remarkable for clearness of language and propriety of expression; and it is a singular fact that its production was ascribed by the current report of the army to Major Barré, the official and confidential friend of Wolfe.* It therefore becomes important, in connexion with the present inquiry, as showing Barre's literary ability many years before the publication of the Letters of Junius. The following passage may be quoted as a specimen of the style of this interesting communication.

"I wish I could upon this occasion have the honour of transmitting to you a more favourable account of the progress of His Majesty's arms, but the obstacles we have met with in the operations of the campaign are much greater than we had reason to expect, or could foresee; not so much from the numbers of the enemy (though superior to us) as from the natural strength of the country; which the Marquis de Montcalm seems wisely to depend upon."

"All these circumstances I considered, but the desire to act in conformity to the King's intentions, induced me to make this trial; persuaded that a victorious army finds no difficulties." "The Admiral's Despatch and mine would have gone eight or ten days sooner, if I had not been prevented from writing by a fever. I found myself so ill, and am still so weak, that I begged the General Officers to consult together for the public utility." "To the uncommon strength of the country, the enemy have added, for the defence of the river, a great number of floating batteries and boats. By the vigilance of these, and the Indians round our different posts, it has been impossible to execute any thing by surprise. We have had almost daily skirmishes with these savages, in which they are generally defeated, but not without loss on our side. By the list of disabled officers, many of whom are of rank, you may perceive, Sir, that the army is much weakened. By the nature of the river, the most formidable part of this armament is deprived of the power of acting: yet we have almost the whole force of Canada to oppose. In this situation there is such a choice of difficulties that I own myself at a loss how to determine. The affairs of Great Britain I know require the

*This statement is made on the authority of the late Captain Henderson whose papers are referred to in a previous page. The Captain derived his information from Lieutenant General Beckwith, a brother officer of Barré in the Quebec expedition, who resided many years with Henderson at Chester, where he died. The tradition was confirmed to the latter by another officer, who, upon being asked for information respecting Colonel Barré, immediately exclaimed, "What, he who wrote Wolfe's famous despatch about the choice of difficulties' ?"

most vigorous measures, but then the courage of a handful of brave men should be exerted only where there is some hope of a favourable event. However you may be assured, Sir, that the small part of the campaign which remains shall be employed (as far as I am able) for the honour of His Majesty and the interest of the nation, in which I am sure of being well seconded by the Admirals and by the Generals; happy if our efforts here can contribute to the success of His Majesty's arms in any other parts of America."

This report was dated the 2nd of September, and the General wrote to the Earl of Holdernesse in the same tone of melancholy on the 9th, (Chatham Correspondence, vol. i., p. 425): but the desponding language of these communications little accorded with the result of the expedition; for on the 13th of the same month the dying moments of Wolfe, upon the fatal Plains of Abraham, were soothed by the knowledge that the capture of Quebec had been accomplished by the bravery of the British forces. Major Barré was severely wounded in the face in the same action, so as to destroy one eye, and ultimately induce total blindness. In West's celebrated picture of the "Death of Wolfe," Barré is represented as prominent among the group of officers around the dying General, and in placing him in that position the artist was no doubt influenced by a desire to commemorate the friendship subsisting between Barré and his illustrious commander.*

Montcalm, the French commander, shared the fate of Wolfe. Brigadier Monckton, the second in command of the British army was disabled in the battle,† and consequently the duty of transmitting

Those who were present in the action have recorded that the mortal wound was in the head. West availed himself so far of the artist's licence as to exhibit only another in the breast; no doubt in order to preserve the portraiture; and in like manner the wound of Barré is not shown in the picture.

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† Horace Walpole states that the French had 15,000 soldiers at Quebec, whilst our own army consisted only of 7,000 men. "The battle," he says, was a very singular affair, the Generals on both sides slain, and on both sides the second in command wounded:-in short very near what battles should be, in which only the principals ought to suffer."-(Letters to Sir Horace Mann, vol. iii., p. 388.)

intelligence of the victory to England as well as of regulating the proceedings of the army devolved for a short period on Brigadier General Townshend. He selected Colonel Hale to bear the despatches to England, an honour which (together with the consequent promotion) would have been conferred on Major Barré, had his friend and patron Wolfe survived the action.

The Colonel of the 28th Regiment was also killed in this engagement; and as a compliment both to the gallantry of that regiment, which had eminently distinguished itself, and to Brigadier General Townshend, the latter was promoted to its vacant colonelcy. Barré had been a captain "unattached" to any regiment, but he was now appointed to a company in the 28th, under Townshend. This officer returned to England in the beginning of the ensuing winter.

On the 26th of October, 1759, Monckton, who had resumed the command a few days after the battle, embarked at Quebec for New York, with a view to promote recovery from his wound.* Barré and Colonel Carleton, (the latter also being wounded), had previously gone to that city; and Murray was left in command at Quebec, to sustain and to frustrate a counter-siege from the enemy.

Whilst at New York Barré addressed a letter to Mr. Pitt which is so remarkable in itself, and so well describes his professional career down to that time, that it is thought desirable to insert it in this place.

"New York, April 28th, 1760.

"Sir-If I presume to address myself to the first minister of my country, it is under the sanction of a name which is still grateful to his ear. General Wolfe fell in the arms of victory on the plain of Abraham. I received near his person a very dangerous wound; and, by the neglect I have since met with, I am apprehensive that my pretensions are to be buried with my only

His case is still noted in the annals of surgery as remarkable. He was shot through the lungs and the ball was cut out from under the shoulderblade.

COLONEL BARRE'S LETTER TO MR. PITT.

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protector and friend. The packets bring no directions concerning me; so that I remain as Adjutant General with General Amherst, by his desire, though with a very bad prospect of ever being taken notice of.

"From power I have not interest enough to ask favour; but, unless the discernment of my late general be much called in question, I may claim some title to justice. If my demands appear reasonable an application to Mr. Pitt cannot be charged with great impropriety.

"For want of friends I had lingered a subaltern officer eleven years, when Mr. Wolfe's opinion of me rescued me from that obscurity. I attended him as Major of Brigade to the siege of Louisbourg, in which campaign my zeal for the service confirmed him my friend, and gained the approbation of General Amherst. When the expedition to Canada was determined upon General Wolfe got his Majesty's permission to name me his Adjutant-General. Upon this occasion I only obtained the rank of Major in America and Captain in the army; my being still a subaltern was the reason assigned for such moderate honours. Thus my misfortune was imputed to me as a fault, and though thought worthy of that high employment, the rank of LieutenantColonel (so necessary to add weight to it) was refused, although generally given in like cases, and in some instances to younger officers.

"My conduct in that station was so highly approved of by the general that when the success of the campaign seemed doubtful he regretted his want of power to serve me; and only wished with impatience for an opportunity to make me the messenger of agreeable news. This last honour the battle of Quebec deprived me of. After the defeat of his Majesty's enemies the trophies I can boast only indicate how much I suffered; my zealous and sole advocate killed, my left eye rendered useless, and the ball still in my head.

The presumption in appealing to you I hope will be pardoned, when I affirm that I am almost utterly unknown to the Secretary at War. Besides, Sir, I confess it would be the most flattering circumstance of my life to owe my preferment to that minister who honoured my late general with so important a command, and which I had the pleasure of seeing executed with satisfaction to my King and country.

"I have the honour to be, with the most profound respect, Sir, your most devoted humble servant,

"ISAAC BARRÉ.”†

* Lord Barrington; who was afterwards violently assailed by Junius.

Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii., p. 41.

This unusual mode of application for military promotion was probably adopted by the writer, in the hope that the Minister, in his conferences with Wolfe before the sailing of the expedition, had become acquainted not only with the name of Barré but also with the General's opinion of his merits; and that he might thereby have been disposed to listen favourably to his appeal. His hopes were, however, fruitless, the reply being merely, with true official reserve, that “senior officers would be injured by his promotion."

If there be not any remarkable literary ability evinced in this letter to Mr. Pitt it is at least a clear and emphatic statement of military claims; and is evidently the production of an earnest and vigorous mind. At the date of this appeal Wolfe's army was merged in that of Amherst. Unaided either by Monckton, or Murray, Barré was left to the kindness of General (Sir Jeffery) Amherst, under whose personal observation he had previously been at Louisbourg, and his new patron soon had an opportunity of rendering him an important service.

On the 8th of September, 1760, the surrender of Montreal completed the subjection of Canada, and Amherst appointed Barré to convey the despatches announcing that event to the English Minister. Accompanied by Captain Deane, on the part of the Navy, he arrived in London on the 5th of October in that year.

In the life of our ambitious but mortified and hitherto neglected young officer, this is a memorable period, in reference to an anonymous but important publication which may be reasonably attributed to the writer of the Letter to Mr. Pitt. Between the months of June and October in the same year, 1760, an anonymous pamphlet was printed and published in London, severely impeaching and satirising the conduct of General Townshend as commander of the Quebec expedition after the death of Wolfe.

This publication was entitled "A Letter to an Honourable Brigadier General, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces in Canada." It excited much attention at the time of its appearance and even led to a hostile meeting between Townshend and the Earl of