His object was partly to discourage the inhabitants of the city exposed to his fire, partly to keep up the spirits of his own troops by setting them to work.
The guns of Quebec kept up a continual fire against the working parties, but the batteries continued to rise, and the citizens, alarmed at the destruction which threatened their houses, asked the governor to allow them to cross the river, and dislodge the English.

Although he had no belief that they would succeed, he thought it better to allow them to try.

Accordingly, some fifteen hundred armed citizens, and Canadians from the camp, with a few Indians, and a hundred volunteers from the regulars, marched up the river, and crossed on the night of the 12th of July.
The courage of the citizens evaporated very quickly, now they were on the same side of the river as the English, although still three miles from them.

In a short time a wild panic seized them.

They rushed back in extreme disorder to their boats, crossed the river, and returned to Quebec.
The English guns soon opened, and carried destruction into the city.