Book II. tempts. The provincials, perceiving that the fire of the enemy abated, and that they were in confusion, leaped 1755. their breast-works, and attacked on all sides, with such resolution and firmness, as put them to an entire rout.

B. Dieskau de

feated and taken.

M'Ginnes defeats a party of the French.

When the action commenced the number of the enemy was about two thousand. Of these about seven hundred were killed, and thirty made prisoners. Among the latter was Baron Dieskau himself, who was found a little distance from the field, dangerously wounded, supporting himself by the stump of a tree.

The loss of the provincials was about two hundred. These were principally of the detachment under colonel Williams. Of this there were killed, besides privates, colonel Williams, major Ashley, six captains and several subalterns. Among the slain was the brave king Hendrick, and about forty of his warriors. The only officer of distinction killed in the attack on the camp, was the gallant colonel Tidcomb, who about ten years before had signalized himself at the siege of Louisburg. General Johnson and major Nichols were wounded.

The next day, captain M'Ginnes, marching from fort Edward with a detachment of a hundred and twenty NewHampshire men, as a reinforcement to the camp, discovered between three and four hundred of the remains of the enemy sitting by a pond not far from the place where colonel Williams had been defeated. Though his numbers were so inferior to the enemy, yet he made such dispositions, and attacked them with such impetuosity and good conduct, that, after a sharp action, he put them to flight., They fled with so much precipitation as to leave many of their packs and other articles to the conquerors. The brave captain however, unfortunately received a wound, of which he died a few days after his arrival in the camp.* Small cir- Several small circumstances, which seem to have been merely providential, probably saved fort Edward and the army, and occasioned the defeat of the enemy. The report of a prisoner whom the French had taken, that the camp was entirely defenceless, without lines or cannon, determined the general to make the attack on the main army, and probably saved fort Edward. That they made not the attack a few days sooner, when the camp was, in fact, in the situation which the prisoner reported; and that the enemy began the attack at so great a distance, as rendered their fire in a great measure ineffectual, until the provincials had recovered their spirits and were prepared to make a manly resistance, were very favorable circumstan*Rider's Hist. vol. xl. p. 129.

cumstan

ces occasion the victory.

ces. Had the enemy reserved their fire and advanced di- Book II. rectly to the lines without hesitation, it is not improbable that they might have obtained a complete victory with less 1755. loss than they finally sustained. Had not the provincials strengthened their camp with lines, and brought on their cannon at that very juncture, or had any of these circumstances been otherwise than they were, the army might have been lost. It is the glory of providence, by small means and circumstances, to produce great events.

The action at the lake gave a general alarm to the country, and the generals called for reinforcements from the several neighboring colonies. Connecticut immediately raised and sent on two regiments, consisting of fourteen Hundred men, so that the colony had in actual service between two and three thousand men. Before the battle, general Johnson had written to governor Fitch, desiring a reinforcement. A special assembly was called on the Special 27th of August, and the legislature resolved to raise two Assembly, Aug. 27. regiments to consist of seven hundred and fifty men each. The officers were appointed and the reinforcement was forwarded with all possible dispatch.* In a little more than one week from the alarm, the regiments were raised, equipped and marched for service.

Though the army was, with great expedition, sufficiently of erecting Necessity reinforced, yet the necessity of strong fortifications and fortificagarrisons at the carrying place, and at the lake, in which tions. provisions and stores might be safely lodged, and by which the communication between the army and Albany might be kept up, now appeared more strongly than it had ever before done, on account of the danger in which the army had so lately been involved. It was from Albany only that they could be supplied with provisions, or be reinforced upon any emergency. It was by keeping open this communication that the retreat of the army could be secured. It was therefore judged unsafe to pass the lake until a good fort was erected at the south landing of lake George, and the works at fort Edward were strengthened, and rendered more complete.

It was easily foreseen that by the time the necessary preparations could be made, it would be too late to proceed to Crown Point the present campaign, and all thoughts of it were thrown aside. But that every thing might be in the best state of readiness as soon as the spring should open, the army addressed itself with the utmost diligence to complete the works designed. A fort was erected at lake George, and the works at fort Edward were completed.

*Records of the colony.

Book II. The army was employed in these services until the latter part of November. The troops then decamped, and, ex1755. cept those who kept garrison, returned to their respective colonies.

Though the expedition had failed as to its main object, yet it had been conducted with great labor, spirit and prudence. The colonists had advanced far through an almost trackless wilderness: they cat and made roads through heavy forests, fought one battle, and gained the victory over regular troops. They had built a great number of boats and batteaux, erected two forts, furnished them with cannon, stores and all necessaries, at a great distance from the old settlements. It could hardly have been reasonable to expect that they could have done more. They were highly applauded by his majesty and the whole nation. The general received from his majesty the honor of being created a baronet, and from the parliament a present of Johnson five thousand pounds.*

General

promoted.

The expedition against Niagara was commanded by governor Shirley, and consisted of two thousand five hundred men. But his preparations were so deficient and dilatory, that nothing of any great importance was effected. It was nearly the middle of July before the first division of his army marched from Albany. The governor did not arrive at Oswego until the 18th of August, and it was the last of the month before the artillery and rear division arrived. The great distance between Albany and Oswego rendered the transportation of provisions, ammunition and stores an exceedingly difficult task. On the news of general Braddock's defeat, many of his boatmen dispersed and ran home. For this reason a sufficient quantity of provisions could not be carried on for the troops. Therefore, though several good vessels and a great number of boats had been built to convey the army across the lake to Niagara, and though the general had brought on a fine train of artillery, he could not proceed for want of provisions. As late as the 26th of September, he had not sufficient provisions to proceed with six hundred men only. Besides, the rainy season was come on, and it was judged impracticable. The rest of the season was spent in erecting two new forts. The ground on which the old fort was built, in 1727, was chosen, rather for the agreeableness of its situation than for defence against a regular siege. One fort was built on the east side of the river Onondaga, called fort Ontario. This was about four hundred and fifty yards from the old fort, and was designed to command *Rider's Hist. vol. xl. p. 121.

that and the entrance of the harbor. The other was four Book II. hundred and fifty yards west of the old fort, called Oswego.. Colonel Mercer and seven hundred men were left at 1756. Oswego, to garrison the forts; and on the 24th of October the rest of the army decamped and returned to Albany.

Thus ended the campaign of 1755. Notwithstanding the prodigious exertions of the colonies, the French were not dispossessed of a single fortress, nor of the least portion of territory, either on their northern or western frontiers. They and their Indian allies, not only ravaged the Ravages in western frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania during the Virginia summer, but they continued plundering, burning and laying them waste, murdering and captivating the inhabitants van. during the whole winter.*

It will doubtless appear very extraordinary, if not in a measure unaccountable, that while New-England, NewYork, and New-Jersey, were raising such powerful armies, the wealthy and numerous colonies of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, should suffer a small number of French and Indians thus to harass and lay waste their frontiers. This was occasioned by a combination of circumstances; principally on account of their numerous slaves, and the divisions and animosities between the colonies themselves, and between their governors and the peo ple. The great number of slaves in those colonies diminished their strength, and rendered large draughts of men from them dangerous. The colonies had different and clashing interests. Pennsylvania was entirely opposed to the Ohio company and Virginia, for reasons which have been mentioned. Her inhabitants seem rather to have encouraged the French and Indians at first, and to have wished them success. Afterwards, when they began to feel the effects of their inhumanity, a misunderstanding between them and governor Morris, the royal and proprietary governor, entirely frustrated their best concerted plans. When the general assembly of the province saw the absolute necessity of erecting fortifications and of maintaining a standing military force, for the defence of their western frontier, and passed a bill for raising the sum of fifty thousand pounds for that purpose, he absolutely refused giving his assent to it, because, the estates of the proprietors were taxed equally with the estates of the inhabitants. He insisted that he had express orders from the proprietors to oppose all taxes upon their lands. The assembly judged it reasonable that the proprietaries should pay an equal tax with themselves, as their estates were equally exposed Rider's History, vol. xl. p. 127.

and Penn

1756.

BOOK II. and would be equally benefitted by the common defence, and could not be prevailed upon to alter the form of the 1756. bill. Nothing could therefore be done.

Between the Virginians and governor Dinwiddie, there were violent animosities, on account of his rapacity and extravagant fees for grants of land. They carried the matter so far as to prefer a complaint to his majesty against him.

Maryland was less exposed than the other two colonies, and was not zealous in carrying on the war. While the other colonies would not unite in their own defence, it could not be expected that she would undertake it separately. Under the influence of these circumstances no effectual defence was made, and the enemy ravaged with impunity.

In the mean time, his majesty was so well pleased with the zeal and services of New-England, and of some of the neighboring colonies, that he recommended it by a message to the house of commons, to take into consideration, the faithful services of the people of New-England, and of some other parts of North America, and grant them a suitable reward, as an encouragement. In consequence of his majesty's recommendation, the parliament voted one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for those purposes."

War pro

claimed.

CHAPTER XVI.

Campaign in 1756. War proclaimed. British generals appointed. Troops raised by Connecticut. Plan of the campaign in 1756. The British generals, Abercombie and lord Loudon, arrive in America. The reception of his lordship. Dilatory and unaccountable conduct of the generals. Colonel Bradstreet is attacked by the enemy and defeats them. Oswego invested and taken, by general Montcalm. Loss at that post. Comparison between the campaigns in 1755, and 1756. The enemy continue their ravages in the southern colonies.

LL the hostilities of the preceding years had been carried on without any proclamation of war by England or France. The latter, during the whole time, had made the most pacific professions. But, notwithstanding,

Rider's Hist. vol. xl. p. 151, 152.