"Mad, is he? Then I hope he will bite some of my other generals."
King George II on James Wolfe - 1759

James Wolfe was a bold, young British officer who led Newbury men (and others) into battle on Quebec's Plains of Abraham on September 13, 1759. His death at the moment of victory became legend, and Wolfe a martyr to the cause of British supremacy in North America.

How Wolfe's name and reputation survived Newburyport's patriot fervor during the Revolutionary War, emblazoned proudly on the tavern and hotel that were local institutions, is a story of loyalty, courage, and grief told through images, documents, and artifacts in the collection of the Museum of Old Newbury.

James Wolfe was born in January, 1727. We will explore his legacy with a brief illustrated history and celebrate with cake, punch, and a performance of the haunting lament General Wolfe on the fife.

Stereoview of the Wolfe Tavern on State Street