Quebec: The Story of Three Sieges

Marking the 250th anniversary of the battle of the Plains of Abraham, Quebec: The Story of Three Sieges goes beyond the celebrated siege by General James Wolfe in 1759 to chronicle three very different sieges, across two separate conflicts. Focusing on the geographical importance of the city of Quebec and the role it played in the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence, Stephen Manning describes visits to the city of important figures such as Benedict Arnold and George Washington. In the fuller context of the Seven Years War, he explains the enormous importance the British attached to the capture of North America from the French. His account of the final battle on the Plains of Abraham is a detailed analysis of General Wolfe's genius and the reasons for his success. But the conflict didn't end with Wolfe's victory: at the battle of St Foy in 1760, the French beat the British and again laid siege to Quebec. The siege failed and, aided by the Royal Navy, the British were finally able to force the French Army back to Montreal and capture Quebec. But Britain's relationship with her new North American colonial subjects quickly turned sour, leading directly to the outbreak of war with America. The final siege of Quebec was by the Americans in 1776. It failed, securing the future of Canada as a separate political entity.A thrilling tale told with consummate skill and real narrative pace, Quebec: The Story of Three Sieges offers an exciting new perspective on the events that changed the face of North America