THe Harrowing of quebec

By John Bridger

The French & Indian Wars are probably best known to most people through the film "Last of the Mohicans" with Daniel Day-Lewis et al although the more venrable among us might recall Fess Parker on the TV.

Of course there was much more to the war in North America and we have tried to represent as many of the various faqctions involved as we can, showing some of the all-too-common petty infighting and rivalry between Regulars, Colonials and Indians supposedly on the same side which frequently undermined victory.

It is the summer of 1759. The British General Wolfe has established his camp outside the French held town of Quebec, but the place seems impregnable. At Montmorcery a British attack has been driven back with great lossm and the French General Montcalm has re3fused to be drawn from his position. The war has settled into a series of raids and skirmishes in the surrounding countryside. General Wolfe has launched a terror campaign against the local population in an effort get the Canadian Militia, who are fighting for the French, to desert. Much of the area has been ravaged by British Ranger companies fighting alongside their native inhabitants killed and scalped.

General Wolfe has promised that this will cease if the locals withdraw their support for the French. If the do not, or they resist the Forces of the Crown, their homes will be destroyed. In the meantime, General Montcalm is using his Indian allies to enforce the lyalty of the inhabitants towards France.

For the local population it has become a question of who inspires the most fear.

On July 27th General Wolfe issued an order banning the scalping of any enemy other than Indians or white mena dressed as Indians. Scalping had originally been introduced by the British Crown to the native Indians as a means of proving numbers of enemies killed.

Some distance up-river from Quebec is a small settlement called Sainte Etienne. General Montcalm has sited a battery of guns here protected by a redoubt and a small fort overlooking the St Lawrence River. Should any British ships slip past the defences at Quebec the should be halted by these guns, recently removed from a French Ship-of-the-Line. The locals, however, are not best pleased at being thus singled out as a potential target...

All figures, boats, canoes, the fort and the blockhouse are from Redoubt Enterprises' French & Indian War Range. The Meeting House is from their American Civil War range. The other buildings are from various manufacturers including Grand Manner and Hovels. The gun battery is scratch built by Del's Design Emporium.

Many thanks to Trevor and the team at Redoubt Enterprises for all their help!

Finally, thanks to Simon MacDowall for the inspiration for this game from his article in Practical Wargamer several years ago.