Understand that Wolfe is revered in Canada as his victory on the Plains of Abraham when he was only 32 years old established the present construct of an English French Canada. It also set the stage for American independence because the political dispensation of the Canadas actually blocked Colonial expansionism to the West.
Who is considered the kindest general in history?
General Sir James Wolfe 1727–1759
quora.com
Already a brigade major at the age of 18, he was a lieutenant-colonel by 23.
‘Mad is he? Then I wish he would bite some of my other Generals’ King George II. He was considered the most enlightened Regimental officer of his day.
Wolfe was remarkable for his humanity, open-mindedness and military efficiency. He was bitterly opposed to the ‘spirit breaking tactics of harsh punishment and drill’.
He did not court popularity and was quite prepared to deviate from the accepted military norms of the day. He forced his officers to attend to the welfare of his men, to visit their quarters, attend to their health, learn their names and get to know them.
He was willing to disobey orders if they were at odds to what he knew to be right.
These qualities allowed him to reach standards of military efficiency rare to those days. The complete antithesis to authoritarianism.
This is not to say he was not ruthless with his enemies or his own soldiers who failed to live up to his expectations.
Killed in the final moments of his victory at The Battle Of the Plains of Abraham, Canada.
Ref: On the Psychology of Military Incompetence: N. Dixon.
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