When they neared them, they threw grapnels on board, and towed them towards land until they were stranded, and then left them to burn out undisturbed.
Finding that it would be impossible to effect a landing, under the fire of the French guns, Wolfe determined, as a first step, to seize the height of Point Levi opposite Quebec.

From this point he could fire on the town across the Saint Lawrence, which is, here, less than a mile wide.
On the afternoon of the 29th, Monckton's brigade crossed, in the boats, to Beaumont on the south shore.

His advanced guard had a skirmish with a party of Canadians, but these soon fell back, and no further opposition was offered to the landing.
In the morning a proclamation, issued by Wolfe, was posted on the doors of the parish churches.

It called upon the Canadians to stand neutral in the contest, promising them, if they did so, full protection to their property and religion; but threatening that, if they resisted, their houses, goods, and harvest should be destroyed, and their churches sacked.
The brigade marched along the river to Point Levi, and drove off a body of French and Indians posted there, and, the next morning, began to throw up intrenchments and to form batteries.

Wolfe did not expect that his guns here could do any serious damage to the fortifications of Quebec.