Backs to the Wall: The Battle of Sainte-Foy and the Conquest of Canada

by D. Peter MacLeod

The Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759 and the subsequent capitulation of Quebec set the stage for an equally significant French-British engagement in the struggle for northeastern North America, the Battle of Sainte-Foy.

In the spring of 1760, after having suffered a brutal winter, Quebec garrison commander James Murray's troops were vulnerable and reduced to an army of skeletal invalids due to malnutrition and scurvy. Trapped in hostile territory and lacking confidence in the fortifications of Quebec, Murray planned to confront French attackers outside the walls. Instead of waiting at Montreal for the British to attack, Montcalm's successor, François-Gaston de Lévis, returned to the plains for a rematch accompanied by every combatant available--French regulars, Canadian militia and First Peoples warriors. The ensuing Battle of Sainte-Foy was less a battle for territory than a struggle for survival between two equally desperate adversaries. If the British lost the battle, they would lose Quebec. If the French lost the battle, they would very likely lose Canada--both the French and the British had their backs to the wall.

MacLeod presents this historical event in riveting detail, from the preparation and day-by-day actions during the engagement to the compelling siege of Quebec by land and ship. Backs to the Wall is an accessible and engaging account of an important episode in Canadian history.

Genres: History, Canada

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2017

Reviews

[Lisa the Tech · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Battle on the Plains of Abraham was not the end of the story. I should have known that, yet that seemed like the end of things when I was in school. That said, that graphic novel I read eighty times about Marguerite d'Youville told of Montreal falling to the British after the previous battle.
So MacLeod wrote about the Battle of Sainte-Foy. While I appreciate all the work he put into this book, I cannot help but feel that this book was too succinct - bare bones, even. Some of the chapters were only a page at times. A writer has the power to put flesh to the bones - MacLeod did a poor job in this capacity.
Not a bad book by any means, but not great.

[Michael Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone wanting a detailed description of the year after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, something most histories of the period omit. It is generally assumed that the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was the end of the story, when there was still another year of the war in Canada, which had, the possibility at least, of reversing the British victory at Quebec in 1759. It may have been a small possibility, although measurements like that are hard to make when analyzing historical events, but it was a real one. The author makes sure that this possibility is kept in historical view and in doing so, outlines many episodes of the time that are little known but extremely interesting. The book also places another nail in the coffin of the idea that Canadian history is basically boring.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I greatly appreciate good Canadian history books. Peter Macleod thank you for added one more. This book thoroughly documented the military details of the Battle of Sainte-Foy and the end of the 7 year war. There were good diary quotes that added colour to the events and provided a bit of cultural context - I would have liked more.
The military maneuvering on land and water were a bit hard to follow without the benefit of maps. There was great strategic significant associated to British Artillery power. I would have liked more technical details related to the utility of artillery power when traversing the harsh landscape over the versatile Canadian militia and Amerindian tactics.

[Luc Bouchet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on Canadian military history that I’ve ever read. I hope it joins the ranks of Tim Cook’s works and Berton’s Vimy on reading lists in classrooms across the nation. Very well written and engaging, it sheds light on a fascinating era of conflict, and helps balance out the narrative that has been dominated by the British perspective since 1759. One cannot help but to ruminate on “what if” moments while reading this story, spurred by the brilliance of the French commander Levis (who in the end, simply did not have enough time or backing from France to fulfil his mandate), and the Regiment de la Reine (that zigged when it should have zagged [!] during the pivotal moment of the battle).

I will definitely re-read this book before going to visit Quebec, that I may better understand and appreciate exactly what went down outside those old walls, so many years ago now.