108 INDIAN BARBARITIES; MONTCALM RETURNS. the wantonness of Indian fierceness and barbarity, were everywhere to be seen. More than one hundred women, butchered, and shockingly mangled, lay upon the ground, still fall of Fort William Henry, and in Massachusetts alone 20,000 militia were ordered out, but for the present they had no further cause for alarm as Montcalm was perfectly satisfied PLAN OF THE ATTACK ON FORT WILLIAM HENRY. A. The dock. B. Garrison gardens. C. Fort William Henry. D. Morass. E. Enemy's first battery of guns and 2 mortars. F. Their second battery of 10 guns and 3 mortars. G. Their approaches. H. Two intended batteries. I. Landing place of their artillery. K. Montcalm's camp with the main body. L. De Levi's camp with regulars and Canadians. M. De la Corne with Canadians and Indians. N. Ground where the English first encamped. O. Bridge over the Morass. P. English intrenchment. weltering in their gore. Devastation, barbarity and horror everywhere appeared, and the spectacle presented was too diabolical and awful either to be endured or described." The colonists were greatly alarmed at the *Lossing, pp. 111-112. with his present success and immediately afterward returned to Canada.† *Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 310315; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. i., pp. 474-514; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 184-199; Miles, History of Canada, pp. 322-330; McMullen's Canada, pp. 130135; Bancroft, vol. ii., pp. 463-467. PITT PLANS NEW CAMPAIGN; LOUISBURG CAPTURED. The three campaigns undertaken by the English had thus left them in the same position as they were before, and the French were still masters, retaining in their possession Frontenac, Niagara, Louisburg, Crown Point and Ticonderoga* and the chain of posts in the west. Beside this the French had destroyed the forts at Oswego and had compelled the Six Nations to remain neutral. It is small wonder, therefore, that discontent was prevalent throughout the colonies and it was considered high time that more vigorous measures adopted if the English were to successfully consummate their plans for driving the French from America.† be In June, 1757, William Pitt, "The Great Commoner," afterward Earl of Chatham, was placed in entire control of foreign and colonial affairs. He had been called to this office more through popular urgency than because George II. had any liking for him. Immediately upon his assuming office, vigor was infused into all the English movements and the agents chosen to carry the government plans *Ticonderoga is a corruption of Cheonderoga, an Iroquois word, signifying sounding waters, and was applied by the Indians to the rushing waters of the outlet of Lake George at the falls. The French built a fort here in 1756, which they named Fort Carillon. Bradley, pp. 200-208 gives a resumé of conditions at this period. On the events leading up to Pitt's promotion to this powerful position see Walford D. Green, William Pitt, Earl of Chatham and the Growth and Division of the British Empire, 1708–1778, pp. 89-102; Frederic Harrison, Chatham, p. 75 et seq. (Twelve English Statesmen series). VOL. II-8 109 into effect were selected with wise discrimination.* Pitt's plans for the conquest of Canada also infused new life into the colonists, and as they were now repaid for the expenses to which they had previously been put, large forces of provincials were soon collected. At the same time further reinforcements were sent from England, and Abercrombie, who still continued as commander-in-chief, found himself at the head of a force aggregating about 50,000, which was greater than the whole male population of New France. Pitt planned to make attacks simultaneously on Fort Duquesne, Louisburg and Ticonderoga. Early in June, 1758, Boscawen arrived before the fort at Louisburg with a fleet of 40 war vessels and an army of about 11,600 men under Sir Jeffrey Amherst. At this time the garrison at Louisburg numbered 3,000 troops and in the harbor were 12 war vessels. The fort itself was in poor condition to withstand a regular siege, and shortly after the English had begun their siege the French considered it expedient to capitulate without risking further loss of men. This event happened on the 27th of July. In conducting this expedition to its successful issue, James Wolfe, subsequently of great prominence at Quebec, took a commanding part. As a result of the capitulation, Louisburg * Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., p. 40 et seq. See also Green, William Pitt, p. 102 et seq. 110 OPERATIONS AGAINST TICONDEROGA; HOWE KILLED. with its artillery, provisions and military stores, together with St. John's Island (now Prince Edward Island), and their dependencies, fell into the hands of the English. Without further difficulty, the English forces took possession of Cape Breton Island, the inhabitants of which were sent to France in English ships, while the garrison, sea officers, etc., numbering in all about 6,000 men, were sent as prisoners to England. Amherst then returned to Boston, whence he set out for the western frontier.* While Amherst was conducting his campaign against Louisburg, General Abercrombie with about 15,000 men began operations against Ticonderoga, which had been garrisoned by about 3,600 men under Montcalm. In the English forces at that time was Israel Putnam, afterward famous in the Revolution. He held the rank of major and commanded a company of well-known and effective rangers.† Abercrombie embarked at Fort William Henry and passed down Lake George, debarking at a landing place in a cove on the west side of the lake. There the troops were formed into four columns with the British in the * Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 326333; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 214-230; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., pp. 48-82 and authorities there cited, particularly, Mante, History of the Late War; the Journal of Amherst in the London Magazine; Jeffreys, Natural and Civic History of French Dominions in North America; Miles, Canada, pp. 332-334; McMullen, Canada, pp. 135138. † See Livingston, Life of Putnam, p. 74 et seq. center, and the provincials on the flanks. The French advance guard consisting of only one battalion was posted in a logged camp, and perceiving the advance of the English, destroyed what they could and then precipitately retreated. Abercrombie then continued through the woods toward Ticonderoga, but while in the forests the columns became considerably confused and entangled. At this juncture, George Augustus, Lord Howe, came upon a part of the advance guard of the enemy who had been lost in the wood while retreating from Lake George. Howe determined to attack this party despite the advice of Putnam to the contrary,* and pushing through the woods he quickly dispersed them, killing a considerable number and capturing 148 prisoners. In the skirmish, however, Howe was shot in the breast and instantly killed.† As we have said before, Ticonderoga was held by 3,600 French troops * Ibid, p. 78. Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 315321; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., pp. 83-99; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 118-119. No one of the royal officers was so popular and so universally admired as Lord Howe, whose death was regarded as a public calamity. See Green, William Pitt, p. 131, It is in regard to him that the story is told of the noted Stark, the hero of Bennington, who knew him and loved him well. Stark is said to have declared his apprehension that, had Howe lived, he could not have been a true Whig in the Revolution;-so great an influence was exercised by this accomplished and brave young nobleman. Massachusetts erected a fitting monument, in Westminster Abbey, to testify their unfeigned sorrow in losing him. ENGLISH DEFEATED AT TICONDEROGA. 111 under Montcalm, and as Abercrombie learned that reinforcements were expected daily, he resolved to assault the fort on July 8, without waiting for his artillery. The troops were ordered to rush the breastwork and to hold their fire until they had reached the inner part of the fort. The soldiers marched to the assault with great intrepidity, but for a considerable distance outside of the breastwork, trees had been felled with their branches outward, forming sort of an abattis. This impediment considerably obstructed the progress of the troops, who became entangled among the branches and were thus exposed to a galling and destructive fire without being able to defend themselves. Finding it impossible to pass the breastwork, which itself was nine feet high and much stronger than had been represented, Abercrombie after continuing the contest for four hours, ordered the troops to withdraw, and the next day retreated to Fort William Henry. The killed and wounded amounted to 2,000 men, of whom 550 were killed outright, while the French loss was not 400.* For his inefficient conduct in this affair, On * Kingsford, History of Canada, vol. iv., p. 173; Smith, History of Canada, vol. i., p. 265. the entire campaign see Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 321-325; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., pp. 99-113, 431-436; Lamb, City of New York, vol. i., pp. 675-677; N. Y. Col. Docs., vol. x.; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 231-259; Bancroft, vol. ii., pp. 486-490; Miles, Canada, pp. 337-341; McMullen, Canada, pp. 138-143; Livingston, Life of Putnam, pp. 81-84. Abercrombie was superseded and Amherst appointed commander-inchief in his stead. For the present, no further attempt was made to capture Ticonderoga. Colonel John Bradstreet, however, was more successful in his undertaking. With 3,000 men he marched to Oswego, where he embarked the troops in vessels already provided, and ascending the lake, he landed on August 25 at Fort Frontenac (now Kingston). The French had not expected this attack, and as the garrison was small and the fort weak, Bradstreet experienced little trouble in capturing it. The fort with a large store of provisions was destroyed and nine armed vessels nine armed vessels were captured. Bradstreet's loss in the attack was very small, but from sickness which prevailed among the troops about 500 died. While returning to their starting point, the soldiers aided in erecting Fort Stanwix on the site of the present city of Rome.* General John Forbes was placed in command of the expedition for the reduction of Fort Duquesne. Including the Pennsylvania and Virginia troops and the Royal Americans from South Carolina, Forbes had command of a force of about 7,000 men. Washington had advised General Forbes to advance by the road which had already been opened by Braddock, *Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 333335; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., p. 127 et seq.; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 262-267. 112 DUQUESNE CAPTURED; NEW CAMPAIGN PLANNED. but he failed to follow this advice and consequently was greatly delayed. He ordered a new road to be cut from Raystown on the Juniata* but the company to which this work was entrusted was nearly cut off by a sudden surprise, losing 300 men.† The remaining troops were saved on November 8 by the arrival of Forbes with the main army. Forbes still had fifty miles of road to open through the forests, and as winter was approaching, the troops began to be disheartened, and threatened to abandon the enterprise altogether, but at this time some prisoners acquainted with the condition of affairs at Fort Duquesne were captured, and from them Forbes learned of the weakness and distress of the French garrison. This intelligence infused more vigor into his movements, and he determined to make a strenuous effort to secure possession of the fort before reinforcements could arrive. A force of 2,500 picked men was sent out in direct command of Washington and Colonel John Armstrong, who, leaving artillery behind and pushing through the woods, easily succeeded in coming within a few miles of the fort on November 24. By this time the French garrison had been reduced to less than 500 men, and realizing their inability to successfully cope with a force so greatly superior, they set fire to the works and retreated down the Ohio. The abandoned fort was now garrisoned by English troops, and its name changed to Fort Pitt.* The remainder of the army retraced their steps and succeeded in relieving the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania of the horrors attached to Indian incursions.+ As the campaign of 1758 had proved so successful, Pitt had little trouble in securing further grants from Parliament to carry on the war against Canada.‡ The colonial assemblies also acted with promptness and energy, for up to this time about $1,000,000 had been returned to them by the home government on account of the year's expenses, and by the spring of 1759, nearly 20,000 colonial troops were ready for service. The plan adopted for the subjugation of Canada was similar to that which Phipps and Warren had been unable to execute. General John Prideaux was to reduce Niagara, while Amherst was to advance by the way of Lake Champlain and capture Ticonderoga and Crown Point, after which * See the letter of Forbes to Pitt, November 27, 1758, quoted in Kingsford, History of Canada, vol. iv., p. 213; Harrison's Chatham, p. 105. Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 335342; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. ii., pp. 131-163; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 268-287; Miles, Canada, pp. 334-336; C. W. Butterfield, History of Ohio: The English Gain the Ohio Country, in Magazine of Western History, vol. vii., pp. 3-16; T. J. Chapman, The Fall of Fort Duquesne, in Magazine of American History, vol. xvii., pp. 330-336; Winsor, The Mississippi Basin, pp. 386–394. Green, William Pitt, pp. 137-138. |