Dave’s musket was up in an instant.—Page 268.
But the fighting was not yet at an end, and it continued for half an hour longer, the English doing their best to drive Lévis from the strong position he now occupied. But this was impossible, and at last General Murray’s army began to move back to Quebec, keeping the retreat well covered.
“The victory is ours!” came the French cry, and they started in pursuit. But General Lévis soon saw that the English were not retreating in disorder, and so ordered his soldiers to hold the ground they had gained and go no further.
CHAPTER XXIX
DARK DAYS
The days to follow the tattle just described were gloomy enough, both for Dave and for the little army now assembled at Quebec.
All told, General Murray had lost, in killed, wounded and missing, about a thousand men, or one-third of his force, while the loss to the enemy was estimated at about the same. In addition, the English had lost some cannon and also some of their ammunition and muskets. When the army got back to Quebec it was thoroughly exhausted, and the men were hardly fit for work of any kind. Confusion reined supreme, and had Murray permitted it, there would have been a panic and perhaps the place would have been abandoned.
“The jig is up,” said more than one soldier. “We must surrender, or else the French will either bombard us or starve us out.”
But General Murray was not so easily daunted, and soon brought a semblance of order out of apparent chaos. The wounded were cared for, and those able to work were immediately set to the task of fortifying Quebec from every available point. Bags were filled with sand and placed at the gates, and the cannon were planted so as to command every approach. Even the convalescent in the hospital had to do their share by making wadding for the cannon. Soldiers who would not obey orders were promptly disciplined, and one man who was caught plundering a house was promptly hanged as a thief.
This public execution brought to Dave’s mind the fate that hung over Henry. Would his cousin come back, and, if so, what would General Murray do to him? This thought made Dave shiver.