MONTCALM DE SA I BloN-kalM' de sax vti'riis', Louts .JOSEPH, Marquis de (1712 59). A distinguished French general in America. He was born at Candiac. near Nimes, Febru ary 29, 1712, and entered the army at the age of fourteen. At eighteen he was a cap tain. Ile served in Italy and Germany for ninny years, and was wounded at the battle of Piacenza in 1746. In Slay. 1756, he was sent to Canada to command the French forces. He captured Fort Ontario at Oswego in August of the same year. The next year he forced the capitulation of Fort William 1Ienry at the head of Lake George, with an English garrison of 2500 men, capturing 42 guns and a large amount of stores. In 1758 he defended Fort Ticonderoga with 3600 Canadians against General Abererom by at the head of 15.000 English, repulsing the latter after a determined attack (July 8th). Lack of troops, ammunition, and provisions, and the large reenforcements of the English. obliged Montealm to retire all his forces the following year to Quebec.. which was menaced by a powerful army under General Wolfe. 111 supported by the French Government and forced to cope with disaffection among the authorities in Canada, Montealm foresaw- the ultimate downfall of the French power in America. but prepared to meet
it with a heroic determination which has lent so much romantie interest to his last days, The struggle around Quebec began July 31, 1759, and the siege continued for six weeks until Wolfe's sealing of the Heights of above the city tempted the French to a battle in the field, in which the English were vietorious. September 13, 1759. Wolfe fell dead in the moment of victory, and Montealm was borne from the field mortally wounded and died the following day. The city was surrendered a few days after his death, and its fall signalized the end of the French power in Canada. In 1827 Governor Dillhousie, of Canada, caused a monument to be erected in Quebec to the joint honor of the two braye generals. The best work on Monteahn is by Parkman,11ontcalin and Wolfe (Boston, 1865). Consult also: Bonne chose, liontcabn it /c Canada francais (Paris, 1877) ; Jiontea/nu decant in posterite (ib., 1886).