Events from the year 1759 in Canada.

Incumbents

Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...

* British and Irish Monarch: George II

Governors

Governor General of New France Governor General of New France was the vice-regal post in New France from 1663 until 1760 and the last French vice-regal post. It was replaced by the British post of Governor of the Province of Quebec following the fall of New France. While t ...

: Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal * Colonial Governor of Louisiana:

Louis Billouart Louis Billouart, Chevalier de Querría (1704–1770) was a career French naval officer with 25 years experience who was appointed as the governor of the French colony of Louisiana, serving from 1753 to 1763. The former governor, Pierre Franç ...

Governor of Nova Scotia The following is a list of the governors and lieutenant governors of Nova Scotia. Though the present day office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, lieutenant governor in Nova Scotia came into being only upon the province's entry into Can ...

: Charles Lawrence * Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: Richard Edwards

Events

* Tuesday May 22 - A British fleet approaches

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. * Thursday June 28 - French

fire ship A fire ship or fireship is a large wooden vessel set on fire to be used against enemy ships during a ramming attack or similar maneuver. Fireships were used to great effect against wooden ships throughout naval military history up until the ad ...

s, intended to burn the British fleet, at Quebec, are taken ashore by British sailors. * Thursday July 26 - Carillon (

Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 by French-Canadian ...

) is abandoned by the French. * Saturday July 28 - Another French fireship attack fails against the British. * Tuesday July 31 - British forces attempt to take French fortifications at Montmorency and fail bitterly. * August 8 to August 9 - British guns, on Pointe Lévis, fire the lower town of Quebec. * Thursday September 13 -

James Wolfe Major-general James Wolfe (2 January 1727 – 13 September 1759) was a British Army officer known for his training reforms and, as a major general, remembered chiefly for his victory in 1759 over the French at the Battle of the Plains of ...

lands a force at Fuller's Cove, between 1 and 2 in the morning. They climb to the

Plains of Abraham The Plains of Abraham () is a historic area within the Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was established on 17 March 1908. The land is the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which took place on 13 September 1759, ...

. At 6 a.m.,

Marquis de Montcalm Lieutenant-General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Gozon, Marquis de Montcalm de Saint-Veran (; 28 February 1712 – 14 September 1759) was a French Royal Army officer best known for his unsuccessful defence of New France during the French and Indian W ...

is informed that the British have accomplished what he deemed impossible; but discredits the report. With 4,500, he fights about an equal number; but his men cannot resist bayonets. Each leader receives a mortal wound. Wolfe asks an officer to support him so that his followers may not be discouraged by his fall. * Friday September 14 - Montcalm dies in the Château St-Louis. * Monday September 17 - Capitulation of Quebec. * Tuesday September 18 - The British take possession of Quebec. * Proclamation issued by Governor of Nova Scotia invites

New Englanders New Englanders, also called Yankees, are the inhabitants of the New England region in the Northeastern United States. Beginning with the New England Colonies, the name "New Englander" refers to those who live in the six New England states or thos ...

to settle there.

Births

Deaths

* September 13 -

, British Army officer (born

1727 Events January–March * January 1 – (December 21, 1726 O.S.) Spain's ambassador to Great Britain demands that the British return Gibraltar after accusing Britain of violating the terms of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Britain ...

) * September 14 -

, French Military Commander (Born 1712)

Historical documents

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

must be preserved to check

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

, which has forces to otherwise take all French colonies in America From London,

writes his mother "I shall carry this business thro' with my best abilities," but its outcome is in

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in some religions * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

's hands "Let the wisdom of the people ..how itself" - To avoid harm, Wolfe advises Quebec-area residents not to

resist A resist, used in many areas of manufacturing and art, is something that is added to parts of an object to create a pattern by protecting these parts from being affected by a subsequent stage in the process. Often the resist is then removed. For ...

his forces British landing on

Île d'Orléans Île d'Orléans (; ) is an island located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians c ...

are pleased by polite note left by parish

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are as ...

and "the beauties and situation of this island" "The General strictly forbids the inhuman practice of

scalping Scalping is the act of cutting or tearing a part of the human scalp, with hair attached, from the head, and generally occurred in warfare with the scalp being a trophy. Scalp-taking is considered part of the broader cultural practice of the taki ...

, except when the enemy are Indians, or

Canadians Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

dressed like Indians." Wolfe's long account of his mixed success attacking French positions downriver from Quebec, and his qualms (Note: "savages" used) "General Wolfe is endeavouring to draw the flower of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

..o an engagement on his own ground, before he abandons it." After briefly describing " metropolis of the French dominions in America" before

bombardment A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or cities and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended obje ...

, eyewitness depicts its destruction "General discontent prevail'd mong the French, andnow was the time to strike" - Troops are ordered into boats for landing upriver from Quebec Landed at 4 a.m. on September 13, British troops are impatiently eager to attack and determined not to be captured and scalped Advancing, holding their fire and then firing "close and heavy discharge" is described by Lt. John Knox at centre of British front line "He died and conquered" - Wolfe dies contented at French rout after they fire from too far away (sometimes only bruising British) Capitulation, surrender and occupation of Quebec City, despite brief attack by French artillery outside its walls Continuing resistance downriver from Quebec City leads to burning of 1,100 houses and hundreds of acres of grain, plus

plundering Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting ...

"Humane and tender" -

Hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

run by "reserved and very respectful"

nuns A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of Evangelical counsels, poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Enclosed religious orders, enclosure of a monastery or convent.' ...

treat wounded and ill British soldiers as properly as other patients Quebec City priest consoles himself about its fall by "rendering spiritual services to the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

and Scotch Catholics" among British occupiers For victory at Quebec,

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...

credits

for "a Combination of minute Circumstances" and for pointing to "the critical Moment" in

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American bicycle manufacturer * Murray Motor Car Company, an American car manufacturer * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trus ...

warns Canadians to shift favour from Vaudreuil "to a free people, wise, generous, ready to embrace you, to free you from a severe despotism" "A most grotesque appearance" - Guarding against

frostbite Frostbite is a skin injury that occurs when someone is exposed to extremely low temperatures, causing the freezing of the skin or other tissues, commonly affecting the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin areas. Most often, frostbite occ ...

makes Quebec garrison "rather resemble a

masquerade Masquerade or Masquerades may refer to: Books * ''Masquerade'' (book), a 1979 children's book by Kit Williams that sparked a worldwide treasure hunt * ''Masquerades'' (novel), a 1995 Forgotten Realms novel by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb * ''Masq ...

than a body of regular troops" Benjamin Franklin's

ironic Irony, in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what, on the surface, appears to be the case with what is actually or expected to be the case. Originally a rhetorical device and literary technique, in modernity, modern times irony has a ...

list of reasons Canada should be returned to French, in reply to serious opinion that way

Wendat The Huron-Wendat Nation (or Huron-Wendat First Nation) is an Iroquoian-speaking nation that was established in the 17th century. In the French language, used by most members of the First Nation, they are known as the . The French gave the nickn ...

seem so "satisfied with the change of Masters" that they don't join French resistance to British (Note: "savages" used)

John Knox John Knox ( – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgate, a street in Haddington, East Lot ...

obtains list of words in local Indigenous language, including " quitchimanitoo" (Note:

racial stereotypes An ethnic stereotype or racial stereotype involves part of a system of beliefs about typical characteristics of members of a given ethnic group, their status, societal and cultural norms. A national stereotype does the same for a given nation ...

)

Sir William Johnson Major-General Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet ( – 11 July 1774), was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Ireland known for his military and governance work in British colonial America. As a young man, Johnson moved to t ...

describes defeat of French force attempting to lift his

siege of Fort Niagara The Battle of Fort Niagara was a siege late in the French and Indian War, the North American theatre of the Seven Years' War. The British siege of Fort Niagara in July 1759 was part of a campaign to remove French control of the Great Lakes and O ...

, and its fall

Robert Rogers Robert Rogers may refer to: Politics * Robert Rogers (Irish politician) (died 1719), Irish politician, MP for Cork City 1692–1699 *Robert Rogers (Manitoba politician) (1864–1936), Canadian politician *Robert Rogers, Baron Lisvane (born 1950), C ...

writes to "King Uncus, head

Sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Alg ...

of the Mohegan Indians," about recruiting company of 50 men (Note: "savages" used) Capt. Jacob Nawnawampeteoonk, of "a company of

Stockbridge Indians Stockbridge may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Stockbridge, Edinburgh, a district of Edinburgh, Scotland * Stockbridge, Hampshire * Stockbridge, West Sussex * Stockbridge Anticline, one of a series of parallel east–west trending folds in ...

," is among Indigenous fighters and officers on British side Summary of Gen. Amherst's taking of Ticonderoga (Fort Carillon) and Crown Point, plus comment on significance of these events

Rogers' Rangers Rogers' Rangers was a company of soldiers from the Province of New Hampshire raised by Major Robert Rogers and attached to the British Army during the French and Indian War. The unit was quickly adopted into the New England Colonies army as an i ...

destroy Missisquoi village

Odanak Odanak is an Abenaki First Nations reserve in the Central Quebec region, Quebec, Canada. The mostly First Nations population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 481. The territory is located near the mouth of the Saint-François River at its co ...

after British men under flag of truce are captured by " St. Francis Indians"

Guerilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...

in Nova Scotia includes ambushes followed by torture killings and bodies left on road (Note: gruesome details) No

suit A suit, also called a lounge suit, business suit, dress suit, or formal suit, is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles generally worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt su ...

will be allowed in any Nova Scotia court for recovery of land based on

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

claimed by " former French inhabitants" No trade to be allowed (temporarily) with various Indigenous peoples, with exception of traders authorized by Nova Scotia government Halifax may send to

workhouse In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...

"idle persons," beggars, fortune tellers, runaways etc., while unsupported children are to be

apprenticed Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulate ...

out

British officer British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

says

muskrat The muskrat or common muskrat (''Ondatra zibethicus'') is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over various climates ...

's fine fur "is equal in perfume to the genuine

musk Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. ' ...

," but too strong and thus unhealthful to use lining

waistcoats A waistcoat (British English, UK and English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a wikt:weskit#English, weskit) or vest (American English, US and Canadian English, Canada) is a sleeveless upper-body garm ...

Knox describes seeing

crossbill Crossbills are birds of the genus ''Loxia'' within the finch family (Fringillidae), with six species. These birds are characterized by the mandibles with crossed tips, which gives the group its English name. Adult males tend to be red or orange ...

s (and capturing one) and belugas (that

musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually dis ...

balls bounce off of) in St. Lawrence RiverJohn Knox
"A parcel of small birds"
(June 19, 1759), ''An Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North-America, for the Years 1757, 1758, 1759, and 1760''; ''Vol. I'', pgs. 283-5. Accessed 21 February 2022

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1759 In Canada 1750s in Canada 1759 in New France