and children, amounted to more than five hundred. CHAP.

XI. On the eighth of October the conferences were opened. The Six Nations complained that some of

1758. their nations had been killed by the English, that others had been captivated and imprisoned in time of profound peace. The Delawares and Minisinks complained, that the English had encroached on their lands, and driven them from their hunting grounds; and they respectively declared, that these were the things which had imbittered their hearts and provoked them to hostilities. The objects, particularly in view of the English governours, at this congress, were to ascertain the boundaries of the lands in dispute ; to reconcile the Six Nations with their nephews, the Delawares; to remove every cause of misunderstanding between the English and Indians, detach them from the French interest ; establish a firm peace ; and to induce these nations to use all their influence, to persuade the Twightwees, who would not come to the general congress, to accede to the treaty now made with themselves. The con. ferences continued till the twenty sixth of the month, Governour Denny made satisfaction for the lands to which the Indians laid claim, by the payment of a thousand dollars.

All former treaties were confirmed, and lasting peace and friendship stipulated. The Indians were presented with a considerable quantity of goods, and, to gladden their hearts, the business was finished by an ample treat. The Indians the next day departed Oct. 27. in peace.*

This treaty with the Indians, had a happy influence, in facilitating the operations against Canada the next year.

In review of the events of the present, and of past years, it appears very remarkable, that under the old ministry and their general officers, nothing but loss, disappointment, and shame attended every enterprise.

XII.

CHAP. Not one general officer, originally of their appoint

ment, in America, ever achieved any thing manly 1758.

or honourable; but hesitation, delay, and disappointment attended all their measures. On the contrary, under the new, and the generals originally of their appointment, every enterprise was crowned with suc

A series of the most important and brilliant successes, from every quarter, like a steady, all

a , cheering stream, flowed in upon the nation.

cess.

CHAPTER XII.

Plan of the campaign, 1759. Expeditions against Ticonderoga and

Crown Point, Niagara, and Quebec. Ticonderoga and Crown Point abandoned. Niagara taken. Siege of Quebec. Action at the falls of Montmorenci. The camp removes to point Levi. The troops land above the town. Battle of Quebee. Generals Wolfe and Mont. calm killed. Quebec surrenders. Movements of general Amherst on lake Champlain.

The successes of the last campaign opened the way to the very heart of Canada. The belligerent powers,

in Europe, maintained the same hostile dispositions, Plan of which operated the last year. The British minisoperation i 1759. try, therefore, determined to improve the advantages,

which they had gained in America ; and, if possible, the next campaign, to reduce the whole country of Canada. For this purpose, it was determined to attack all the strong posts of the enemy, nearly at the same time. As soon as the river St. Lawrence should be clear of ice, it was determined that general Wolfe, who had so distinguished himself at the reduction of Louisburg, should, with eight thousand men and a strong squadron of ships, proceed to the siege of Quebec, the capital of Canada. At the same time general Amherst, who had the chief command, with an army of twelve thousand regulars and provincials, was to attack Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Haying reduced these posts, and formed a sufficient na

1759.

val force on lake Champlain, he was to advance, by CHAP. the river Sorel, into St. Lawrence, and form a junction with general Wolfe at Quebec. A third expedition was to be directed against the fort at Niagara, under the command of brigadier general Prideaux. Sir William Johnson commanded the New York provin. cials, and the Indians of the Five Nations, who sery. ed in this expedition. By so many different attacks, it was designed, as much as possible, to divide and distract the enemy, and prevent their making an effectual defence at any place. It was hoped, that if general Prideaux. should be so fortunate, as to make himself master of Niagara, early in the season, that, embarking on lake Ontario, he would fall down the river St. Lawrence, and reduce the town of Montreal. Then it was hoped, that the three armies, forming a junction, would complete the conquest of the

whole country

Point.

To facilitate these grand operations colonel Stanwix had the command of a small detachment, for the reduction of small posts, and for scouring the banks of lake Ontario.

The army under general Amherst was first in mo- Expedition. In July he passed lake George; and, with- tion out opposition, conducted his army to Ticonderoga. conderoga

gainst Ti. On his approach the enemy abandoned their lines, and Crown which had proved so fatal to the English, the preceding year; and the general broke ground just within their formidable breast-work. At first the enemy made appearances of a determined defence; but, in the night of the 27th of July, they blew up their mag. Ticonde. azine, and precipitately retired to Crown Point. Here roga and their stay was but short; for, on the first of August, evacuatthey suddenly evacuated this post, and retired to the ed. isle of Aux Noix. The light rangers were detached immediately to take possession. On the fourth, the general arrived with the army.

The French were yet formidable on the lake. They had four large vessels, mounted with cannon, and manned with the piquets of several regiments.

C. Point

XII.

CHAP. These were commanded by Monsieur le Bras, a cap

tain in the French navy, assisted by a number of 1759.

naval officers. The enemy, at the isle Aux Noix, consisted of three thousand five hundred effective men, strongly encamped with a numerous artillevy. The French commander, Monsieur de Bourlemaque, Aattered himself, that he should be able to prevent the passage of the English army into Canada.

General Amherst could not proceed till he should have a superior force on the lake. Captain Loring, who superintended the building of vessels at Ticonderoga, was therefore ordered, with the utmost des. patch, to build a sloop of sixteen guns, and a radeau, eighty four feet in length, and twenty in breadth, to carry six twenty four pounders. While these were constructing, the army were employed in repairing the fortifications at Ticonderoga, and in laying the foundations of a strong and regular fort at Crown Point, for the security of his majesty's dominions in that part of the country. Particularly it was designed to guard against the incursions of the scalping and burning parties, which in former wars had been

so destructive to the frontiers of the northern colonies. Bxpedi

While the army under general Amherst were thus gainst Ni. employed, general Prideaux, reinforced by the Indian agara. auxiliaries under Sir William Johnson, advanced to

Niagara, without loss or opposition. He arrived before the fort about the middle of July, and imme. diately invested it on all sides. The trenches were

soon opened, and the siege was prosecuted with General

eral great vigour. But on the twentieth, the general killed,

was killed in the trenches, by the unfortunate burstJuly 20. ing of a cohorn. This affected the army with uni

versal sorrow, and threatened to check the vigour of its operations. No sooner was general Amherst acquainted with this misfortune, than he despatched brigadier general Gage, to assume the command. Meanwhile it devolved on Sir William Johnson. He vigorously pursued the measures of the late general, with every addition, which his own genius could

tion a.

Prideaux

XII.

1759.

suggest. He was popular both with the provincial CHAP. and regular troops, and almost adored by the Indians. The siege was therefore pushed with such united ardour and alacrity, that in about four days after the death of general Prideaux, the approaches were made within a hundred yards of the covered way.

The French alarmed with the danger of this important post, determined to hazard a battle for its preservation. Collecting all the regular and provincial troops, which they could draw from their several posts, in the vicinity of the lakes, in conjunction with a large body of Indians, amounting in the whole to seventeen hundred mnen, they advanced to attack the English and raise the siege. General Johnson, apprised of their design, ordered his light infantry, supported by a body of grenadiers and other regulars, to take post on his left, upon the road where the French were making their approach. His flanks were covered by large bodies of his Indians. At Battle of the same time, he posted a strong body of troops, to Niagara, secure his trenches from the attempts of the garrison,

July 25. during the engagement. At nine in the morning, the action commenced with great fury, with a wild and horrible scream of the enemy's Indians. This yell is truly the most fierce and terrible, which can be imagined. It threw general Braddock's, and has thrown other troops, into the utmost confusion. But, at this time, it had no ill effect. The enemy Enemy were so well received in front, and so galled by the defeated,

and Niaggeneral's Indians on their flanks, that, in less than an are taken. hour, their whole army was ruined. For five miles the pursuit was hot and bloody. Monsieur d’Anbry, commander in chief, and sixteen other officers were made prisoners.*

As the battle was fought in sight of the fort, and the hopes of the enemy were now ruined, they immediately surrendered themselves prisoners of war. The garrison, consisting of more than six hundred

.