440. G en era l W o l f e . Died, 13 Sept. 1759.
Bust of Wolfe, L, with hair long, and tied behind, in armour
and mantle. Leg. iacobtjs wo l fe a ng l e s . Below, gosset . m .
kirk . F.
Rev. A monument, crowned with a laurel wreath, its base
inscribed, pro patria (For his country), and erected amidst
piles of arms and standards. Leg. in victoria g e s v s . (Slain
in the moment of victory.) Ex. qvebecje se p t . x r u mdcclix.
(At Quebec, 13 Sept. 1759.)
1*45. (See Woodcut.)
440. Death of General Wolfe.
MB. At. M. Not rare.
James Wolfe, born in 1726, was selected by Pitt to command
in North America. In 1758 he joined Boscawen and Amherst
in the reduction of Louisburg, and in the following year was
entrusted with an expedition against Quebec. After a long and
arduous siege the English, on the 13th Sept., made themselves
masters of the Heights of Abraham, which commanded the
town, and after a gallant contest the French gave way. Wolfe
expired on the field in the moment of victory, and Montcalm,
the French commander, was also slain.
441. F ig h t off B e l l e is l e . 20 Nov. 1759.
Britannia, armed with trident and shield, seated, r., upon a
sea-horse, is crowned by Victory. Leg. Brita in . trivmphed .
HAWKE . COMMANDED. Ex. OFF. BELLEISLE . NOV . XX . MDCCLIX.
Rev. n igh t and tempest interpose to shield France from
the assault of Br ita in . France, with one foot on a rock and
the other on the figure of Tempest, leans upon his useless
sword and protects himself with his shield against Britannia,
who, with her foot upon the prow of a ship, launches her
thunder against him. Ex. France . r e l inq v ish e s . th e . sea.
s . p . a . c.
1'55. Old England, II. 273.
MB. At. M. Rare.
Executed, probably by Thomas Pingo, for the Society for
Promoting Arts and Commerce.
In the engagement off Belleisle the English and French
fleets were nearly equal, but De Conflans, the French admiral,
endeavoured to avoid an engagement by sheltering himself
amidst the rocks and shoals of the coast; a tremendous tempest
and a dark night favoured his attempt at escape. He, however,
lost six ships ; others were severely damaged; the spirit of the
French navy was broken, and it made no great efforts during
the remainder of the war; in effect relinquishing its dominion
over the sea. Belleisle is situated off the point of Quiberon,
at which place the fleet commanded by Hawke had been
strengthened by some frigates under Captain Duff. This engagement
is usually called “ the battle of Quiberon.”
442. S uccesses of 1759.
Bust of George II., I., laureate, in armour, riband and star
of the Garter. Leg. georgivs . i i . r ex .
Rev. A lion rampant, I., devours, grasps, and tramples
upon French lilies. Outer leg. gloria e t honor britannicis
PRiEFECTis. (Glory and Honour to the British Commanders.)
Inner leg. f in is coronat opus. (The end crowns the undertaking.)
Ex. MDCCLVIIII.
1-35.
Hunter, At. Extremely rare.
This medal, although referring to the various victories of 1759,
more specially alludes to the engagement off Belleisle, which was
called the crowning conclusion of the year’s operations, and
z z 2