MacKim swore. He knew the British had lost the battle. If Murray decided to stand and slug it out toe to toe, he might lose his entire army, and that would give de Levis virtually open access to Quebec. Murray’s three thousand ragged men constituted the only British army presently in Canada, and the General was responsible not only for the men, but also for Quebec, the capital city and lynchpin of New France. If Murray lost his army, the British would lose Canada; they would have to regain it from a triumphant France with sky-high morale.
Nobody was surprised when the British drums beat the Retreat.
“It’s logical,” Chisholm said. “In this game of chess, Murray is looking for a stalemate until the Royal Navy comes with reinforcements.”
“And if the French navy comes instead?” MacRae shot
