Sean Walker
November 2nd, 2016
Dr. Tracey Penny Light
HIST 1120
The Life of the Soldier on the March
By: Sean Walker
Life was Dangerous back in the 18th and 19th centuries, even more so for soldiers, even ones on the march. When you think of a soldier, you probably think of a young man looking for adventure? Maybe an old and jaded veteran of wars long past, living only for the chance of a warm bed and a hearty meal. In all probability both of these soldier archetypes existed, but we don’t really understand what is was like to be on the march for months on end with no safety in sight, the ever present dangers of the time lurking over your shoulder. It is those types of dangers, from enemy Indians to low supplies in the middle of winter that we will be discussing in this paper.
If you are worrying about if there is anything to support my argument, don’t worry I have plenty of Documents to back up my statement. Starting with a book titled “A Journal of the expedition up the River St. Lawrence” which gives us a first hand account of the sailing of the British/American Troops up the St. Lawrence on the way to Quebec, written by the Sergeant-Major of Gen. Hopfon’s Grenadiers.[1] The second source that I have chosen to take inspiration from is a book called Battle Lines, a series of Eyewitness accounts of Canada’s military history, compiled by J.L Granatstein and Norman Hillmer.[2] I also have several secondary sources such as A Military History Of Canada by Desmond Morton which tells us of how the lowly foot soldiers to the upper command survived the winter of 1758[3], or the book Fighting for Canada by Donald E. Graves, which sheds light on the different generations of Canadian soldiers and what British and American troops had to do while on the march.[4]
The first primary document that I will look at is a journal kept by the Sergeant-Major of Gen. Hopfon’s detailing their voyage up the St. Lawrence river on their way to Quebec. This short account of the trip gives a rather good window to the type of dangers the sailors and had to be on the look out for while on the river or what the soldier had to look for while on the banks foraging or scouting. For instance, this part “July 1st, the Enemy came against our Detachment on the South-side of the River with floating Batteries; but our Shipping soon drove them off”[5] shows that the sailors manning the ships had to be ever vigilant on their watch for enemy ships or floating batteries, the same is true for the soldiers for when they were sent out to scout or forage as shown in this excerpt “On the 17th we went out a Fascining, and to make Oars, with a small Party to cover us; 5 were [killed], of which 4 were [scalped],”[6]. These excerpts show two of the dangers of sailing to war in enemy territory, the sailors had to always be carful to watch out for surprise bombardments from floating enemy batteries, and the soldiers had to be ever vigilant for enemy Indians who knew the land much better then they did and knew how to use it to their advantage. It was the use of surprise, hit and run tactics, and knowledge of the terrain that made the Indians such a fearsome and terrible foe.
In the book battle Lines by J.L Granatstein and Norman Hillmer, lays an excerpt that reads “August 15th, Six marines were supriz’d and carried off from our camp at St. Anthony”[7] shows even when at camp with sentries and all there is no safe place for a soldier, not even to sleep. As a side effect of there being no safe place for the soldiers to relax, the soldiers would have to be constantly be on edge which means that would lower the overall combat effectiveness of the unit as a whole. As the way that 18th century armies worked (lining up about 50-100 meters away from each other and exchanging shots) if the combat effectiveness of the unit is effected in anyway that Makes them less able to work as a team, such as exhaustion from being on edge all of the time. Then the likely hood of the unit being effective at all is drastically lowered. The only people who might be able to rest easy are the command staff, because there tents and command structures would be at the centre of the camp where it is easier to get to quietly and without raising the alarm than it is for an enemy raid group to do the same on the outskirts of the camp, where the six marines were probably stationed. Another possible scenario that is shown in the quote “they are impatient to be lead on, and the General Officers but with great difficulty can restrain their impetuosity; it should seem as if their courage rose in proportion to the labours they have to surmount”[8]. Is that the men were perhaps starting to get reckless with their want to return home and stop having to worry about things like starvation, frostbite, being abducted in the night, killed and scalped by Indians, killed in a raid, or killed during a charge on the city. It is entirely possible that that the thought of going home and being safe from all of the various dangers of war and times motivated them enough to give them that extra boost of energy, enough of a boost to get them through the next barricade, up the next street, or through the next house.
It was not only the British and American troops that were weary from the long periods of war. The French were also starting to get fed up with things, at least the junior officers and below were, as shown in this quote “Montcalm‘s officers in particular, driven to bankruptcy by high prices and low pay, pleaded for leave to return to France”[9]. It was only a select few that were able to avoid the long, cold and hungry winter, a lucky few were able to be invited to Intendant Bigot’s table and thus avoid the biting cold and twisting hunger.[10] It is arguable that the ones who were the best off of all of the lower echelons of the French command were the common soldiers who would more often than not quartered with the habitants in their farms and villages were there were at least a semblance of warmth at the foot of a hearth.[11] Unlike some of the middle command which were both not high enough on the social ladder to warrant a room in the chateau of the Intendant, and to high to stay with the habitants on their farms like the lowly soldiers. Because of this they either had to pay for a room at an Inn or suffer the cold of sleeping in a tent at the unit’s camp.
In the winter of 1758 a man by the name of Major General James Abercromby was in command of 17,000 men, the largest force ever assembled in north America to date. As with anything there are a number of problems associated with having a force of 17,000 men. It is a testament to Abercromby’s administration skills that he was capable of keeping everything under control.[12] Although some would attribute his forces order to his second in command, one Brigadier General George Augustus, Viscount Howe. Howe first ordered his men to “have their hats cut down… that they may know one another from the enemy”.[13] Howe also ordered his men to carry only what they needed, and that no women would follow the camp to wash the clothing and even used himself as an example by going to the creek to wash his own clothing and linens.[14]
Everyone knows that things were tough back then, even more so for a soldier on the march, but we can’t really get the proper feeling for what it was like. The only way that we will ever b able to understand what it was like is for somebody to build a time machine so we can go back and see for ourselves, but I think we all know that scenario is quite unlikely.
Citations
[1] Grenadiers, S. O. (1759). A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence containing a true and most particular account of the transactions of the fleet and army under the command of Admiral Saunders and General Wolfe, from the time of their embarkation at Louisbourg ’til after the surrender of Quebeck. Boston: Printed and sold by Fowle and Draper, at their printing-office in Marlborough-Street.
2 Granatstien, J. L., and Norman Hillmer. Battle Lines: Eyewitness Accounts from Canada’s Military History. Toronto: Thomas Allen Publishers, 2004
3 Morton, Desmond. A Military History of Canada. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1985,
4 Graves, Donald E., and John R. Grodzinski. Fighting for Canada: Seven Battles, 1758-1945. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio, 2000.
5 A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence, Pg. 492
6 A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence, Pg. 493
7 Battle Lines Pg. 16
8 Battle Lines Pg. 17
9 A Military History of Canada Pg. 33
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid Pg. 34
12 Fighting for Canada Pg.27
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
Bibliography
Granatstein, J. L., and Norman Hillmer. Battle Lines: Eyewitness Accounts from Canada’s Military History. Toronto: Thomas Allen Publishers, 2004
Graves, Donald E., and John R. Grodzinski. Fighting for Canada: Seven Battles, 1758-1945. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio, 2000.
Grenadiers, S. O. (1759). A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence containing a true and most particular account of the transactions of the fleet and army under the command of Admiral Saunders and General Wolfe, from the time of their embarkation at Louisbourg ’til after the surrender of Quebeck. Boston: Printed and sold by Fowle and Draper, at their printing-office in Marlborough-Street.
[1] Morton, Desmond. A Military History of Canada. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1985,
[1] Grenadiers, S. O. (1759). A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence containing a true and most particular account of the transactions of the fleet and army under the command of Admiral Saunders and General Wolfe, from the time of their embarkation at Louisbourg ’til after the surrender of Quebeck. Boston: Printed and sold by Fowle and Draper, at their printing-office in Marlborough-Street.
[2] Granatstein, J. L., and Norman Hillmer. Battle Lines: Eyewitness Accounts from Canada’s Military History. Toronto: Thomas Allen Publishers, 2004
[3] Morton, Desmond. A Military History of Canada. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1985,
[4] Graves, Donald E., and John R. Grodzinski. Fighting for Canada: Seven Battles, 1758-1945. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio, 2000.
[5] A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence, Pg. 492
[6] A journal of the expedition up the river St. Lawrence, Pg. 493
[7] Battle Lines Pg. 16
[8] Battle Lines Pg. 17
[9] A Military History of Canada Pg. 33
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid Pg. 34
[12] Fighting for Canada Pg.27
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.