1755.

Printing was introduced into North Carolina about this time. The necessary printing for the public had been previously done Printing in at Charlestown. The first press established in the colony was at Newburn.1

N. Carolina.

Population

of colonies.

Death of

E. Tyng

Encroach

French.

Maryland contained 180,000 inhabitants; Rhode Island, 35,939;2 and New England, 436,936.3

Edward Tyng, commander of the fleet in the expedition against Louisbourg, died at Boston.1

1756.

ALTHOUGH War had been carried on two years in America, it ments of the had not yet been formally declared. To the encroachments of the French on the colonial territory of the English, which had given rise to hostilities, there had been superadded the fitting out of an armament from Brest, the last year, with troops and warlike preparations for Canada. On this last occasion, the British government had sent out admiral Boscawen with a squadron to watch the French fleet. Boscawen, arriving at Newfoundland, took his station off Cape Race; and soon afterward M. Bois de la Mothe with the French fleet arrived off the same coast. A thick fog prevented the English admiral from discovering the entire squadron; but he made prize of two men of war, the Lys and Alcyde. Intelligence of this capture reaching France, the French minister received orders from his sovereign to leave London; and, on his departure, letters of general marque and reprisal were issued by the British government. No prosWar decla- pect of accommodation being left, the king of Great Britain red against at length published a declaration of war against the king of France.6

May 17.

France.

1 Thomas, ii. 150. James Davis was the first printer in this colony. "He began his establishment in 1754, or 1755. In December of the year last named, he published a newspaper. There were only two presses in North Carolina before 1775."

2 Pres. Stiles, MS. The numbers in Maryland were ascertained "by a very accurate census; those in Rhode Island also "by enumeration." The number of blacks in Rhode Island, not included above, was 4697. Ib.

3 Pemberton, MS. Chron. "By census."

4 Alden's Memoirs of Hon. Edward Tyng, in Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. x. 181183.

5 It was in the spring of 1755, that the French fleet sailed from Brest, carrying about 3000 troops for America. Of these troops eight companies were taken with the Lys and Alcyde; 1000 were landed at Louisbourg; and the residue proceeded to Quebec with M. de Vaudreuil, governor general of Canada, and baron Dieskau, commander of the forces. Review of Military Operations, Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. vii. 105.

6 Blair, Chronology, Smollett, Hist. Eng. i. 279, 342-347; where there is a particular account of the Declaration of war, first by the British king in May, 1756, and then by the French king in June.

The earl of Loudoun was now appointed commander in chief 1756. of the troops in North America; but he being necessarily detained awhile in England, major general Abercrombie was order- Earl of Loued to proceed immediately to this country, and take the command doun appointed of the troops till his lordship should arrive. The earl was like- commander wise constituted governor of Virginia; and was also invested with in chief. such powers, as were thought necessary to enable him to promote an union among the English colonies. The militia of the several provinces, assembled at Albany, remained there, for the want of a commander in chief, till the latter end of June, when general Abercrombie joined them in that capacity. The general brought over with him the 35th regiment, and the 42d or lord George arrives. Murray's regiment of Highlanders. These two corps, Pepperell's Shirley's, the 44th and 48th regiments, with four independent companies from New York, four from Carolina, and a considerable body of provincials, now composed the British troops in North America.1

Gen. Aber

crombie

campaign

of 1756.

The plan for the campaign of this year had been settled in a Plan for the council of colonial governors at New York. It was agreed to raise 10,000 men for an expedition against Crown Point; 6000 for an expedition against Niagara; and 3000 for an expedition against Fort du Quesne. In addition to this formidable force, and in aid of its operations, it was agreed that 2000 men should advance up the river Kennebeck, destroy the settlement on the Chaudiere, and, descending to the mouth of that river within three miles of Quebec, keep all that part of Canada in alarm. To facilitate the reduction of Crown Point, it was proposed to take advantage of the season when the lake should be frozen over, to seize Ticonderoga.2

The command of the expedition against Crown Point was given to major general Winslow; who, on reviewing the provincial troops destined for that service, found them not much to exceed 7000 men; a number, which, after deducting from it the necessary garrisons, was declared inadequate to the enterprise. The arrival of British troops with general Abercrombie, while it relieved this difficulty, created a new one, which occasioned a temporary suspension of the projected expedition. The regulations of the crown respecting military rank had excited great disgust in America; and Winslow, when consulted on this delicate subject by Abercrombie, expressed his apprehensions, that,

1 Mante, Hist. of the War, 59.

2 General Shirley waited until the middle of January to prosecute the expedition against Ticonderoga, which was feebly garrisoned; but so unusually mild was the winter, that there was not sufficiency of frost and snow to facilitate the transportation of stores. Relinquishing therefore this part of the great plan, he went to Massachusetts (of which province he was still governor) to make the necessary preparations for the grand movements of the ensuing campaign.

July 22.

July 29.

1756. if the result of a junction of British and provincial troops should be the placing of the provincials under British officers, it would produce very general discontent, and perhaps desertion. To avoid so serious an evil, it was finally agreed, that British troops should succeed the provincials in the posts then occupied by them, so as to enable the whole colonial force to proceed under Winslow against Crown Point. General Abercrombie, who had superseded general Shirley as commander in chief, now yielding the command to the earl of Loudoun; on the arrival of that nobleman, the same subject was revived. While the colonial officers readily consented to act in conjunction with the European troops, and cheerfully submitted, in all dutiful obedience, to the British commander in chief; they entreated it as a favour of his lordship, as the New England troops had been raised on particular terms, and had proceeded thus far according to their original organization, that he would permit them to act separately, so far as it might be consistent with his majesty's service. Scarcely was this point of honour satisfactorily adjusted, when the attention of both British and provincial soldiers was arrested to a more serious subject.

Montcalm

against Oswego.

go and Fort George taken;

M. Montcalm, who succeeded the baron Dieskau in the chief approaches command of the French forces in Canada, approached Fort Ontario at Oswego on the 10th of August, with more than 5000 regulars, Canadians, and Indians. Having made the necessary dispositions, he opened the trenches on the 12th at midnight, with 32 pieces of cannon, beside several brass mortars and howitzers. The garrison having fired away all their shells and ammunition, colonel Mercer, the commanding officer, ordered the cannon to be spiked up, and crossed the river to Little Oswego Fort, without the loss of a single man. The enemy, Fort Oswe- taking immediate possession of the deserted fort, began a fire from it, which was kept up without intermission. About four miles and a half up the river was Fort George, the defence of which was committed to colonel Schuyler. On the abandonment of the first fort by colonel Mercer, about 370 of his men had joined colonel Schuyler, in the intention of having an intercourse between his fort and that to which their own commander retreated; but a body of 2500 Canadians and Indians boldly swam across the river, in the night between the 13th and 14th, and cut off that communication. On the 13th, colonel Mercer was killed by a cannon ball. The garrison, deprived of their commander, who was an officer of courage and experience, frustrated in their hope of aid, and destitute of a cover to their fort, demanded a capitalation on the following day, and surrendered as prisoners of war. They were the regiments of Shirley and Pepperell, and amounted to 1400 men. The conditions, re

quired and acceded to, were, that they should be exempted from 1756. plunder; conducted to Montreal; and treated with humanity. No sooner was Montcalm in possession of the two forts at Oswego, than, with admirable policy, he demolished them in and demolpresence of the Indians of the Six Nations, in whose country French. they had been erected, and whose jealousy they had excited.1

ished by the

On this disastrous event, every plan of offensive operation was Offensive immediately relinquished. General Winslow had orders from operations relinquishlord Loudoun, not to proceed on his intended expedition against ed. Ticonderoga, but to fortify his camp, and to prevent the enemy from attacking him, or advancing into the country by South Bay, or Wood Creek. General Webb, with about 1400 men, was posted at the great carrying place; and Sir William Johnson, with about 1000 militia, was stationed at the German Flats. The proposed expedition up the Kennebeck, to destroy the settlement on the Claudiere, terminated in a mere scouting party, which explored the country. The attempt, proposed against Fort du Quesne, was not prosecuted. Virginia chose to be entirely on the defensive. Maryland, whose frontier was covered by the adjoining provinces, was wholly inactive. Pennsylvania raised 1500 men; but with no other view, than to protect her out farms.2

The southern provinces could not safely be neglected. A fort Fort Louwas built, this year, on Tennessee river, above 500 miles distant doun built. from Charlestown, and called Fort Loudoun. This fort, with Fort Prince George and Fort Moore (both on Savannah river), and the forts of Frederica and Augusta, were garrisoned by the in Carolina king's independent companies of foot, stationed there for the & Georgia. protection of the two provinces.3

Garrisons

French.

The French had been long aiming to secure the interior terri- Plan of the tory of the English colonies in America. Their plan for fortifying the Illinois country was now officially developed. The first fort of their plan was on the peninsula, in latitude 41° 30'. This was a check upon the several nations of Sioux, who were not

1 In the two forts the French found 121 pieces of artillery, 14 mortars, a quantity of small arms, 33,000lbs. of powder, 8000lbs. of lead and iron, in balls and bullets, 156 bombs, with other smaller stores in proportion, and 12 months' provision for 4000 men. The sloops and 200 batteaux fell at the same time into their hands. With their prisoners and booty they hastily embarked for Montreal.

2 Smollett, i. 358-361. Mante, b. 2. Univ. Hist. xl. 215. Wynne, ii. 64, 65. Minot, i. c. 14. Marshall, i. 406–409. Biblioth. Americ. 137. Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. vii. 123-158; where there is a description of the two forts at Oswego. They stood on opposite sides of Onondaga River, near its entrance into Lake Ontario. A good View of Oswego is prefixed to the first (4to.) edition of Smith's History of New York.

3 Hewatt, ii. 205, 209. The exports of Georgia, this year, were 2997 barrels of rice, 9395lbs. of indigo, and 268lbs. of raw silk, which, together with skins, furs, lumber, and provisions, amounted to no more than £16,776 sterling.

1756. then in confederacy with them. The next post was on the river Dorias, so called after the junction of Illinois river and Theakiki. The next, in the plan, was the garrisoning and fortifying the country from the mouth of Missouri to Kaskasias, where there were five posts. Of these Kaskasias was considered the principal," as it is the pass and inlet of the convoys of Louisiana, and of the traders and hunters of the post of Detroit, and that of the greatest part of the savage nations." The next was on the Ohio, over against the mouth of the Cherokee river. "This," Vaudreuil observed, "would be the key of the colony of Louisiana, would be a sufficient barrier against the English, and restrain their encroachments, and would obstruct their designs in alienating the Indians of the Ohio; it would restrain the incursions of the Cherokees, on the river Oubash, and river Mississippi ; it would also check the Chickasaws, and would by these means secure the navigation of the Mississippi, and the communication with our posts." M. Jonquiere proposed another fort at the mouth of Rocky river, which, he said, would secure the tranquillity of the south of Canada. ، By these posts, and the posts of the Miamis," governor Pownall now observed, "the whole country is secured and fortified."1

Canada.

Louisiana.

There were, at this time, about 60 forts in Canada, most of which had fine settlements around them, which entirely supported themselves. The garrisons were relieved once in six years. Scarcely any thing was sent to them, but dry goods and ammunition. The establishments, posts, and settlements of Louisiana employed 2000 soldiers. There were 37 companies, of 50 men each, and two Swiss companies, of 75 men each.2

1 Memorial of governor Pownall, written by order of the duke of Cumberland, "stating the nature of the service in North America, and proposing a general plan of operations, as founded thereon." The facts supporting the Memorial were derived from M. Vaudreuil's Letters to the French government from 1743 to 1752.

2 Pownall, Administration of the Colonies. The garrison of New Orleans:

The Mobile companies, mentioned above, held a garrison at Detour Anglois. The French judged it necessary to fix this number (475) here, on account of the proximity of Pensacola, on the one part, and of the English, on the other; "as also," says M. Vaudreuil, "to influence the Indians, as there are at our meetings and treaties, held here annually with the Indians, sometimes two, sometimes three thousand Indians present."