ASBAUT DE QUÉBEO RACONTÉ PAR LE COL. HENRY CALDWELL

‘“ They (the enemy) remained quiet until the 31st of December ; abouc five o’clock in the morning we were alarmed at our picket by Capt. Frazer, who was captain

of the main guard, and returning from his rounds, told us that thore was a brisk fring kept up at Cape Diamond. The morning was dark, and at that time à drizling

kind of snow falling. McLean (who was second in com: mand in the garrison and who really, to do him justice, wus indefatigable in the pains he took) begged that I would take part of my corps to Cape Diamond, and if I found it a false attack (as we both supposed it to be), afker leaving the necessary reinforcements there, I might return with the rest. I accordingly went there, found the enemy firing at a distance, saw there was nothing serious intended, and after ordering a proper disposition to be made, proceeded to Port Louis. There, I met Captain Laws, an officer to whom the general had given the command of an extra picket, composed of the best men of the detachment of the 7th and McLean’s corps there ; him I ordered back again to wait the General's orders, and proceeded to St, John's Gate, where I first learned that the enemy had surprised the post at Sault-

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au-Matelot, and had got into the Lower Town. I still had part of the B. Militia with me, and took upon me also to send some whom I found n:necessary on the ramparts, to the party to wait ‘or orders ; and took an officer with a small party of the Fusileers with me, by Palace Gate, just at the time when the officer I! had mentioned to you, with about 70 men ; was ordered to make a sortie and attack the enemy at the Sault-au- Matelot in the rear. I hastened, with what expedition I could, by the back of the Hotel-Dieu, in the Lower- Town, and on my way passed by the picket drawn up under the field officer of the day, who was Major Cox, formerly of the 47th. and now Lieut.-Governor of Gaspé. I got him to allow me to take your friend Naïrne, with a subaltern and thirty men, and then proceeded to the Lower Town, where I found things, though not in à good way, yet not desperate. The enemy had got in at the Sault-au-Matelot, but, neglecting to push on, as they should have done, were stopped at the second barrier which our people got shut just as I arrived. It was s0 placed as to shut up the street of the Sault-au- Matelot from any communication with the rest of the Lower Town. As I was coming up, I found our people, the Canadians especially. shy of advancing towards the barrier, and was obliged to exert myself a good deal. To do old Voyer, their Colonel, justice, though he is no great officer, yet he did not show any want of spirit. However, my coming up with Nairne and a Lieutenant, with fifty seamen, gave our people new spirits. I posted people in the different houses that commanded the street Of Sault-au-Matelot ; some in the house where Levy, the Jew, formerly lived, others at Lymeburner’s ; the officers of the Fusileers I posted in the street with fixed bayonets, ready to receive the enemy in case they got on où aide of the barrier ; they had on their side of ït, fixed some ladders, and then another to our side as it were to come down by, that was useful to us. I ordered it to be pulled away and fixed it to the window in the gable end of a house towards us ; the front of which commanded the street of the Sault-au-Matelot, and their side of the barrier. Then I sent captain Nairne with a party of their people ; Nairne and Dambourges entered

the window with a great deal of spirit, and got into th house on that side, just as tho enemy was ent-ringiit by the front door. But Nairne soon dislodged them with his bayonets; driving them into the street ; x did they approach the barrier afierwards. TFhev however L w sit 2 « 1 re | nf

kep D & brisk fire from back WINUOWS Of Che houses 6h à à had oceupied ini Sauit-au FF elot atreet on our people in Lymeburner's house, on his wharf, and the

strect adjacent, from one of their: houses:... 'Fheir fire, however, a good deal slackenod towards ni o’elock

especially after L brought 4 9-pounder on Lai )urner whurf to bear upon them : the first shot of which killed onëe of their mêén and wounded another, E then called out to Nairne in their hearine, so that he should [et me kn9 when he heard firine on the other ee: our General had sent 500 men to hem the enemx n that side ; they soon after began to give themselves up and surrendered to Nairne, wl sent them ‘hroueh the window to us. They then beswan to crowd in such numbers, that we opened the barrier, «nt the Ave themselves up on that side, while the pari tnt maae

Il 47 ° ls r 4 | ‘ ‘ } , ‘ ] , tne sortie were DUSV in the same manner On {he Othei]

side of the post, and which had delayed so long from comming up, in taking and sending in by Palace gate some stragotino DrisOners ; but th y h id n a shot fred at them and just arrived on thaë end'of the post, the enemy surprised at the time the officer L sent to take possession of our old post, arrived with a small

partv, supported by Nairne with 100 men; thus ended

oûr attack or that side, in Which the eneémy had about 20 men kLilled, upwarcds of {O men woun le 6 ind about 00 made pri oners, Had they acted with more spirit

they might have pushed in at-tirst and possessed them

selves of the whole Lower Town, and let their friends in at the other side, before ou eople id 1 { ve l'ec ed from 4 certain de rr66 OI panic, wi ch ( PACA them on the first news of the post being surprised. In

Près-de- Ville ; rockcets were: thrown up as à signal to Arnold that both attacks m He got past some pickets, where we at first established our advance post; the guard was alarmed ‘An time and

L h. 4 ] + iwht be made at same time,

}L 1161] red 1O7r his l'eCCT O1, bu {| 0 lo \vV ils | l h trouser than, EL believe, he imasi |, and defended 1! l thihot 1 (| DOUtIO IRL C1 D\ ne inlé indei 6 l Of Une l oO!

tri rt; his name was Ba { d ul | minand Canadi: de « \fi 1 en, { ( Bri h, in | li ( |'I li 1 ill | ( ( h { | UHirro (tt) (e | l Î an) Vithin ( al { () V: tance, w]| { ev l'et V4 { l'aile ( il in the cannoi 1] | musketrs Nothing | heard, and tt] 1 } 111) | \ | | hi r G crai il ec Larry vo Or (hi hC1 Of ind about fix | ates DCINC killed on th | {1 { Q 1 2 à ot ofl ELATION DEI ’ARSAI l DE Q1 BEC EXTRAITI D'1 N JOURN AT] BUE A IUGI FI ‘ About 5 o’clock \Toi ONOEr\ attacked a ou eloncine to Mr. Simo ‘1 at Prés de Ville, called th Pot A h, vhich W: W Î rtited ith cannon and a œuard of about 50 init He had,iti aid, 800 met with hiin. Much about the ae {iine Arnold, W party consistine of 650 or 700 men (attacked) a Pest at Sault au Malelot Monteomery's partv was repuls leavine ten or a dozen men killed andwounded., Ai ù party forced the Sault au Matelot, and got into th / narrow street, but before they could get to the end of it, )U 1° hp pie h diound mi ji { ecure {h It | und havine lodecd themselvi in à hous: Opp9 il CpUa re upon ti | S HI LHC HAarro\ tre the arrival of Colonel Caldwell, with a iPrtV oi | Î M litia ali M Nairn LE & pri ( [D ints, havine OV SOC IICANS LOL & ad FOIS 4 Ensien Dambouræes instantiv imounted the sam lon. .

œot into à window of a house on the Rebel side L barrier, where being followed instantiy by Capt. Camp ell and Ensign Cairnus of the Emigrants d Laieut.

avard of the Fusiiecrs, they disltodeed a stronc D)