With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent was published by Blackie and Son in 1887. James Dowell accompanies General James Wolfe’s expeditionary force up the St. Lawrence River to Quebec in 1759 — the decisive campaign of the French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War). The narrative covers the long siege of Quebec, Wolfe’s daring night ascent of the cliffs, and the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, where both Wolfe and the French commander Montcalm were mortally wounded.
Henty’s treatment of the campaign is militarily detailed and largely accurate. The Plains of Abraham engagement — one of the most consequential battles in North American history — receives careful attention, with Henty explaining the tactical decisions, the terrain, and the desperate gamble of the cliff assault.
Collecting With Wolfe in Canada
First edition (Blackie and Son, London, 1887): Pictorial cloth binding.
Market values:
- Fine condition: $200–$500
- Very good: $75–$200
- Good: $30–$75
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
The Fall of Quebec
Set during the French and Indian War, the novel follows a young Englishman who serves under General Wolfe in the campaign that culminated in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the fall of Quebec in 1759. Henty captures the wilderness warfare of the North American frontier — ambushes, forest marches, river crossings — with his usual vivid detail, and the dramatic death of Wolfe at the moment of victory provides a ready-made climax.
Frequently Asked Questions
What historical periods did Henty cover? Virtually all of them: ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; the Crusades; the Hundred Years’ War; the Wars of the Roses; the Elizabethan era; the English Civil War; the American Revolution; the Napoleonic Wars; the Indian Mutiny; the Zulu War; and many more. His 120+ novels constitute a one-man curriculum in world military history.