much as Wolfe did a good job at Quebec I feel the real strategist is left out of the story. Amherts was the one orchestrating the 3 prong offensive with overwhelming forces from the great lakes and up lac Champlain adding the attack on Quebec. Somehow it look’s like creating and executing plans to win a war isn’t as memorable as dying in a battle.
Wise words, Simone. As to Wolfe doing a good job, I’d say good luck is more the order of the day … All Montcalm had to do was stay in Fortress Quebec and Wolfe would have sailed away down the St Lawrence in disgrace.
My mother’s family, Gignac, arrived in Quebec in mid- to late-1600s. However, I’m not sure any of them were in this battle. It’s more likely that my native Wendat ancestors (born on the reserve North of QuebecCity) on my maternal grandmother’s side, were there. I have found most of my ancestors, both here in Quebec and in France and England (my dad), on Ancestry. But details about their lives are not always available…
You definitely have some serious Canadian roots. The geology,like you say is the easy part, it is uncovering their stories where the going gets difficult. Thanks for your interest.
That battle took place on September 13, 1759. Québec surrendered to the British on September 18, five days later.
You are absolutely right. An omission on my part.
The British defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham in 1759 which ended the Seven Years war between the two.
They did indeed.
When I was young, (1960s), whenever my father went off to the toilet, he would always say,,
"I'm just going to see if General Wolfe has captured Quebec", !!
I've no idea where the saying came from, perhaps it was a WW2 Royal Navy saying,,??
I never asked my dad, and now I'll never know,,,
Some days, I miss him so much,, 😍
ps, I'm English, living in England, 🏴
Oh my, you planted the seed for me to do some more research. Hello from the other side of the big pond.
Very funny anecdote 😂
friendships from Quebec.
Peter, where do you buy your colonial frock coats/ You have some nice ones.
We make most everything I wear. The one in the thumbnail is an exception. I bought it at the Kalamazoo Trade Fair and I’m sorry I’ve lost the seamstress’s card.
I'll need to find where my French Canadian ancestors were during this battle. The first Rivard came in 1646 so probably not alive, but maybe his son was around.
Genealogy can be both fascinating and disturbing but, always interesting!
Not making it just relating what’s historians have wrote in books. He had two choices hide behind the walls and wait for the inevitable assault with the British material superiority or attack and clear his line of communication and supply. His mistake was attacking too soon before he could coordinate with Bougainville with the bulk of professional soldiers a few kilometres west. But we have 20/20 hindsight, he didn’t. Yes he made a mistake but you can underground why.
I would argue that Wolfe had navel resources, but time was running out for him. To set up any kind of effective land siege would have been impossible. Just a thought, but you raise some valid points. Ah, the foibles of war!
Just discovered your channel! Great stuff keep up the good work.
@@simoncorbeil1137 We’re happy you found us, Simon appreciate your interest, comments and support.
What was the song in the background?
I’m afraid I really can’t tell you but, it sounded so good coming from a choir in a large tent at the event I simply had to use it.
it's the French song "a la volette"
friendships from Quebec
May I ask did native american s take part in taking qubaic city
They did indeed, literally mowing down the Scottish Highlanders.
Oh they did thank you
Is this the same fort that Benedict Arnold attacked during the American Revolution?
I’d is indeed and it was an abysmal failure. He attempted to siege the fort, failed and retreated.
@@TheWoodlandEscape I read a book about the expedition, quite the story.😎
Blame the Marquis de Montcalm for this blunder.
Indeed and credit Wolfe with an awful lot of luck.
the hospitals and schools were run by religious, the English were better off not changing this. So they took control of trade and government. That was better. The problem was that 10% of the people had 90% of the money, hence came Papineau and his patriots. Lord Durham sent by Victoria, reported they should be assimilated, this option was denied.
It was indeed a significant uprising for those wishing a republic versus a democracy. Interesting to think that could “ what if” about history.
..an old goat path...the same way the Persians infiltrated Thermopylae...
And history repeats itself yet again!
I always found it amazingly foolish for the French to surge outside the walls and fortifications of Quebec, especially given the season and vulnerability of the British force.
Indeed it was!
You’ll have to remember that’s the town was completely demolished by artillery and supplies were running low. Wolfe had ton’s of supplies in his fleet. Military history has tough us that any beachhead following an invasion is at its weakest in the first stages of disembarking. While not being the right move you can kind of understand why he did it.
@@simoncorbeil1137 No, the town was not demolished by artillery and the walls were intact. Wolfe's supply situation would have been untenable as winter hit and the St. Lawrence river started to freeze. The fleet would have been forced to withdraw to avoid destruction and the army with it.
@@thomassenbart Guess again, when the English entered the city they were appalled to see the extent of the destruction made by their artillery at point Levy. For the supply situation it was expected that they would had have to do a gradual retreat. Orders from France was to delay the British gains as much as possible. Quebec surrendered its fortifications days after the battle because of lack of resources.
@@simoncorbeil1137 No guessing needed. Montcalm did not fight outside the city because of the bombardment. There is no evidence for such an assumption.
Quebec surrendered days after the battle because there was no army to defend it.
Consider the subsequent events after the battle:
The British position was not secure. Soon after the battle, the British navy was forced to leave the Saint Lawrence before ice closed the mouth of the river. The British at Quebec were therefore isolated over the winter, and many suffered from scurvy. On November 20, 1759, British admiral Edward Hawke destroyed the French fleet at Quiberon Bay, just off the French coast, ensuring that there would be no reinforcements for New France. In April 1760 Montcalm’s successor, François Gaston de Lévis, marched about 7,000 troops to Quebec, outnumbering the defending British by about 3,000 men. On April 28 Lévis’s force defeated the British at the Battle of Sainte-Foy, just west of the city. In a reversal of events from the previous year, the British retreated to Quebec, and the French laid siege. However, in mid-May the British navy returned, and Lévis retreated to Montreal. On September 8, 1760, Montreal surrendered to the British, and with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 New France was officially ceded to Britain.
Marshall, T.. "Battle of Quebec." Encyclopedia Britannica, July 4, 2024. www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Quebec-North-America-1759.
It is easy to see Montcalm erred in choosing to fight out in the open with an inferior army rather than hole up in a fortress.
BARDDOCK!!!
Braddock.
@TheWoodlandEscape ...allegedly his final words went something like..."next time we shall know better how to deal with these rascals..."
You realize, of course, that those reenactors wouldn't have hit anything with ranks behind the forward ones firing into the air. I thought they were supposed to fire from left to right by platoons or ranks and by the time the last group fired the first group would be ready to fire again. No wonder the Germans went through'em like exlax in World War II. Day late and a dollar short. Poor Frenchies. 😢
The elevated arms of the rear rank is a safety precaution only, so no they wouldn’t have done that in a real battle. The order of firing you describe was typical of the Civil War but, used infrequently in this era.
@TheWoodlandEscape recently read "A DEVIL OF A LICKING, a book about the Battle of Cowpens during the Revolution. The author quotes an eye witness to the battle who described such firing. Pretty good book. Lots of detail and lets a person get a pretty good idea of what took place and why it turned out like it did.
@TheWoodlandEscape the author also described instances where soldiers actually fire high unintentionally. Seems that it is not an easy thing to shoot dead your fellow man and firing high is a subconscious reaction. It's made worse if the enemy is a lower elevation. From the terrain you showed on the video I think it might have played a part in this battle too. Very good video. I learned a thing or 2
Love your history videos I live in northeast Michigan so a lot of them relate to our early history great info as always
Northeast Michigan does have a very colorful history.