History Browser

This drummer of the Compagnies franches wears the livery of the king of France, with its distinctive lace - crimson with an embroidered white chain pattern. Drummers were often distinctively dressed to make them easy to spot in the heat of battle. This was because the only practical way of transmitting orders to a large group of men before the perfection of portable radios was by means of distinctive drum beats. Officers had to be able to find a drummer quickly, even in a confused mass of soldiers, hence the special uniform. Reconstruction by Eugène Lelièpvre. (Parks Canada)

This British artilleryman wears the blue coat of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Gunners in most European armies wore dark-coloured clothing to disguise the dirt and grime that soon disfigured anyone firing artillery using gunpowder propellant. The yellow lace was added to the uniforms in 1750, and this pattern of clothing was worn from 1751 to 1764. Reconstruction by Derek Fitzjames. (Parks Canada)

The 58th Regiment of Foot was one of several British units sent to America in 1757 in preparation for the attack on Louisbourg. Although the siege did not begin until 1758, the regiment saw the capture of the fortress and was present at the capture of Quebec the following year. This soldier is shown in marching order, carrying his pack and haversack. His red coat shows the black regimental facings of the 58th Foot on its cuff and lapels. The uniform is unusual for British infantry of the period because the regimental lace is yellow instead of the normal white, and the coat lining (seen on the turned back coat tails) is buff instead of white. Reconstruction by G. A. Embleton. (Parks Canada)

During the Seven Years' War, the British infantry regiments in North America converted one of their ten companies into a 'light company.' These men were trained to fight in the forests. Like the other units, the light infantry of the 48th Regiment of Foot modified their uniforms to match their new role. Coats were cut short to make movement easier in the bush. All of the white regimental lace was removed to make the men less conspicuous. The large tricorn hats were cut down to make caps that would stay on when moving in the woods. All in all, this uniform of 1759-1760 is much different from the one worn by the men of the 48th when they were involved in General Braddock's disasterous defeat at the Battle of Monongahela in 1755. Reconstruction by G. A. Embleton. (Parks Canada)

The 17th Regiment of Foot arrived at Halifax in 1757. It took part in the siege of Louisbourg as part of Brigadier James Wolfe's brigade. The 17th’s grenadiers were surprised by a French sortie on 9 July 1758. Their captain, Lord Dundonald, and part of the company were killed. The regiment was later part of General Amherst’s army, advancing up Lake Champlain in 1759 and down the Richelieu River in 1760. It fought at Île-aux-Noix and was at the surrender of Montreal in September 1760. (Library of the Canadian Department of National Defence)

Vice-Admiral Charles Saunders (circa 1715 - 1775) commanded the British fleet during the 1759 siege of Quebec.

The image is a rather romantic one, but François-Gaston de Lévis did play a large role in restoring the morale of the French army after its defeat on the Plains of Abraham. Some referred to his plan to retake Quebec in the early spring of 1760 as 'Lévis's folly', but the project gave the dispirited men something to struggle for. It is ironic that the French won the battle of Sainte-Foy but were unable to retake the city by siege before the Royal Navy arrived with British reinforcements.

This regimental colour (or 'drapeau d'ordonnance') was carried by the 2nd battalion of the régiment de Guyenne when it was sent to New France in 1755. Note the white cravat tied around the standard pole. This and the white cross were common to all French army colours of the period. The pattern of isabelle (a brownish-yellow) and vert-gris (green-grey) on the colour was the mark of the régiment de Guyenne. This contemporary print shows the regiment's European-pattern uniform, worn in New France by the 2nd battalion from 1757 to 1760. (Parks Canada)

The tradition of raising the May pole in front of the Militia captain's house, which began in the era of New France, went on in French Canada until the middle of the 19th century.

The 78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot was at the siege of Louisbourg in 1758, at the siege of Quebec in 1759 and at the battle of Sainte-Foy in 1760. It remained in garrison at Quebec until disbanded in 1763, some of its men remaining in Canada as settlers. Reconstruction by R.J. Marrion. (Canadian War Museum)