Kanada, A Story Never Told...

Kanada, A Story Never Told
A Tale of a French Canadian Country

By: Bavarian Raven
discussion for the thread: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=145017



POD: 1757: the naval battle for St. Louisbourg (modern day Nova Scotia) between the French and British navies still occurs. The French win the battle, but it is not as decisive of a French Victory as in OTL. In response, the French spend the remaining summer of 1758 and the early part of 1758 adding more fortifications to the town. In addition to the fortifications, a dozen more long guns, four hundred soldiers, and two more ships are stationed in Louisbourg.

This in turn, leads to the French winning the second battle of Louisbourg in the summer of 1758 (this is assuming the British make another assault on the fortress the following year much like they do OTL).

In response Acadia (OTL, Atlantic Canada) does not fall into British hands in 1758.

We will assume the rest of the campaign in the war (on the continent) goes much the same as OTL.


Part One: Were it only on the fields of Abraham:

1758, early August: Fort Frontenac (OTL, modern Kingston, Ontario) has fallen to the British forces lead by Lieutenant-Colonel John Bradstreet. The fort's garrison, being outnumbered nearly 30:1 surrenders without a fight and are allowed to flee.

The British continue their cautious advance into Upper Canada.

1758, late August: Despite the setbacks in their campaigns in Atlantic Canada, General James Wolfe is still adamant about their plans on capturing Fortified city of Quebec. Knowing that it would be fool hardy to lead the British Navy into the gulf that is still controlled by the French, he decides to bring the bulk of his army up through the Champlain valley and launch a surprise assault on the fortress. While a smaller British task force will run the French controlled waters and attack the fort directly ahead of time. He hopes that the French will be fooled into believing that the small naval assault was the main invasion force and then hopefully be lured into a false sense of security.

It is a bold and daring plan. One that requires a lot of luck.

Despite the aging season, General Wolfe leads his six thousand men and five hundred gunners on their long march northwards...

1758, mid September, the small British naval force arrives at Quebec despite suffering heavy loses. They manage to bombard the fortress for two days and even launch a small daring raid with a battery of marines. The marines suffer heavy casualties and so do the ships, which take a pounding from the fortress. The British quickly withdraw and head for open waters.

1758, mid October, General Wolfe's army finally arrives (late) and still believes the French have no knowledge of his army. In reality, two Huron scouts had sighted the army two weeks back and the French where now prepared with an army of close to ten thousand plus militia.

What the British do not realize is that the French have moved part of their army (three thousand plus militia) across the river. The lieutenant in command plans to attack the British in the rear while they are attempting to cross the river. The main bulk of the French army plants on ambushing the British forces when they land on the north shore.

The plan works better then the French could have imagined. But not for the reasons they had imagined.

On the afternoon before the night crossing was to occur, British scouts detect the southern French army camped in a hollow several miles away. General Wolfe believes that this is the main French army and personally leads four thousand British soldiers in a daring evening/night attack on the southern French army. The remaining two thousand British soldiers will continue with their night crossing and attack (what they believe) is the now realitively undefended French city of Quebec.

The southern battle catches the French off guard. But they quickly recover and form up. The battle rages for hours, becoming a hand to hand "slug it out" fight. In the end, both sides will suffer heavy losses.

But the worst is yet to come. Upon hearing the noise of the battle, the French forces quickly prepare and catch the two thousand landing British soldiers off guard. By morning, only a few hundred British soldiers on the north side of the river are still alive. On the south side of the river remain roughly twenty-five hundred British soldiers and a thousand French soldiers who have retreated to regroup.

General Wolfe, commanding the tattered remains of his army must now choose what to do. With the season drawing to an end and no hope of reinforcements any time soon, he orders his forces to retreat. He shamefully leads his beaten army southwards.

Quebec has been saved. For now.

(i wrote this on the bus this morning, so it will be a bit choppy and rough. please feel free to edit/chop it up. :) and please hopefully enjoy).
 
Seems good!

regarding the Atlantic campaign, I believe that the British got peninsular Nova Scotia from the French in the Treaty of Utrecht, a bit before the POD IIRC. so a victory at Louisbourg just allows them to retain control of Cape Breton.
 
I've made a quick map. No arrows showing Wolfe's attack though

Kanada 1.png
 
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