BATTLE OF SAINTE-FOY
Context
Lévis and Vaudreuil Request Reinforcements
While the British had won a victory at the Plains of Abraham, this was not to say that the war was over. The French Army, henceforth under Lévis' command, although considerably weakened by a lack of food and ammunitions, was a significant force that could still save the colony. At least, this is what Lévis and Vaudreuil were hoping. To that end, they tried to have the ships sail past Québec in the fall before the river froze over. Their goal was to send the ships out to France to request reinforcements for the following year. Although some ships suffered damages, the operation was a success.
At Versailles, Lévis' demands were met with a great deal of reluctance. The General asked to have a squadron enter the St. Lawrence River as soon as possible in the spring, especially before the British did. The ships would bring the necessary reinforcements: 7,000 soldiers, artillery as well as supplies and ammunitions. However, the King was not any more willing than in the previous year to make this kind of effort, and he responded by shipping only 400 men, with provisions and ammunitions136, to Lévis. However, these reinforcements never reached Québec.
