Other
troops came to their aid, cleared the thickets, after stout resistance,
and drove their occupants across the meadow to the bridge of boats.
The conduct of the Canadians at the Cote Ste.-Genevieve went far to
atone for the short-comings of some of them on the battle-field.
A part of the fugitives escaped into the town by the gates
of St. Louis and St. John, while the greater number fled along
the front of the ramparts, rushed down the declivity to the
suburb of St. Roch, and ran over the meadows to the bridge,
protected by the cannon of the town and the two armed hulks
in the river. The rout had but just begun when Vaudreuil
crossed the bridge from the camp of Beauport. It was four
hours since he first heard the alarm, and his quarters were
not much more than two miles from the battle-field. He does
not explain why he did not come sooner; it is certain that his
coming was well timed to throw the blame on Montcalm in
case of defeat, or to claim some of the honor for himself in
case of victory. "Monsieur the Marquis of Montcalm," he
says, "unfortunately made his attack before I had joined
him."[784] His joining him could have done no good; for though
he had at last brought with him the rest of the militia from
the Beauport camp, they had come no farther than the bridge
over the St. Charles, having, as he alleges, been kept there by
an unauthorized order from the chief of staff, Montreuil.
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