" The late John, 5th Marquess Townshend, not long before he died, asked me to write the life of our common ancestor, for which purpose a large mass of family papers and letters, at Raynham Hall, appertaining to the 1st Marquess, was available.

The work has been carried on under many interruptions and difficulties. When I had visited all the European battlefields mentioned in the work, I was ordered out to India, back again to England shortly after, and then out to South Africa. A considerable portion of the writing was done on board ship, and I finished the book on my return from the Cape.

I have five large volumes of closely written letters from Townshend, when he was Viceroy of Ireland, to the Prime Minister, but I have had to confine myself to the military life of George Townshend, for if his political life were included the book would necessarily extend to two volumes.

The part of the work which describes the Expedition to Quebec will be found to give many military details which up till now have been wanting in all histories of that memorable epoch. It will be seen that the unexpected and surprising manner in which Quebec was taken was the plan of the Brigadiers, and not of Wolfe. [Webmaster - this fact is confirmed by Captain James Cook who first made his mark surveying the St Lawrence River for the imminent attack. See Cook's journal]

That Wolfe put into happy execution the plan of others is no disparagement to his glorious memory--such things are not unknown to students of military history; and, moreover, it was Wolfe's martial spirit which at once adopted the plan, led the men up the cliff in the night, and compelled victory in the morning.

George Townshend, on the death of Wolfe, wrote to a friend the following letter expressing his sentiments on the death of his gallant chief:--

' I am not ashamed to own to you, that my heart does not exult in the midst of this success. I have lost but a friend in General Wolfe. Our country has lost a sure support and a perpetual honour. If the world were sensible at how dear a price we have purchased Quebec in his death, it would damp the general joy. Our best consolation is that Providence seemed not to promise that he should remain long among us. He was himself sensible of the weakness of his consstitution, and determined to crowd into a few years actions that would have adorned length of life. '

My best thanks are due to the present Marquess Townshend for his kindness in placing all papers and documents at my disposal. "