This conquest produced great joy in England; a day of thanksgiving was set apart by proclamation; and the thanks of Parliament, with the approbation of their Sovereign, were conveyed to the troops: also an abundant supply of warm clothing, purchased by public subscription, for the use of the men in the cold climate of Quebec.
The loss of the regiment in the several actions near Quebec, was one surgeon's mate, two serjeants, and eleven rank and file killed; Major Paulus Armil Irving, Captain Arthur Loftus, Lieutenants Samuel Rutherford, John Maxwell, senior, John Maxwell, junior, William Skeane, Robert Ross, James Leslie, Lieut. and Adjutant Francis Mekins, Ensigns Edmund Wroth, Samuel Baker, nine serjeants, one drummer, and ninety-seven rank and file, wounded.
The Lieut.-Colonel of the Fifteenth foot, Colonel Honorable James Murray, was rewarded with the appointment of Colonel-commandant of a battalion of the sixtieth regiment, and Governor of Quebec, in which fortress the Fifteenth were stationed during the winter, and they suffered severely from scurvy, occasioned by living constantly on salt provisions.
1760
Resolving, if possible, to regain possession of Quebec, a French force, commanded by the Chevalier de Louis, advanced from Montreal towards the end of April, 1760; the enemy attempted to cut off the British out-posts, but was frustrated by the advance of the piquets, the grenadiers, and the Fifteenth regiment.
Brigadier-General Murray led the garrison of Quebec forward to meet the enemy, whom he engaged on the 28th of April, near the village of Sillery, and gained some advantage; but the superior numbers of the enemy rendered a retreat necessary, which was executed in good order.
The enemy besieged Quebec, and the Fifteenth regiment had the honour of taking part in a successful defence of that important fortress. The governor stated in his despatch,—'I flatter myself the extraordinary performances of the handful of brave men I had left, will please His Majesty as much as they surprised us, who were eye-witnesses of them.' While the garrison was making a resolute defence, a British naval force arrived in the river, destroyed the enemy's vessels near the town, and cannonaded their lines. On the morning of the 17th of May, the Fifteenth were under arms, to make a sally on the besieging force; but the French camp was found empty, and the tents standing. A pursuit was ordered, and some prisoners and baggage were captured.
In June a detachment of the regiment advanced up the river, in vessels, to co-operate with the troops under General Sir Jeffery Amherst, in an attack on the French army at Montreal. The British advanced upon Montreal from three different points, and by a well-arranged combination the whole were united before that place in the early part of September. The French governor, the Marquis of Vaudreuil, being unable to withstand the British arms, surrendered; and the conquest of Canada was thus accomplished.
After this success, the regiment was assembled at Montreal, and it was one of the corps which occupied that place for several months.
1761