At once after the disaster, the Highlanders were moved back to their old camp at Point Levi.  Some idle days followed.  But, on August 15th, a detachment which included Fraser was sent to the Island of Orleans.  It was bent on the work of desolating the Canadian parishes, the people of which still persisted in warring on the British.  On Thursday, August 16th, the detachment, consisting of about 170 officers and men, marched the length of the Island of Orleans and on the 17th it crossed to St. Joachim—­the fertile flats lying almost under the shadow of Cap Tourmente:  Fraser was drawing near to the Malbaie country.  He writes:  “Friday, 17th August.—­Crossed from the Isle of Orleans to St. Joachim.  Before we landed we observed some men walking along the fences, as if they intended to oppose us and on our march up to the Church of St. Joachim, we were fired on by some party’s of the Enemy from behind the houses and fences, but upon our advancing they betook themselves to the woods, from whence they continued popping at us, till towards evening, when they thought proper to retire, and we kept possession of the Priest’s house, which we set about fortifying in the best manner we could.”  They remained quietly at St. Joachim for some days.  But they were getting ready for the grim task of desolating the parishes lying between St. Joachim and Montmorency.  Fraser tells the story with soldier-like brevity, but obviously he hated the work.

“Thursday, 23rd.—­We were reinforced by a party of about one hundred and forty Light Infantry, and a Company of Rangers, under the command of Captain Montgomery of Kennedy’s or forty-third Regiment, who likewise took the command of our detachment, and we all marched to attack the village to the west of St. Joachim, which was occupied by a party of the enemy to the number of about two hundred, as we supposed, Canadians and Indians.  When we came pretty near the village, they fired on us from the houses pretty smartly; we were ordered to lie behind the fences till the Rangers, who were detached to attack the Enemy from the woods, began firing on their left flank, when we advanc^d briskly without great order; and the French abandoned the houses and endeavoured to get into the woods, our men pursuing close at their heels.  There were several of the enemy killed, and wounded, and a few prisoners taken, all of whom the barbarous Captain Montgomery, who commanded us, ordered to be butchered in a most inhuman and cruel manner; particularly two, who I sent prisoners by a sergeant, after giving them quarter, and engaging that they should not be killed, were one shot, and the other knocked down with a Tomahawk (a little hatchet) and both scalped in my absence, by the rascally sergeant neglecting to acquaint Montgomery that I wanted them saved, as he, Montgomery, pretended when I questioned him about it; but even that was no excuse for such an unparalleled piece of barbarity.  However, as the affair could not be remedied, I was obliged to let it drop.  After this skirmish we set about burning the houses with great success, setting all in flames till we came to the church of St. Anne’s, [the now famous shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre], where we put up for this night, and were joined by Captain Ross, with about one hundred and twenty men of his company.