GENERAL JAMES WOLFE

1. GENERAL JAMES WOLFE From 1727- 1756

2. EARLY LIFE • He was born in 1727 in Westerham in Kent. • His family moved to Greenwich in 1738. • from his early years he was destined to have a military career as he entered his fathers 1st marine regiment as a volunteer at the age of 13. • He was luckily ill as he couldn't go on a British expedition in which they tried an assault on Cartagena and a battle called the war of Jenkins' Ear which after most of the soldiers died from an dieses.

3. THE BATTLE OF CARTAGENA DE INDIAS • This war was lead by Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. • It took place in March 1741 in Colombia. • It was a major defeat to the British as they lost 50 ships badly damaged or abandoned for lack of crew, they also lost 18,000 soldiers and sailors, this was mainly dew to dieses however some to the cause of war.

4. THE WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION • In 1740 the war of Austrian Succession broke out in Europe. • Britain to begin with did not want to be part of this however when the French army got to the boarder of Austria, Netherlands was adamant that the British sent out an expedition to help defend the land of their allay Austria, in 1742. • Wolfe was moved to the 12th regiment on foot, this was a infinity regiment.

5. They set sail a few months after 1742 to a place where they took up camp at a place called Ghent. • At Ghent Wolfe was promoted to lieutenant of his regiment. in his first year of this new promotion he nothing to do as there was no action taken by ether side. • In the year 1743 Wolfe and his younger brother Edward Wolfe took part of a battle created by the British. This war was lead by George II however because of mistake made by George II they were surrounded at the River Main. To get out of this mess the British had to launch attacks on French positions. • Wolfe regiment was engaged in heavy fighting which consisted of much volley fire from muskets. This regiment had suffered of the most casualties in the British regiments. • Despite the three French armies they still managed to defeat them. They could not pursue the enemy, so they went back to the waft of the Germanys at Hanover.

6. The duke of Cumberland who was close by Wolfe while he was under fire of the muskets, so he help him move up to the 45th regiment a year later. • Wolfe as so fought in the battle of Dettington, which was a great success. • After the success of Dettington the campaign was going well up until when they lost the battle of Lille(is a French town), under the command of George Wade, this was at huge annoyance t the British. • Wolfes regiment was left behind so that they could garrison at Ghent which mention that they would miss the defeat at Fonteway, which had high numbers of casualties. • Wolfes regiment having suffered a large number of casualties was told to reinforce the main allied army which at that time was under the command of the duke of Cumberland. Luckily a sort while after the left the town of Ghent it was attacked by a French army, Wolfe was lucky that he wasn't taken as a prisoner of war. He was after this made a Bridge Major.

7. The Jacobite Rising • The Jacobite Rising was a revolt in 1745 which happened in London. • This is important to Wolfe as he was called back to London to help sort it out. • One of the Jacobites victory's was Edinburgh in 1745 September. The Government thought that they would march into England and cause a massive revolt which would throw George 2nd of the throne of England.

8. The return to the Continent • After James Wolfe had sorted out the rising of the Jacobite. He went back to the war of the Austrian succession. • Because Lord Cumberland's men had gone back to England to sort out the revolt. The French had made a advance in Austrian Netherlands and had captured the city of Brussels. • Frances main objective in 1747 was to capture the Maastricht. To the French it was considered the Gate way to Dutch Republic. • Wolfe who at this time was part of Lord Cumberland's army went to protect the city from the French army led by Marshal Saxe. • On 2nd of July 1747 the Battle of Lauffeld took place. Wolfe took part. However Wolfe was wounded and got a official commendation. • The combined forces number was 140,000. This was the largest battle had fought in in terms of numbers. • French won and took another strategic point.

9. The end of the war • Wolfe was only 21 in 1748. He had fought in seven campaigns. • The war ended by a treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. • This Treaty meant that France and Britain had to give back any captured territory and that all the land in Austria Netherland was under Austrian control.

10. 1748-1756 Wolfe's part in The seven Years war

11. Intro • Wolfe was promoted to Colonel, he was stationed in Canterbury • Wolfe was dispirited as in 1756 Minorca was lost to the French • The invasion of France became less likely so Wolfe’s regiment went back to Wiltshire • Wolfe wanted to pay a big part in the war to come but his family feared for his health and fought of an early death.

12. Rochefort • This was a port which was based on the French Atlantic coast. • This was a ambitious assault which took place in 1757 7th September • They assembled on a island however did not move on • But this caused panic along the French coast • Mordaunt got court marshalled for the failure, his response was if he had 500 men then he could have done it • The prime minster, William Pitt. Caught Wolfe's attention. He therefore promoted him over the heads of a number of senior offices. • Pitt thought that the best profits of war would be made in North America and Canada which was where France was weakly defended at the time

13. Louisbourg • Wolfe was appointed as a brigadier • This started on 23rd January 1758 • He was sent along side with Major General Jeffrey Amherst to lay siege on Louisbourg • Pitt sent a large naval force to join Amherst's men • They planned to start the advance along St Laurence and attack Quebec that year, however winter stopped this plan. • Wolfe then went home, later on he heard of the success of Louisbourg

14. Advance up St Laurence • Because of the decision to separate the troops when Wolfe got to Québec he would be facing Louis-Joseph de Montclam with out the numbers of troops on his side. • The French did not expect the British to come from the East. As the fought it was impossible to have such a large force down the river, however he had a couple of weeks to re plan. • The French fought that there would be a piece, so they tried to get a victory in Germany.

15. Siege • This lasted 3 months • March 1759 he wrote a letter to Amherst, roughly saying if we lose the river he would destroy the village and prevent the harvest. This would cause famine. • After a large bombardment, Wolfe launched an attack, which failed to the north. • As the weeks went on the chance of British success grew smaller.

16. Battle • Wolfe led 200 ships, 9000 soldiers and 18000 sailors. Scaled the cliffs with 2 small cannons on 13th September 1759. • This surprised the French leader Marquis de Montclam, who fought that they were not climbable • The French where defeated after 15 minutes of fighting. • Wolfe was shot 3 times, once in the arm, shoulder and in the chest. • This also ended both Generals lives.

17. Wolfe's Death • His body was brought back and placed in the family vault, this was based in St Alfege church, Greenwich. • This was alongside his father who died in March 1759

18. Why I chose Wolfe • I chose Wolfe as I fought he was a great commander in battle. • I also chose him on the fact that he is a major part in the seven years war. Which is a big part in English history.