▁was ▁promoted ▁major - general ▁and ▁made ▁colon el ▁of ▁a ▁drag oon ▁regiment ▁( l ater ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁Drag o ons ). ▁He ▁led ▁a ▁brig ade ▁of ▁inf antry ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lau ff eld , ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Knight ▁Comp an ion ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Bath ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Su cc ession . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Governor ▁of ▁She ern ess ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 2 . ▁James ▁Wol fe , ▁who ▁was ▁his ▁house gu est ▁while ▁cour ting ▁his ▁nie ce ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 4 , ▁remarked ▁on ▁his ▁civ ility ▁and ▁pleasant ▁manner . ▁ ▁Ro che fort ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Seven ▁Years ' ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 6 , ▁M ord a unt ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁training ▁troops ▁at ▁B land ford . ▁The ▁next ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command ▁an ▁am ph ib ious ▁assault ▁on ▁the ▁French ▁port ▁of ▁Ro che fort . ▁The ▁immediate ▁objective ▁was ▁to ▁destroy ▁France ' s ▁Royal ▁D ock yard ▁at ▁the ▁port . ▁A ▁secondary ▁objective ▁was ▁to ▁highlight ▁Britain ' s ▁capacity ▁to ▁strike ▁at ▁the ▁French ▁main land , ▁and ▁force ▁France ▁to ▁withdraw ▁troops ▁from ▁other ▁conflicts ▁to ▁defend ▁its ▁western ▁coast line . ▁The ▁plan ▁was ▁champion ed ▁at ▁the ▁highest ▁levels , ▁including ▁by ▁British ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁William ▁Pitt . ▁ ▁M ord a unt