Unaware of the massacre that had scattered
General Forbes' forces on thePennsylvania frontier, General Wolfe
landed his forces on the lower reachesof the Detroit river by
late May. Two weeks later he had succeeded inhauling his artillery
up to the vicinity of the fort where the local Frenchforces had
gathered for the defense of Upper Canada.
Two French metropolitan battalions anchored the local defense. One wasplaced within the settlement adjacent to the fort to support the militiabattalion which garrisoned the fort. The second quickly occupied a tradingpost on the opposite end of a large wood south of the fort. An earthwork(garrisoned by militia) was also constructed near this second position;while the woods linking the two ends of the line were filled with French Indians and other irregulars.
General Wolfe concentrated two brigades of mixed regulars and colonials astride the main carrying road leading to the fort. Further to the south, Major Toomey's rangersled a mixed brigade of colonials and Indians including a battalion of regular light infantry. This force approached the south end of the French line directly in an attempt to seize the trading post barricaded by the French.
The French remained largely impassive as the British moved into their attack positions in the open fields in front of fort. The engagement opened near the trading post as rangers and light infantry crept forward to snipe at the Bourbon regiment in the inside. The fight was carried further to the left as the French brought up Indians out of the wood to support the regulars and the British moved a militia battalion in response.
The
main body of regulars under Wolfe screened the fort with skirmishers
and deployed alongside Major Toomey's force attacking the trading
post, extending the line across the front of the wood held by
the French irregulars. A light battery and the Louisburg grenadier
battalion headed for the French earthwork while the 15th and 58th
regiments stretched themselves thin trying to support the skirmish
line that ran from the fort across the front of the wood. A unit
of French frontiersmen emerging from the wood to challenge the
British skirmishers was driven back into the woods, but the British
pursuit stretched their line even further.
As the British stretched their line the
French regulars and militia placed in the fort formed up and moved
out to attack the exposed flank with Indian support. Eager to
come to grips the French routed a militia battalion in skirmish
order and crashed on into the 58th Foot that lost its colors before
retiring in disorder. With the first day drawing to a close the
British right had become completely unhinged.
Meanwhile on the left the Indians attached
to Major Toomey's command routed off in the course of the fighting
before the rangers gained the upper hand in driving the Bourbon
regiment out of the trading post with their lively fire. Still
the French line bent rather than broke as the grenadiers approached
the earthwork supported by the light battery that advanced to
canister range. In a deadly 
exchange
of fire with the militia in the earthwork the ground was strewn
with dead and dying grenadiers. Just as the assault was losing
momentum a blast of canister forced the French militia to check
morale and the unit broke. The grenadiers charged through the
works at a unit of Indians behind the entrenchment's and they
routed as well. With a single charge of canister from the guns
the French right had been put to flight by days end.
At
nightfall the scattered British units on their right recovered
their morale; while three French units on their right melted into
the forest. Colonel de Braun decided not to hazard a second day
and ordered the fort blown up. He led the remaining defenders
back into the Ohio valley.