▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁overall ▁Army ▁command ▁for ▁the ▁assault , ▁supported ▁by ▁Major - General ▁Henry ▁Se ym our ▁Con way ▁and ▁Colonel ▁Edward ▁Corn wall is . ▁Royal ▁n avy ▁command ▁was ▁v ested ▁in ▁Admir als ▁The ▁naval ▁command ers , ▁Sir ▁Edward ▁Haw ke ▁and ▁Sir ▁Charles ▁Know les . ▁ ▁The ▁force ▁of ▁ 3 1 ▁war ships ▁and ▁ 4 9 ▁trans ports ▁carrying ▁ 1 0 ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁soldiers ▁set ▁sail ▁on ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 7 5 7 , ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁Î le ▁d ' A ix ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁September . ▁However , ▁they ▁now ▁discovered ▁that ▁shall ow ▁water ▁would ▁prevent ▁the ▁ships ▁from ▁approaching ▁closer ▁than ▁a ▁mile ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁from ▁shore , ▁requiring ▁a ▁long ▁and ▁ha z ard ous ▁landing ▁by ▁boats . ▁An ▁attack ▁was ▁planned ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁a ▁report ▁by ▁Colonel ▁James ▁Wol fe , ▁who ▁had ▁gone ▁ash ore ▁at ▁Ro che fort ▁with ▁a ▁sc out ing ▁party ▁and ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁French ▁g arrison ▁as ▁too ▁weak ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁landing . ▁Wol fe ▁ur ged ▁M ord a unt ▁into ▁action , ▁offering ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁town ▁himself ▁if ▁given ▁just ▁ 5 0 0 ▁men . ▁Despite ▁the ▁report , ▁M ord a unt ▁remained ▁uncertain ▁of ▁victory . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁September ▁he ▁called ▁a ▁council ▁of ▁war ▁ab o ard ▁, ▁where ▁debate ▁included ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁French ▁rein for c ements ▁and