Key Facts
- Duration
- 29 April – 15 May 1760 (17 days)
- Outcome confirmed by
- Treaty of Paris, 1763
- French commander
- François Gaston de Lévis
- Relief force
- British naval ships arrived 15 May 1760
Strategic Narrative Overview
French forces under Lévis invested Quebec City beginning 29 April 1760, pressing the British garrison into a difficult defensive position. The siege proceeded with French forces exerting sustained pressure on the city. However, on 15 May 1760, British naval vessels arrived on the St. Lawrence River, breaking the French supply lines and tipping the balance decisively. Unable to continue without naval support and facing a reinforced enemy, Lévis ordered a withdrawal.
01 / The Origins
Following Britain's capture of Quebec City in 1759 during the Seven Years' War, France sought to reclaim the city before British reinforcements could consolidate control. The fall of Quebec had severely weakened French positions in New France, and a successful counter-siege could reverse the strategic situation in North America. French commander François Gaston de Lévis organized an expedition to besiege the British garrison and restore French dominance in the colony.
03 / The Outcome
The arrival of British ships on 15 May 1760 compelled Lévis to lift the siege and retreat. Britain subsequently launched the Montreal campaign, capturing the city and ending organized French military resistance in New France. The British conquest of the colony was complete by late 1760, and the Treaty of Paris in 1763 formally confirmed the transfer of New France to British sovereignty, fundamentally reshaping the political order of North America.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
François Gaston de Lévis.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.