1759. Acts of Massachusetts. Acrelius. Death of Sir W. Pepperell. M. de Levi recover Quebec. The legislature of Massachusetts passed a stamp act, in which newspapers were included; but, on application from the printers, the duty was taken off, in consideration that they were vehicles of knowledge and necessary information. Having three years before passed an act for granting a lottery to raise 2100 dollars towards paving and repairing Boston Neck, it now passed an act for granting a lottery to raise a sum for the purpose of paving the high way from Boston line to meeting house hill in Roxbury; and another for granting a lottery for raising the causeway of Sudbury, and for building a bridge over Sudbury river.1 A Description of the Swedish Congregations in America, by Israel Acrelius, was printed at Stockholm.2 Sir William Pepperell, baronet, died, at his seat in Kittery, aged 63 years.3 1760. THE fall of Quebec did not immediately produce the submisattempts to sion of Canada. The main body of the French army, which, after the battle on the plains of Abraham, retired to Montreal, and which still consisted of ten battalions of regulars, had been reinforced by 6000 Canadian militia, and a body of Indians. With these forces M. de Levi, who had succeeded the marquis de Montcalm in the chief command, resolved to attempt the recovery of Quebec. He had hoped to carry the place by a coup de main during the winter; but, on reconnoitering, he found the outposts so well secured, and the governor so vigilant and active, that he postponed the enterprise until spring. In the month of April, when the upper part of the St. Lawrence was so open as fire in 1758, with a quantity of raw silk, and 7040lbs. of cocoons or silk balls. The weight of silk balls received at that filature in 1757, was 1052lbs. only. Eliot on Field Husbandry, Essay vi. 1 Pemberton, MS. Chronology. The sum to be raised for Sudbury was £827. The causeway was to be raised three feet higher than it then was. 2 MS. Letter of Dr. Collin, Rector of the Swedish churches in Pennsylvania. Dr. Collin informs me, that the author was "a respectable Rector of the Christina Church," and commends his Description as a valuable work. 3 Stevens' Sermon on the occasion of his death. Sir William was the son of William Pepperell, who was a native of Cornwall in England. The father came to this country about the year 1676, and settled at the Isles of Shoals, as a fisherman. He afterwards removed to Kittery Point, where he became a very wealthy merchant, and died in 1734. William, his only son, was born in the District of Maine, and bred a merchant. About the year 1727, he was chosen one of his majesty's council, and was annually reelected 32 years until his death. He had "a vigorous frame, and a mind of a firm texture, and of great calmness in danger." He had a deep sense of the Providence of God, and ascribed his unparalleled success, in the conquest of Cape Breton, to the God of armies. It was on occasion of that splendid and memorable achievement, that king George II. conferred on him the title and dignity of baronet of Great Britain; an honour never before conferred on a native of New England. Farmer and Moore, Coll. ii. 85, 86. Eliot and Allen, Biog. 1760. to admit a transportation by water, his artillery, military stores, and heavy baggage, were embarked at Montreal, and fell down the river under convoy of six frigates; and M. de Levi, after a march of ten days, arrived with his army at Point au Tremble, within a few miles of Quebec. General Murray, to whom the care of maintaining the English conquest had been entrusted, had taken every precaution to preserve it; but his troops had suffered so much by the extreme cold of the winter, and by the want of vegetables and fresh provisions, that, instead of 5000, the original number of his garrison, there were not at this time above 3000 men fit for service. With this small but valiant body he resolved to meet the enemy in the field; and on the 28th of Battle near April marched out to the heights of Abraham, where, near Sillery. Sillery, he attacked the French under M. de Levi with great impetuosity. He was received with firmness; and, after a fierce encounter, finding himself outflanked and in danger of being surrounded by superior numbers, he called off his troops, and retired into the city. In this action the loss of the English was near 1000 men; and that of the French still greater. The French general lost no time in improving his victory. On the very evening of the battle, he opened trenches before the town; but it was the 11th of May before he could mount his batteries, and bring his guns to bear on the fortifications. By that time general Murray, who had been indefatigable in his exertions, had completed some outworks, and planted so numerous an artillery on his ramparts, that his fire was very superior to that of the besiegers, and in a manner silenced their batteries. A British fleet most opportunely arriving a few days after, M. de Levi immediately raised the siege, and precipitately retired to Montreal. Here the marquis de Vaudreuil, governor general of Canada, had fixed his head quarters, and determined to make his last stand. For this purpose he called in all his detachments, and collected around him the whole force of the colony. In the mean time general Amherst was diligently engaged in Plan and prosecuting measures for the entire subversion of the French movements of general power in Canada. During the winter he had made arrange- Amherst. ments to bring the armies from Quebec, Lake Champlain, and Lake Ontario, to act against Montreal. Colonel Haviland, by his orders, sailed with a detachment from Crown Point, took possession of Isle Aux Noix, which he found abandoned by the enemy, and proceeded thence for Montreal; while Amherst with his own division, consisting of about 10,000 regulars and provincials, left the frontier of New York, and advanced to Oswego, where he was joined by 1000 Indians of the Six nations, under Sir William Johnson. Embarking with his entire army on Lake Aug. 10. Ontario, and taking in his way the fort of Isle Royale, he arrived 1760. Capitulation of M. de Vau entire re duction of Canada. at Montreal, after a difficult and dangerous passsage,1 on the same day that general Murray landed near that place from Quebec. The two generals met no opposition in disembarking their troops; and, by a happy concurrence in the execution of a well concerted plan, colonel Haviland joined them with his detachment the next day. The strength of these combined armies, and the masterly dispositions made by the commanders, convincing M. de Vaudreuil dreuil, and that resistance would be ineffectual, he demanded a capitulation; and, on the 8th of September, Montreal, Detroit, Michilimackinac, and all other places within the government of Canada, were surrendered to his Britannic majesty. After the capitulation, brigadier general Gage was appointed governor of Montreal, with a garrison of 2000 men; and general Murray returned to Quebec, where his garrison was augmented to 4000.2 French ships de stroyed at Acadie. Indian hos tilities renewed in Carolina. The destruction of an armament, ordered out from France in aid of Canada, completed the annihilation of the French power on the continent of North America. This armament, consisting of one frigate of 30 guns, two large store ships, and 19 sail of smaller vessels, learning, before its arrival on the coast, that a British squadron had sailed up the St. Lawrence, thought proper to take shelter in the bay of Chaleurs, on the coast of Acadie. Captain Byron, senior officer of the ships at Louisbourg, receiving the intelligence, sailed immediately with five ships, and destroyed the whole fleet, together with two batteries, and 200 houses; and desolated the French Acadian settlements.3 Early in the present year, when joyous celebrations of the peace with the Cherokees were scarcely concluded, governor Littleton was informed, that fresh hostilities had been committed by the Cherokees, who had killed 14 men within a mile of Fort 1 There were lost in the passage some artillery and stores, 46 batteaux, 17 whale boats, a row galley, and above 80 men. 2 Russel, v. Lett. 34. Marshall, i. c. 13. Univ. Hist xl. 244-246. On this great occasion, the orders of general Amherst, dated " Camp before Montreal, 8 September, 1760," announce to the army: "The general sees with infinite pleasure the successes, which have crowned the indefatigable efforts of his majesty's troops and faithful subjects in North America. The marquis Vaudreuil has capitulated the troops of France in Canada; they have laid down their arms, and are not to serve during the war. The whole country submits to the dominion of Great Britain. The three armies are all entitled to the general's thanks on this occasion; and he assures them, that he will take the first opportunity of acquainting his majesty with the zeal and bravery, which have always been exerted by the officers and soldiers of the regular and provincial troops, and also by his faithful Indian allies. The general is confident that when the troops are informed, that the country is the king's, they will not disgrace themselves by the least appearance of inhumanity or unsoldierlike behaviour of taking any plunder; but that the Canadians, now become British subjects, may feel the good effects of his majesty's protection." Copied from the Orderly Book of captain Holmes. 3 Univ. Hist. xl. 247. Wynne, ii. 177. 1760. kees. Prince George. The war soon becoming general, an express was sent to general Amherst, the commander in chief in America, acquainting him with the distressed state of Carolina, and imploring his assistance. A battalion of Highlanders and four companies of the Royal Scots were accordingly sent, under the command of colonel Montgomery, for the relief of that province. Before the end of April, Montgomery landed his troops in Caro- Colonel lina, and encamped at Monk's Corner. A few weeks after his Montgomarrival, he marched to the Congarees, where he was joined by and marchery arrives, the whole force of the province, and immediately set out for the es against Cherokee country. After burning all the towns in the Lower the Cheronation, in which 60 Indians were killed and 40 made prisoners, he marched to the relief of Fort Prince George, which was invested by the savages. After relieving that fort, finding the Indians not disposed to listen to proposals of accommodation, he marched forward through the dismal wilderness, where he encountered many hardships and dangers, until he came within five miles of Etchoe, the lowest town in the middle settlements. Here he found a deep valley, thickly covered with bushes, in the middle of which was a muddy river, with steep clay banks. Colonel Morrison, who commanded a company of rangers, had orders to advance and scour the thicket; but scarcely had he entered it, when the Indians, springing from their covert, fired upon them, and killed the captain and several of his men. The light infantry and grenadiers being now ordered to advance against the invisible enemy, a heavy fire began on both sides. Colonel Montgomery, finding the number of the Indians to be great, and their determination to dispute this pass obstinate, ordered the Royal Scots to advance between the enemy and a rising ground on the right, while the Highlanders marched toward the left, to sustain the infantry and grenadiers. The Indians at length giving way, and, having taken possession of a hill, continuing still to retreat, as the army advanced; Montgomery gave orders to the line to face about and march directly for Etchoe. The enemy, observing this movement, got behind the hill, and ran to alarm their wives and children. Perceiving the difficulty and hazard of a farther pursuit, the English commander gave orders for a retreat, which was conducted with great regularity to Fort Prince George. During the action, which continued above an hour,* colonel Montgomery had 20 men killed, and 76 wounded. take Fort Loudoun ; To revenge this invasion, the Cherokees blockaded Fort Cherokees Loudoun, situated near the confines of Virginia. This post, consisting of 200 men, commanded by captain Demerè, being 150 miles from Charlestown, was cut off from all communication with the English. The garrison, having subsisted some time on horseflesh, was ultimately reduced to such extremity, 1760. and treach erously massacre the garri son. T. Pownall appointed governor of as to be obliged to surrender the place on capitulation. The troops were to march out with their ammunition and baggage, and to be conducted to Virginia, or Fort Prince George; but, after marching about 15 miles from the fort, they were at night deserted by their attendants, and the next morning surrounded by the Indians, who poured in a heavy fire upon them, accompanied with the most hideous yells. Captain Demerè with three other officers, and about 26 privates, fell at the first onset. The rest were made prisoners; and, after being kept some time in a miserable state of captivity, were redeemed by the province at a great expense. The Cherokees could at this time bring into the field 3000 warriors.1 Governor Pownall, appointed to the government of South Carolina, returned to England before he entered upon the duties S. Carolina. of his new commission, leaving the government of Massachusetts in the hands of lieutenant governor Hutchinson. The governor's administration, though short, was very successful and popular. When he embarked, both houses attended him in a body to his barge, with every appropriate testimony of respect. During the T. Hutchin- short time of Mr. Hutchinson's administration, measures for governor of raising the army were assiduously prosecuted; the prudential Massachu- concerns of the province were carefully arranged and methodized; and a conciliatory disposition in the several branches of the government prevailed. On the 4th of August Francis Berarrives as nard arrived, with the commission of governor of Massachusetts. governor. Having governed the province of New Jersey very acceptably, this advancement was considered as a just reward for his services.2 son lieut. setts. F. Bernard 1 Hewatt, ii. 214–239. Univ. Hist. xl. 444-449. In the action near Etchoe, the English claimed the victory; but it hardly belonged to them. Adair [185] says, that they were defeated, and that another such action must inevitably have ruined the whole army. 2 Minot, ii. 62-65, 70, 76. Mr. Adams, in his " History of the Dispute with America, from its origin in 1754," illustrates this part of our colonial history.Dr. Franklin, who was known to have great influence in the province of Pennsylvania, was in Boston in 1754, and Mr. Shirley communicated to him the profound secret, the great design of taxing the colonies by act of parliament. Dr. Franklin sent the governor an answer, with remarks upon his scheme. The remarks showed the injustice and impolicy of the contemplated measure, and the extreme dissatisfaction it would probably give to the people of America. One of his last remarks was, "That the colonists have, at the hazard of their lives and fortunes, extended the dominions, and increased the commerce and riches of the mother country; that therefore the colonists do not deserve to be deprived of the native rights of Britons, the right of being taxed only by repre sentatives chosen by themselves."-" Whether the ministry at home or the junto here," says Mr. Adams, "were discouraged by these masterly remarks, or by any other cause, the project of taxing the colonies was laid aside; Mr. Shirley was removed from his government, and Mr. Pownall was placed in his stead. Mr. Pownall was a friend to liberty, and to our constitution, and seems to have had an aversion to all plots against either. There were those, however, in the province, who raised discontents, and made him uneasy in his seat. Averse to wrangling, he solicited to be recalled; and after some time, Mr. Bernard was removed from New Jersey to the chair of this province." |