The Plains of Abraham Park

 

[Published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 24 (1902)]

 

In the month of September, 1901, a long-pending negotiation of deep[1] interest to all Quebec was brought to a close : the transfer of the south western portion of the plateau, on which Wolfe and Montcalm, Levis and Murray, had met in deadly encounter for the conquest of Canada.

 

On the 20th September, 1901, His Majesty duly represented, at Quebec, by the Eight Hon. Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, under authority of an Order-in-Council, passed at Ottawta, on the 30th July 1901, purchased from the Revd Ladies of the Ursulines Convent, at Quebec, by Deed, bearing date the 20th September aforesaid, executed before V. W. LaRue and Jean A. Charlebois, notaries public, a tract of land, previously included within the municipality of Saint Colomba, of Sillery, now forming part of the city of Quebec, to wit : eighty-four arpents and eleven perches in superficies, french measure, without however precise measurement, described on official cadastral plan of the Banlieu of Quebec, as number 165. The price of sale was $80,000, cash paid, dont quittance.

 

The Deed mentions how the land was acquired, at various periods, and from different owners, by the Ursulines Nuns who had leased it, in 1803, to His Majesty, George III, as a Parade and Exercising ground to the: Quebec Garrison, for the space and term of 99 years.

 

This deed sets forth, that at a numerously attended meeting of the citizens of Quebec, held at the City Hall, on the 28th February, 1900, presided by sir James LeMoine, His Worship, the Mayor was asked to use his influence with Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Premier of Canada, to procure this historic domain as a Public Park, for the city. The deed adds, as "un endroit rendu célèbre, par la mémoire des généraux, Wolfe et Montcalm, Levis et Murray, et la bravoure de leurs compagnons d'armes."

 

Quebecers cherish the hope that the new park will attract, by the stirring souvenirs that cluster round it, as well as by the beauty of its landscape-design and ornamentation.

 

This section of the heights of Abraham, occupied for close on a century, as the Exercising Grounds, of the Quebec Garrison, and of the Blue Jackets of the Imperial Navy, when the frigates were in port, used also in the past, by the Quebec Turf Club, as a Racing Course, do indeed bring back memories full of deep interest.

 

Bounded to the south by the lofty cliffs which Wolfe and his veterans successfully climbed, before dawn on the fateful 13th September, 1759, the plateau once ascended was the key, to the capture of Quebec, the pivot to the situation. Who can say what would have been the fate of the advanced guard, sealing the cliffs, had Capt. de Vergor's force been watchful, on the Plains? General Murray, with Cod. Howe, and his Light Infanttry were detailed to silence Lieut. Douglas's four gun battery, at Samos, later on, Woodfield Wolfe, wishing to leave no enemy in his rear. Over this expanse, ran the old road (now obliterated) from a point, not very far north from the locality, where now stands the District Jail, leading to where the boats had landed, at the Foulon (Wolfe's Cove) ; over this road which was a short cut from the battle-field, the wounded of both armies were conveyed, under the charge of Hospital Sergeant, James Thompson, to the boats below, on their way to the temporary hospital, at St-Joseph de Lévis.

 

On the gift and transfer of the above to' the city as a public park, the City Council, by a resolution, undertook to have an avenue opened, 60 feet wide-, at the western limit of the grounds, from the St. Louis road to the Cîme du Cap.

 

There are also several other charges, and conditions mentioned in the Deed, such as the introduction of the waterworks, drainage, &c.

 

The signatures to the document are as follows :

 

WILFRID LAURIER.

 

"Sœur Flavie Gagnon, de Ste-Antoinette, Supre.

Sœur Georgianna Letourneau, de M. de l'Assomption, Asste.

Sœur Catherine Doherty, de Ste-Christine, Zel.

Sœur Emma Chaperon, de Ste-Aurette, Depre.

Sœur Joséphine Holmes, de Ste-Croix.

Sœur Jeanne McDonald, de St-L. de Gonzague.

Sœur Emma Nault, de St-Joseph,

Sœur Henriette Audette, de M. de la Providence.

 

L. N, Arch. de Québec.

 

(Sig.) J. A. CHARLEBOIS, N. P.

 

 

Levi and Murray's engagement styled by some historians, "the Battle of Sillery Woods," and fought on 28th April, 1760, is also intimately associated with the western portion of the plateau known for years as the Plains of Abraham.

 

History tells, how Col. Arnold, camped his forces on the 14th November, 1775, on the Plains of Abraham, previous to retreating to Pointe aux Trembles and Jared Sparks, the American historian, quotes letters from Brigadier General Montgomery, dated Holland House, Ste Foye road, Dec. 1775, his headquarters ; from whence ho led, at 2 a. m., before dawn, during a snow storm, his sturdy followers across the Plains of Abraham, down to Près-de-Ville, on the shore of the St. Lawrence, to meet death and defeat about 4 o'clock a. in., on Sunday, the 31st Dec. 1775.

 

In anticipation of the arrangements for the laying out of the new park, the Literary and Historical Society, at one of its monthly meetings, 19th March, 1902, adopted the following resolution :

 

Moved by Mr. P. B. Casgrain, seconded by Mr. John Theodore Ross :

 

"That while rejoicing with the citizens of Quebec at the munificent gift to the city by the Dominion Government of the Plains of Abraham for a public park, the Society earnestly hopes that previous to the laying out of these historic grounds, tenders will be asked for a design and plan, and a prize offered, as the beauty in after years of such a park will depend mainly on the manner it may originally have been laid out. "