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General James Wolfe (2 January 1727 – 13 September 1759) was a British military officer, remembered mainly for his role defeating the French in Canada and establishing British rule there.

Wolfe was born in Westerham, Kent, England, the eldest son of Colonel Edward and Henrietta Wolfe. Around 1738 the family moved to Greenwich, near London. From his earliest years Wolfe was slotted for a military career, entering his father's marine regiment at the age of 14.

Wolfe comported himself admirably at Louisbourg, and as a result, Pitt chose him to lead the British assault on Quebec City the following year. The British army laid siege to the city for three months. During that time, Wolfe issued a written document, known as Wolfe's Manifesto, to the French-Canadian (Québécois) civilians, as a part of his strategy of psychological intimidation. In March 1759, prior to arriving at Quebec, Wolfe had written to Amherst: "If, by accident in the river, by the enemy’s resistance, by sickness or slaughter in the army, or, from any other cause, we find that Quebec is not likely to fall into our hands (persevering however to the last moment), I propose to set the town on fire with shells, to destroy the harvest, houses and cattle, both above and below, to send off as many Canadians as possible to Europe and to leave famine and desolation behind me; but we must teach these scoundrels to make war in a more gentleman like manner."