Chapters I to III

DateJuly 1758
LocationFort Carillon at Ticonderoga between Lake George and Lake Champlain
ContextA military campaign by British and American colonial forces against Fort Carillon as part of the conquest of New France. This campaign was an extension into north-eastern America of the Seven Years War in Europe and was planned in London at the behest of William Pitt, Prime Minister
ThemeMilitary
Battle scene, Fort Carillon 
Main characterEnsign John à Cleeve of Cleeve Court in Devon
NationalitiesBritish
American colonial
French colonial

 

 Chapters IV to IX

DateJuly 1758
LocationLake Champlain and the Richelieu River, the Adirondack Mountains and the St. Lawrence River
PlotThe journey of John à Cleeve, Sergeant Barboux and Menehwehna across the Adirondacks and the retreat of Bateese Guyon and Sergeant McQuarters back to the Richelieu River. An attack by Iroquois Indians and the death of Armand des Noel-Tilly, heard from a distance
Main charactersJohn à Cleeve
Sergeant Barboux
Menehwehna
Bateese Guyon
NationalitiesBritish
French and French colonial
Ojibway & Iroquois Indian
Short story 1: Manabozho’s Toe

 

Chapters X to XVI

DateAugust 1758
LocationThe Seigniory of Boisveyrac on the St. Lawrence River to Fort Amity or Amitié further upstream
PlotAt Boisveyrac John à Cleeve is mistaken for a wounded French soldier from Fort Carillon. Diane des Noel-Tilly, daughter of the Commandant of Fort Amity, falls in love with him
ThemeRomance and intrigue
Love triangle – John à Cleeve, Diane and Dominique Guyon
Main charactersJohn à Cleeve, Diane des Noel-Tilly, Menehwehna, an Ojibwas chief
NationalitiesBritish
French Canadian
Ojibway Indian

 

Chapters XVII to XX

DateAugust 1758 to August 1760
LocationAugust 1758 to August 1760
ContextThe life of the Ojibway or Ojibwas Indian and the Council of 
Fort Niagara
Scenes from Indian life
Love triangle two – Netawis (John à Cleeve), Azoka and Ononwe
NationalitiesBritish
Indians of the Great Lakes
Short stories1: Daimeka`
2: The Beau-man

 

Chapters XXI to XXVI

DateNovember 1759 to September 1760
LocationThe St. Lawrence River
ContextThe British campaign on the St. Lawrence to capture Fort Amitié, Quebec and Montreal
ThemesThe campaign by American colonists to conquer Canada led by Richard Montgomery
The defence of the Près-de-Ville by John à Cleeve
Main charactersThe Seignior of Boisveyrac, his brother M. Etienne and his daughter Diane
Dominique and Bateese Guyon
Various military figures
Richard Montgomery 
NationalitiesBritish
French Canadian
Indians (various)
Short story4: Greeks and Persians

 

Chapter XXVII

DateDecember 1775
LocationQuebec
Context

The campaign by American colonists to conquer Canada led by Richard Montgomery

The defence of the Près-de-Ville by John à Cleeve.

Theme

Military and Romance

Battle scene 3

Main charactersJohn à Cleeve
Richard Montgomery
Diane des Noel-Tilly
NationalitiesBritish Canadian
French Canadian
American colonists

Epilogue I

DateSummer 1818
LocationThe Montgomery residence above the Hudson River in New York State
ContextThe removal of the remains of Richard Montgomery from Quebec to the cenotaph in New York
ThemeThe futility of war
CharactersThe American families of Livingston and Schuyler and the widow of Richard Montgomery
NationalityNationals of the U.S.A.

 Epilogue II

 

Date31 December, 1875
LocationCitadel of Quebec
ContextThe anniversary of the repulse of the American colonists a hundred years before
Flashback – the marriage of John à Cleeve and Diane des Noel-Tilly and their removal to Boisveyrac
NationalitiesCanadians
Ojibway Indians