A French victory over British forces near Quebec in 1760, making it bloodier than the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and briefly threatening British control of the city.
Key Facts
- Date
- April 28, 1760
- French casualties
- 833 soldiers
- British casualties
- 1,124 soldiers
- Battle duration
- Approximately 2 hours at close range
- Outcome
- French victory; British retreated to Quebec without their guns
- Conflict
- Seven Years' War (French and Indian War)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the British capture of Quebec after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in September 1759, French forces under the Chevalier de Lévis regrouped over winter and advanced on the British-held city in spring 1760, seeking to retake Quebec before British naval reinforcements could arrive.
On April 28, 1760, French and British armies clashed near Sainte-Foy outside Quebec. British General Murray led his forces out of the city to engage, achieving initial success, but the advance obscured British artillery and infantry became mired in mud and melting snow. Over roughly two hours of close-range fighting, French reinforcements turned both British flanks, forcing a retreat.
Murray withdrew his troops to Quebec, abandoning his artillery, which Lévis turned against the city. The French besieged Quebec, but the arrival of British naval vessels in May 1760 forced Lévis to abandon the siege, ultimately confirming British dominance over Canada and sealing France's fate in the Seven Years' War in North America.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Chevalier de Lévis.
Side B
1 belligerent
General James Murray.