MAP 4.5 The Anglo-American Conquest of New France
After full-scale war with France began in 1756, it took almost three years for the British ministry to equip colonial forces and dispatch a sizable army to far-off America. In 1758, British and colonial troops attacked the heartland of New France, capturing Quebec in 1759 and Montreal in 1760. This conquest both united and divided the allies. Colonists celebrated the great victory: “The Illuminations and Fireworks exceeded any that had been exhibited before,” reported the South Carolina Gazette. However, British officers had little respect for colonial soldiers. Said one, “[They are] the dirtiest, most contemptible, cowardly dogs you can conceive.”