Quebec Falls to Britain: Plains of Abraham Decides
British General James Wolfe led 4,500 soldiers up the steep cliffs below Quebec City under cover of darkness on September 13, 1759, ascending a narrow path to the Plains of Abraham above. French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, learning that the British had formed battle lines behind the city, rushed his forces out to meet them rather than waiting for reinforcements. The battle lasted less than thirty minutes. Disciplined British volleys at close range shattered the French advance. Both Wolfe and Montcalm were mortally wounded. Wolfe died on the field; Montcalm died the following morning. The British victory led to the fall of New France within a year and transferred control of most of North America east of the Mississippi to Britain.
September 13, 1759
267 years ago
Key Figures & Places
France
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United States
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United Kingdom
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French and Indian War
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Seven Years' War
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Quebec City
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Battle of the Plains of Abraham
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Battle of the Plains of Abraham
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Quebec City
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Seven Years' War
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French and Indian War
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Canada
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James Wolfe
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Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
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Historia de Canadá
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