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1755.

land to

THE establishment of a French post on the Ohio, and the Troops sent defeat of colonel Washington, were considered by the British from Enggovernment as the commencement of war. A resolution was America. therefore taken to send a few regiments of soldiers to America for the maintenance of the claims of their monarch; and, early in the year, general Braddock embarked at Cork with a respectable body of troops, destined for that service. On his arrival, a vigorous offensive campaign was meditated. A convention of the colonial governors, assembled on his request in Virginia to settle the plan of military operations, resolved on three expeditions. The first was an attack on Fort du Quesne, to be conducted by general Braddock with his British troops; the second, an attempt on the fort at Niagara, to be made by the American regulars and Indians, and conducted by governor Shirley; and the third, an expedition against Crown Point, to be executed by militia from the northern colonies.

va Scotia.

While preparations were making for these enterprises, an ex- Expedition pedition, that had been previously determined on, was prosecuted against Noin a different quarter. The boundaries of Nova Scotia were unsettled. The English claimed to the St. Lawrence; but the French insisted on restricting them to the peninsula of Acadie. While commissioners were discussing these claims, the French occupied the contested country, and erected forts to defend it. It was against these forts, that an expedition was now directed. The command of it was given to lieutenant colonel Monckton, a British officer of respected military talents. The troops, destined for this service, were almost entirely drawn from Massachusetts, and amounted to about 3000 men. The New England forces were commanded by lieutenant colonel Winslow of Marshfield, a major general of the militia, and an officer of great respectability and influence. The troops embarked at Boston on the 20th of Troops emMay, and arrived on the 25th at Annapolis Royal; whence, on the 1st of June, they sailed, in a fleet of 41 vessels, to Chignecto. After being joined by about 300 regulars with a small train of artillery, they marched for the French fort Beausejour. At the June 4. river Mussaguash, on the west side of which the French claimed, they found a block house, with some small cannon and swivels, and a breast work, with troops judiciously posted to oppose their progress; but, after a conflict of about an hour, they effected a passage, with the loss of one man only, the French burning their block house and village. They now encamped about two miles from fort Beausejour; and lieutenant colonel Winslow, with 300 men, having dislodged a party of the enemy from an eminence, advanced within 600 yards of the fort. The entrenchments

bark at Bos

ton.

1755.

sejour taken,

and Fort

were opened, and, on the 16th, the enemy surrendered. The garrison was allowed to march out with the honours of war, and Fort Beau- to be transported with their effects to Louisbourg, at the expense of the king of Great Britain, on condition of not bearing arms for six months. The name of fort Beausejour was now changed to Cumberland. The fort at Gaspareau necessarily surrendered Gaspareau. next; and was allowed the same terms as the former. The French force in Nova Scotia being subdued, a difficult question occurred, what ought to be done with the inhabitants. `These amounted to about 7000, and were of a mild, frugal, industrious, and pious character. But, though they had chosen to be denominated neutrals, they had furnished the French and Indians with intelligence, quarters, provisions, and aid in annoying the government of the province; and 300 of them were actually found in arms at fort Beausejour. An offer was made to such of them as had not been openly in arms, to be allowed to continue in possession of their land, if they would take the oath of allegiance without any qualification; but they unanimously refused it. On the whole, after the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia and his council had consulted with admirals Boscawen and Mostyn on the necessary measures to be adopted toward them; it was determined to disperse them among the British colonies. This measure was principally effected by the New England forces, whose commander, uniting humanity with firmness, was eminently qualified for the difficult and ungrateful service. In this entire expedition, the English had but 20 men killed, and about the same number wounded.1

French

neutrals expelled from

N. Scotia.

du Quesne.

Expedition While the provincials of New England were engaged in the against Fort reduction of Nova Scotia, the British troops were making preparations to reduce Fort du Quesne. General Braddock might have entered upon action early in the spring; but, the contractors for the army not seasonably providing a sufficient quantity of Braddock provisions, nor a competent number of waggons, for the expedition, the troops could not be put in motion until June. On the 10th of that month the general began his march from a post on Wills creek, at the head of about 2200 men. The additional

marches from Fort Cumber

land.

1 Minot, Mass. i. c. 10. Univ. Hist. xl. 201. Brit. Emp. i. 208-210. Smollett, Hist. Eng. i. 252, 253. At Grand Pré, where colonel Winslow had the immediate command, there were made prisoners 483 men and 337 women, heads of families, 527 of their sons and 576 of their daughters, amounting in all to 1923 souls. To prevent the resettlement of those who escaped, the country was laid waste. In the district of Minas only, there were destroyed 255 houses, 276 barns, 155 outhouses, 11 mills, and 1 church. One thousand of the proscribed and wretched Acadians were transported to Massachusetts, where many of them embarked for France.

2 Afterward Fort Cumberland; "near the source of the Potowmack, which was at that time the most western post held by the English in Virginia or Maryland.

delay that must be occasioned in opening a road through an extremely rough country, with the apprehension of a reinforcement of Fort du Quesne, induced a resolution to hasten the march of a part of the army to the point of destination. The general, at the head of 1200 men, selected from the different corps, with ten pieces of cannon and the necessary ammunition and provisions, marched forward; leaving the residue of the army under the command of colonel Dunbar, to follow, with all the heavy baggage, by slow and easy marches. Such, however, were the natural and necessary impediments, that Braddock did not reach the Monongahela until the 8th of July. The next day he expected to invest Fort du Quesne; and in the morning made a disposition of his forces conformably to that expectation. His van, composed of 300 British regulars, was commanded by lieutenant colonel Gage; and he followed, at some distance, with the artillery and main body of the army, divided into small columns.

Colonel Dunbar was then nearly 40 miles behind him. This circumstance alone evidently required caution. But the nature of the country over which the troops were to be conducted, and the character of the enemy to be encountered, rendered circumspection indispensably necessary. The general was cautioned of the sources of danger, and advised to advance in his front the provincial troops in his army, consisting entirely of independent and ranging companies, to scour the woods and guard against an ambuscade; but he thought too contemptuously both of the enemy and of the provincials, to follow that salutary advice. Heedless of danger, he pressed forward; the distance of seven miles still intervening between his army and the anticipated place of action. At this unsuspicious moment, in an open wood, thick set with high grass, his front was attacked by an unseen enemy. The van was thrown into some confusion; but the general having ordered up the main body, and the commanding officer of the enemy having fallen, the attack was suspended, and the assailants were supposed to be dispersed. The attack, however, was renewed with increased fury; the van fell back on the main body; and the whole army was thrown into confusion. The general, if deficient in other military virtues, was not destitute of courage; but, at this embarrassing moment, personal valour afforded a very inadequate security. An instant retreat, or a rapid charge without observance of military rules, seems to have been imperiously necessary; but neither of these expedients was adopted. The general, under an incessant and galling fire, made every possible exertion to form his broken troops on the very ground where they were first attacked; but his efforts were fruitless. Every officer on horseback, excepting colonel

1755.

1755.

Sept. 8.

Battle of
Lake
George.

Dieskau

mortally wounded

and taken prisoner.

The French routed.

and instantly there commenced a smart fire, which soon became general. The provincials fought bravely; but finding the enemy, who were of superior numbers, endeavouring to surround them, they were forced to retreat. The loss of the Americans was considerable. Colonel Williams was among the slain. Hendrick was also killed, with a number of his Indians, who fought with great intrepidity. The loss of the enemy was also considerable; and among the slain was M. St. Pierre, who commanded all the Indians. The retreating troops joined the main body and waited the approach of their assailants, rendered more formidable by

success.

About half after eleven, the enemy appeared in sight of Johnson's army, which was encamped on the banks of Lake George, and covered on each side by a low thick wooded swamp. General Johnson had mounted several pieces of cannon, which he had most opportunely received two days before from Fort Edward; and trees had been felled to form a sort of breastwork, which was all his cover against an attack. The enemy marched along the road in very regular order, directly on the English centre, and, when within about 150 yards of the breastwork, made a small halt. The regular troops now made the grand and central attack, while the Canadians and Indians dispersed on the English flanks. The baron continuing for some time a distant platoon fire with little execution, the English recovered their spirits, and determined on a resolute defence. As soon as their artillery began to play, the Canadian militia and Indians fled into the swamps. The French general was obliged to order a retreat; and his troops, retiring in great disorder, were followed by a party from the camp, which fell on their rear, and precipitated their flight. Baron Dieskau, who had received a wound in his leg, was found leaning on a stump, entirely alone. While feeling for his watch to surrender it, one of the soldiers, suspecting him to be in search for a pistol, poured a charge through his hips, and he was conducted a prisoner to the English camp.1 The English not continuing their pursuit, the enemy halted about four miles from the camp, at the very place where the engagement happened in the morning, and opened their packs for refreshment. At this juncture, about 200 men of the New Hampshire forces, which had been detached from Fort Edward to the assistance of the main body, fell upon the French, and

The firing that now began, brought on the action sooner than was intended by Dieskau, who had ordered his flanking parties to reserve their fire until a discharge from the centre. It was his intention to let the advancing troops get completely within the ambuscade before the firing commenced; in which case, the whole detachment would probably have been cut off. These and some other particulars of the action are from authentic verbal information.

1 He lived to reach England, where he died of his wounds.

completely routed them. Captain M'Ginnes, the brave com- 1755. mander of the provincials fell in the action.

charged.

The repulse of Dieskau revived the spirits of the colonists, Johnson's depressed by the recent defeat of general Braddock, but the army dissuccess was not improved in any proportion to their expectation. General Shirley, now the commander in chief, urged an attempt on Ticonderoga, but a council of war judging it unadvisable, Johnson employed the remainder of the campaign in fortifying his camp. On a meeting of commissioners from Massachusetts and Connecticut with the governor and council of New York in October, it was unanimously agreed, that the army under general Johnson should be discharged, excepting 600 men, who should The French fortify Tibe engaged to garrison Fort Edward, and Fort William Henry.1 conderoga. The French took possession of Ticonderoga and fortified it.

at Oswego.

General Shirley, who was to conduct the expedition against Gen. ShirNiagara and Fort Frontenac, experienced such delays, that he ley arrives did not reach Oswego until the 21st of August. On his arrival, he made all necessary preparations for the expedition to Niagara; but, through the desertion of batteau men, the scarcity of waggons on the Mohawk river, and the desertion of sledgemen at the great carrying place, the conveyance of provisions and stores was so much retarded, that nearly four weeks elapsed before he could go upon action.2 A council of war, which he held at his camp on the 18th of September, advising to the attempt on Niagara, 600 regulars were drafted for that expedition; the artillery and ordnance stores were shipped on board the sloop. Ontario; and part of the provisions were put on board another sloop, the residue being ready for the row gallies, whale boats, and batteaux. A continuation of heavy rains, which set in on the 18th, rendered it impossible for the troops (400 of whom were to go in open boats) to pass the lake with any safety until the 26th of the month; when, on the abatement of the storm, orders were immediately issued for their embarkation. These orders could not be executed. Though there was a short inter

1A strong fort was built at the south end of Lake George, after Dieskau's repulse, and it received the name of William Henry. Smith, N. York, i. 202. 2 By spies sent to Niagara, general Shirley was informed that the French fort there was built partly of stone, but principally of logs, and was in a weak and ruinous condition; that the garrison consisted of about 60 French and 100 Indians, who said they had for some time expected 900 Indians and a quantity of stores from Canada, but were apprehensive their vessels were taken; and that letters came in frequently from Fort du Quesne, whence also they expected a considerable reinforcement. By spies sent to Frontenac, and an Indian lately from that place, Shirley was informed that the fort there was built in a bay near the edge of the water, and surrounded by a stone wall; that two vessels lay moored in the harbour, unrigged, and without guns; that there were 30 French within the fort: a considerable quantity of powder; many guns mounted on the surrounding wall, which was about six feet thick; and that in an encampment without there were 600 soldiers.

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