X.

1756.

a

When general Webb had advanced as far as the CHAP.
carrying place, between Mohawk river and Wood
Creek, he received the news of the capture of Os-
wego. Apprehensive of an attack by the enemy, he
began to fell trees and throw them into the river,
and to render it impassable even for canoes. The
French ignorant of his numbers, and dreading an at-
tack by him, used the like precautions to prevent
his advancing. He was left therefore to retreat in
the same leisure manner in which he had advanced.

Lord Loudon now pretended, that it was too late
to attempt any thing against the enemy, though it
was nearly three months to the time of the usual de-
campment of the army. The troops were advanced
to the south end of lake George, and might, at any
time, within a few days have made an attack on Ti.
conderoga or Crown Point.

He spent the remainder of the season, in pretended preparations for an early campaign the next spring. The forts, Edward and fort William Henry, were made more defensible, and furnished with numerous garrisons. The provincials returned to their respective colonies, and the regular troops who were not employed in the garrisons went into winter quarters at Albany. Thus ended the northern campaign of 1756.

The last year the provincials under their own gener- Comparials had advanced far upon the enemy, erected forts, son be.

tween the
built ships, and many hundreds of boats and battoes, campaigns
defeated one army of their enemies and taken their of 1755,

and 1756.
general captive. They had also made grand prepar-
ations for opening the campaign, at the earliest pe-
riod, this year. The British generals, with the finest
army ever collected in America, with the advantage of
roads and rivers, cleared for their passage, to the very
forts of the enemy, and with all the other prepara-
tions of the last year, had lost one of their most im-
portant posts, had not advanced one foot upon the
enemy, nor effected anything honourable or important.

CHAP.

X

1756.

The management of affairs in the southern colonies was not more fortunate than it had been in the northern. Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia did

. Conduct not resolve on any regular plan of defence. Fort of the

Granville, on the confines of Pennsylvania, was sursouthern colonies. prised and taken. The French and Indians, in small

parties, making frequent incursions into the frontier settlements, in these colonies, committed many shocking murders on the defenceless inhabitants, without regard to distinction of character, sex, or age.

In South Carolina the slaves were so much more numerous than the white people, that it was thought unsafe for them to spare any of their troops abroad upon a general enterprise.

Great expectations had been formed of the earl of Loudon and general Abercrombie. In the principal towns through which his lordship passed, the first characters flocked round him, and, with great ceremony, congratulated him on his safe arrival. At New Haven, Mr. President Clap and the principal gentlemen of the town, waited on him in the most respectful manner. The president presented his lordship with their joint congratulations on the safe

arrival of a peer of the realm, in North America. General How prodigious then was their disappointment, how disappoint

cutting their chagrin, when they found that these very men, from whom they expected so much, had disconcerted and dashed all their plans, and employed ten or twelve thousand men about nothing ? Had, through their inactivity, lost more men, by diseases, than probably would have been lost in a vigorous, active campaign, in which they might have engaged in severe and hard fought battles, and done the most essential services to their country? It was not difficult to discern, that from such men, the enemy had nothing to fear, and the colonies nothing to expect, but loss and disappointment.

ment.

CHAPTER XI.

Preparations for the campaign in 1757. Plan of operation in America

changed, and Louisburg becomes its only object. This is rein-
forced, and the expedition postponed. Fort William Henry taken
by the French. The country is alarmed, and great reinforcements
of militia sent forward to Albany and Fort Edward. The campaign
closes with loss and shame. The provincials lose all confidence
in the British commanders. Change of men, 1758. Armament
against Louisburg. Its siege and capture by general Amherst.
Defeat at Ticonderoga. Du Quesne taken by general Forbes.

XI.

1757.

the cam

NOTWITHSTANDING the disappointments of chap.
the last, the British parliament made great prepara-
tions this year, for a vigorous prosecution of the
war in America.

In May admiral Holbourn and Prepara-
commodore Holmes sailed from Cork, for America, tions for
with eleven ships of the line, a fire ship, bomb ketch, paign.
and fifty transports, having on board more than six
thousand regular troops. The land force came out
under general Hopson. The armament arrived safe
at Halifax the ninth of July. The colonies expect-
ing, that after such long and great preparations, for
that purpose, that they should be led on to the con-
quest of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, had been
zealous in raising their full complement of men.
Great therefore was their mortification when they
found that the design against Crown Point was laid
aside, and that the reduction of Louisburg was be-
come the sole object of the expedition. They were
unwilling that their troops should be removed out of
the colonies and be employed against Louisburg.
It appeared to them extremely impolitic, after the
expense of so much time and money, in preparations
for an expedition to the northward, now to lay it
aside. Such inconstancy and fluctuation appeared
to them childish, and calculated to prevent the ac-
complishment of any thing decisive or important.

VOL. I. 47

**

XI.

1757.

CHAP. Besides, it did not appear safe for the colonies, in

this manner to draw off their troops. They had not been able the last year, with an army of nearly twelve thousand men, to maintain their ground. The enemy were now stronger than they were at that time, and, by the loss of Oswego, all the western country was laid open to their ravages. There was reason to fear, that the frontier posts and settlements would, one after another, be swept away ; and, that the preparations, which had been made for an early attack on the enemy, would be swept away with them.

The colonies however were obliged to submit, July 9. and lord Loudon sailed from New York, with six

thousand land forces, and joined Holbourn and Hopson at Halifax. Here was now a land army of more than twelve thousand men, exclusive of officers, aid. ed by a powerful fleet ; but they were so dilatory in their measures, that before they were ready to sail, the Brest fleet, of seventeen sail of the line besides

frigates and transports, arrived at Louisburg ; and Expedi. the garrison was so reinforced, that it amounted to

more than nine thousand men. On the reception of gainst

this intelligence, it was judged inexpedient to proburg given ceed, and the expedition was given up.*

Had the earl of Loudon been a man of enterprise, had he wished to have distinguished himself in his majesty's service, or to have rendered himself popular in the colonies, he might, by the beginning of September, have conducted this powerful army tó T'iconderoga, and carried all before him in that quarter. At least he might have sent on large detachments for the defence of the frontiers. With his Prussian majesty, an Amherst, or a Wolfe, these would have been but natural and common achievements, But he returned to New York, and effected nothing. The miserable consequences of this irresolution and inactivity, began soon to appear in a strong point of hight.

tion a

Louis

over.

The British generals in America, did more, by CHAP. their pusillanimity, the weakness and inconstancy of their counsels, than the French otherwise could

1757. have done by all their conquests. As though they had not been satisfied with the loss of Oswego, they destroyed the fortifications at the great carrying place, and filled Wood Creek with logs and trees. They cut off all communication between the colonies and the Five Nations, the only body of Indians which preserved even the appearance of friendship to them, and abandoned their whole country to the mercy of the enemy. Nothing could be done to prevent theiç collecting the Indians from all quarters to act against the colonies.

Monsieur Montcalm did not neglect to improve the advantages which he had gained, and which the conduct of the British commanders afforded him. Finding that the troops were drawn off to Halifax, he at once determined on the siege of fort William Henry, and the destruction of the vessels and battoes, at the south landing of lake George. Bodies of Indians were collected, and preparations made with despatch for the enterprise.

Meanwhile colonel Parker with four hundred men, in battoes, was detached from this post, to surprise an advanced guard of the enemy at Ticonderoga. Landing at night, on an island not far distant, he sent three boats to reconnoitre, directing them where to meet him in a general rendezvous. The enemy, waylaying and intercepting the boats, got perfect intelligence of the colonel's designs, and concerted measures to decoy him into their hands. Having laid an am. bush of three hundred men behind the point where he designed to land, they sent three boats to the place appointed for rendezvous. The colonel mistaking them for his own boats eagerly put to shore, and was instantly surrounded with the enemy,

who were now reinforced with four hundred men.' They attacked him on all sides, with such incessant vio.