USA > Connecticut > A complete history of Connecticut, civil and ecclesiastical, from the emigration of its first planters, from England, in the year 1630, to the year 1764; and to the close of the Indian wars > Part 37
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on the south side of lake Erie. The Twightwees resent- Book II. ing the injury done to the British traders, who were their allies, made reprisals on the French, and sent several of 1754. their traders to Pennsylvania. The French nevertheless continued their claims, and strengthened their fortifica- tions.
The Indians, at the same time, jealous that settlements were about to be made on their lands without purchase, and without their consent, threatened the settlers. These claims and threatenings of the French and Indians, struck at the very existence of the Ohio company. Complaints therefore were made to lieutenant governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, and the province began to interest itself warmly in the affair. The Indians were in some measure satisfied, by a pretended message from the king. Major Washing- ton was dispatched to M. St. Pierre, commandant on the Ohio, to demand the reasons of his hostile conduct, and at the same time to insist on the withdrawal of his troops. A party of Virginians were also sent forward to erect a fort at the confluence of the Ohto and Monongahela.
The French commander denied the charge of hostility, and, so far from withdrawing his troops, he made an abso- lute claim of the country, as the property of the French king, and declared that, agreeable to his instructions, he would seize and send prisoner to Canada, every English- man who should attempt to trade on the Ohio, or any of its branches.
Before the Virginians had completed their designed for- tifications on the Ohio, the French came upon them, from The Vir- Vinango, in great force. They had an army of a thous- ginians and men, and eighteen pieces of cannon, and drove them driven from the country. They then erected a regular fort on from the the very ground where the Virginians had begun their Ohio. fortifications. They gave it the name of Fort du Quesne. In these ravages, the French destroyed all the English tra- ders but two, and plundered them of skins and other prop- killed and erty to the amount of twenty thousand pounds .* This for- plunder- tress very much commanded the entrance of the whole ed. country on the Ohio and the Mississippi. These measures gave a general alarm to the colonies, and also to Great- Britain.
It was easily foreseen, that if the French should unite Canada with their settlements at the mouth of the Mississip- pi, by possession of that vast country which lies between thêm, that the colonies would not only sustain the loss of a great part of their country, and all share in the Indian
* Rider's Hist. vol. xl, p. 71.
Mer- chants 1
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Boor IF. trade ; but that, in time of war, their frontiers must, to a very great extent, be exposed to continual alarm and dan- 1.754. ger. The defence of such a frontier, of more than a thous- and miles, would be in a great degree impracticable, as well as ruinously expensive. On the contrary, could the designs of France on Nova-Scotia and the Ohio be defeat- ed, it would entirely disunite their colonies, and as the en- trance into the one is, in the winter season, shut up by frost, and the entrance into the other is difficult, it would make them of much less value. It was also foreseen that the fortune of these colonies would immediately and very greatly affect the West-Indies. As both nations had a clear comprehension of these points, they were equally deter- mined to maintain their respective claims.
Colonel Washing- ton's ex- pedition.
The British ministry were no sooner apprised of these claims and outrages of the French, than they instructed the Virginians, by force of arms, to resist their encroachments. Orders were given also that several independent compa- nies, in America, should assist the Virginians. Major Washington was advanced to the rank, of colonel, and ap- pointed to command the troops, from Virginia, destined to remove the encroachments of the French on the Ohio. On the first notice, captain James Mackay marched with his independent company, from South-Carolina, to the assist- ance of the Virginians. Two companies were ordered from New-York on the same service. Colonel Washing- ton, without waiting for the companies from New-York, determined to advance with the Virginians and Mackay's company, consisting of about four hundred men. In May, he fell in with a party from fort du Quesne, under the command of one Jamonville, whom' he totally defeated .. De Villier, who commanded at fort du Quesne, incensed at this defeat, marched against him with a body of nine hundred men, besides Indians. The colonel had thrown up some imperfect works, which were, with propriety, termed fort Necessity ; hoping to defend himself in his post, Is after- wards overpow- ered and capitu- lates. till he should be reinforced by the companies expected from New-York. In these works he made so brave and obsti- nate a defence, that De Villier, finding he had desperate men to combat, offered him an honorable capitulation. This he accepted, and retreated with his party to Virginia. Recom- The same year, instructions had been sent from the Lords mendation of trade and plantations, recommending a meeting of com- from the Lords of trade and planta- tions. missioners from the several colonies, to concert a plan of union and defence against the common enemy : and in his majesty's name to effect a league of friendship between the colonies and the Indians. bordering upon them. The colo-
May 28, defeats Jamon- ville.
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nies, generally, manifested a cheerful compliance with the Book II. recommendation. But as, in former wars, some colonies had done much, and others scarcely any thing, to the great 1754. injury of the common cause, it was now earnestly wished, that each colony might be obliged to do its equal propor- tion. It was also desired, that the five nations of Indians, who had been under particular governors or provinces, and had, too often, been influenced to measures subservi- ent to individuals, or to particular colonies, rather than to such as were beneficial to the general interest, might be under some general direction, and contribute to the safety and welfare of the colonies collectively.
The General Court of Massachusetts presented their ·desires to governor Shirley, that he would "pray his ma- April 10, jesty, that the affairs relative to the six nations, and their allies, might be put under such general direction, as his majesty should judge proper: that the several govern- ments may be obliged to bear their proportion of defend- ing his majesty's territories against the encroachments of the French, and the ravages and incursions of the Indians."
Agreeably to the recommendation of the lords of trade and plantations, a convention, in the summer, of the gov- ernors and principal gentlemen of the several colonies, met at Albany. The commissioners from Connecticut, ·were the honourable William Pitkin, Roger Wolcott, and Elisha Williams, Esq'rs. It was the funanimous opinion, that an union of the colonies was absolutely necessary for the common defence. The convention proposed this plan :- " That a grand council should be formed, of mem- Plan of un- bers chosen by the assemblies, and sent from all the colo- ion propo- nies ; which council, with a governor general, to be ap- conven- sed by the pointed by the crown, should be empowered to make gen- tion, June eral laws, to raise money, in all the colonies, for the de- 14th. fence of the whole."* It was the general opinion, that, could such an establishment be effected, the colonies would be competent to their own defence, against the com- bined force of the French and Indians. Some of the colo- nies, in former wars, had defended themselves against them, unassisted by Great-Britain, or their sister colonies. Their united force, therefore, they judged would certainly be sufficient.
The commissioners from Connecticut were wholly op- Opposed posed to the plan. They imagined that it was dangerous by the to the liberties of the colonies, and that such a government commis-
sioners would not act with that dispatch and energy which might from Con- be reasonably expected by his majesty. It was also ima- necticut,
* See the articles of agreement, in the Appendix, No. I.
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Book II. gined, that it might bring a heavier debt on the colo- nies.
1754. Rejected by the as- sembly, Oct. 10th. When the commissioners reported the plan to the Gene- ral Assembly in October, at New-Haven, it was opposed, and totally rejected, by the legislature. They resolved, " That it is the opinion of this assembly, and it is hereby Reasons of declared to be the opinion thereof, that the limits of the its rejec- tion. proposed plan of union, are of too large extent to be, in any good manner, administered, considered, conducted, and defended, by a president general and council; and that a defensive war, managed by such a government, having so large a frontier, will prove ruinous to it. That the same, in course of time, may be dangerous and hurtful to his majesty's interest, and tend to subvert the liberties and privileges, and to discourage the industry of his ma- jesty's good subjects, inhabiting these colonies: and, there- fore, that no application be made, in behalf of this colony, to the parliament of Great-Britain, for an act to form any such government, on the said proposed plan, as is therein expressed; and that reasons be offered against any suchi motion."
Measures " Resolved by this assembly, That his honour the gov- adopted to ernor be desired, and he is hereby desired, to send the prevent its taking ef- fect. agent of this colony at the court of Great-Britain, the reso- lution of this assembly concerning the plan of union pro- posed by the several colonies, who met at Albany, on the 14th of June last, to concert proper measures for the gene- ral defence and safety of his majesty's subjects in said gov- ernments ; and that he, likewise, send said agent the rea- sons considered and offered by this assembly, concerning the said plan of proposed union of the colonies of Massa- chusetts Bay, New-Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode-Island, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vir- ginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina, for their mu- tual defence, &c. And, also, to send the representation of the state of the colonies of North-America, in relation to the French ; to be used and improved by the said agent, upon any consideration that may be had on said plan : And that the agent aforesaid, be directed, that, in case any of the other colonies aforesaid, shall make humble application for an act of the parliament of Great-Britain, by virtue of which one general government may be formed in America, including the said colonies, to be administered, in manner and form, as is proposed in said plan, he move the parlia- ment to be heard by learned council thereon, in behalf of this colony : And that the reasons aforementioned, with any other arguments that may appear just and reasonable in
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the case, be insisted on, and in the most advantageous Book II, manner urged, to prevent any such act being made or passed in the parliament of Great-Britain."*
1754.
The assembly further resolved, That the governor should watch all the steps which the other governments should take, relative to the said plan : That he should prepare whatever might be necessary for its prevention : That he should urge any further reasons against it, which his own mind might suggest : 'That he would suggest alterations in various parts ; particularly, that the government should be lessened, and divided into two districts : that the propor- tions allotted to each colony were unjust: and that he would show in what respects the liberties of the people would be infringed : that he would prepare the evidence of the facts, and send them to the agent, with whatever else might be necessary on the subject.
The colony was greatly alarmed by this general plan of government, and spared no pains to ward off the evils which they feared; but their exertions were unnecessary, and their fears soon subsided. The plan was as far fron: meeting the approbation of the British ministry, as that of the legislature and people of Connecticut, though for rea- sons very dissimilar. They were too cautious to trust such powers with the Americans.
They had formed a very different plan. It was, that the governors of the colonics, with one or more of their councils, should form a convention, to concert measures for the general defence, erect forts, and raise such numbers of men as they should judge necessary ; and that they should draw on the British treasury, for such sums as should be requisite to reimburse their expenses, The colonies, at the same time, were to be taxed by parliament, to pay the whole. This was a subtile contrivance, to provide for fa- vourites, sap the liberties, and engross the wealth of the colonies, and fix them down in perpetual poverty and slavery. But the colonies too well knew the imprudence and rapacity of kingly governors; their embezzlement of public monies ; their ignorance of the true state of the country ; and their want of affection for the people; and how many of them came to America to make their for- tunes ; tamely to commit their liberty, property, and safe- ty to their management. They were as far from resigning their property into the hands of the parliament, as the par- liament were from trusting too much power in the hands of the Americans. In the colonies, the plan received no countenance, but met their universal disapprobation.
* Records of the colony, October session, 1754.
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Book II. On the reception of the news of colonel Washington's defeat, the British court remonstrated against the conduct 1755. of the French in America ; but, receiving nothing but eva- sive answers and professions of peace from the court of France, gave orders for a vigorous preparation for war. The colonies were directed to arm and act with united ex- ertions against the enemy. Four expeditions were plan- ned : one against the Ohio, under the command of general Braddock ; a second against Nova-Scotia ; a third against Crown Point, and a fourth against Niagara.
General The expedition against the French on the Ohio was Braddock judged the most immediately urgent. General Braddock therefore embarked at Cork, about the middle of January, for Ameri- with fifteen hundred regulars, for Virginia. After a pas- sage of about six weeks, he arrived at the place of his des- tination.
The French, while they spoke nothing but peace, made vigorous preparations for the support of their claims in America. Early in the spring they had a powerful arma- ment ready for Canada. It consisted of twenty ships of the line, besides frigates and transports. On board were four thousand regular troops, with great quantities of mili- tary stores. The troops were under the command of Bar- on Dieskau.
Admirals Boscawen and Holburn, with seventeen ships of the line, and seven frigates, with six thousand land forc- es, were dispatched to watch the motions of the enemy. Admiral Boscawen sailed directly for Newfoundland. Soon after his arrival, the French fleet, under the command of M. Bors de la Mothe, came also nearly to the same sta- tion. But the thick fogs which prevail on the coast, espe- cially in the spring, prevented the fleets from discovering each other. One part of the French fleet escaped up the river St. Lawrence, while the other part went round and got into the river by the straights of Bellisle. But while the English squadron lay off Cape Race, the southernmost part of Newfoundland, two French ships, the Alcide, of sixty-four guns, with four hundred and eighty men, and the Lys, pierced for sixty-four guns, but mounting twenty-two only, having on board eight companies of land forces, fell in with the Dunkirk, captain Howe, and the Defiance, captain Andrews, and after a smart engagement, which lasted some hours, were taken. On board were found a considerable number of officers, engineers, and about eight thousand pounds in money. The other French ships and troops arrived safe in Canada, and were the principal means of the misfortunes which for some time attended the English colonies.
¥
embarks ca, Jan. 1755.
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In the spring, the colonies, especially the northern, were Book IIa all actively engaged in making preparations for the several expeditions to be carried into execution. Special assem- 1747. blies were called, and messengers sent from one colony to General another, to learn each others measures, and to form some Assembly, general plan of operation. In consequence of letters re- 1755. Jan. 8th, ceived from Sir Thomas Robinson, one of his majesty's principal secretaries, the general assembly of Connecticut was convoked on the 8th of January. The letters express- ed his majesty's pleasure, that a considerable number of troops should be raised by the colonies for the defence of his majesty's dominions in America ; and that his majesty would dispatch several regiments from England to co-ope- rate with the colonies for their defence, and the removing. of the encroachments which had been made upon them. Connecticut was called upon in particular to exert herself in the common cause.
The assembly acknowledged in the most grateful man- ner their sense of his majesty's regard for the security and welfare of his subjects in these parts of his dominions. They also manifested their cheerful compliance with his majesty's requisitions in all the particulars in which they had been made known unto them. The governor was au- thorised to comply with every act and thing which had been signified, at the expense of the government. To meet the extraordinary expense which might arise, it was enacted that seven thousand five hundred pounds lawful money should be forthwith emitted. The bills were emitted at five per cent interest, to be called in on the 8th of May, 1758. As a proper fund for sinking said bills, a tax of two pence on the pound, lawful money, was levied on the polls and rateable estate of the colony, as exhibited in the list which should be brought in to the assembly in 1756: to be collected and paid into the treasury by the last day of August, 1757; and it was appropriated to the sole pur- pose of sinking the bills.
In consequence of proposals from governor Shirley, and the general court of Massachusetts, another special assem- bly was called, in March. The proposal was to raise an army of five thousand provincials, including governor Shir- ley's regiment of one thousand, in the following propor- tions : Massachusetts 1200, New-Hampshire 600, Rhode- Island 400, and Connecticut 1000 men. The original plan was, that this army should act against the French at Crown Point, to erect another fort in its vicinity, and to prevent further encroachments in that quarter, and, as far as might be, to remove such as had been made.
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seinbly, March 13, 1755.
Resolu- tions for raising an army.
BOOK II. The assembly considered the proportion of men assign- ed them, to be far too great ; yet to show their zeal for his 1755. majesty's service and their regard for the public interest, Special as- they voted to raise a thousand men, as had been proposed. They considered the extensive frontiers which Massachu- setts had to defend, and that the province of New-York might be attacked in different places, and the vast impor- tance of defending the country in the present juncture ; and determined there should be no failure on their account. The governor was further authorised, on the first intima- tion from the commanders in chief that the army needed a reinforcement, to send forward 500 men more, with the utmost dispatch. The assembly also directed the govern- or to write to the other colonies, to make the same provis- ion for reinforcing the army, should it be necessary, and that it should be in proportion to the numbers they were respectively to furnish. ,
To meet the exigences of the war, the assembly order- cdl that all the outstanding bills in the possession of any person should be brought in, to a committee appointed for - the purpose of receiving them, and that orders should be given the persons who brought in said bills, on the treasur- er of the colony, to the amount of the value of said bills, made payable at certain times fixed by the assembly, with the lawful interest until the times of payment. Ample funds were provided by taxes to make payment of the notes for the money called in, and for the reimbursement of the expenses of the war. Twelve thousand and five hundred pounds lawful money was emitted in bills, with interest at five per cent.
At this assembly, all the officers of the army were ap- pointed, their wages and those of the common soldiers were fixed, and all proper measures adopted to forward the ex- pedition. William Johnson, of New-York, was appointed general of the northern army, and colonel Phinehas Ly- man, one of the magistrates of Connecticut, was appoint- ed major-general. The first Connecticut regiment was commanded by general Lyman. His lieutenant-colonel was John Pitkin. The second regiment was commanded by Elizur Goodrich, Esq. Nathan Whiting was lieuten- ant-colonel.
bly rela- tive to the Susque- hanna company.
Resolve of At the session in May, upon the petition of Phinehas the assem Lyman, Roger Wolcott, Jun. Samuel Gray, and Abra- ham Davenport, Esq'rs. and others, their associates, to the number of about eight hundred and fifty, known by the name of the Susquehannah company, by their agents, Geo. Wyllys, Daniel Edwards, Samuel Talcott, Thomas Sey-
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mour, and Eliphalet Dyar, representing that the colony, Book II. according to the express limits of its royal charter, is in extent from the Narraganset Bay on the east, to the south 1755. sea on the west, and from the sea shore on the south, to the line of the Massachusetts province on the north; that within and towards the western part of its limits, are and time immemorial have been, large numbers of the Indian nations, commonly called the six nations, dwelling, im- proving and claiming a large extent thereof : That a cer- tain large parcel of such their claim, situate and lying on the waters of the Susquehannah, about seventy miles north and south, and from about ten miles east of said river, ex- tending westward two degrees of longitude, they the said Indian nations, not finding necessary for their own use, have, for very valuable considerations, been induced to re- linquish, and to sell to the petitioners : and that some well ordered plantation, in so near a neighborhood to the said na- tions, might most likely be a means to cement and fix them in friendship with his majesty's subjects : and that they the said Indian nations are desirous such settlement might be promoted and carried on, as being conducive to their interest and safety ; and therefore praying the consent of this assembly, that his majesty, if it should be his royal pleasure, would grant said land to the petitioners and their associates, thereon to erect and settle a colony, for the ef- fectually securing said Indians in his majesty's interest, and the defence of his majesty's dominions in North Ameri- ca, with liberty of further purchases of said Indians, to said purpose, as occasion may be :
Resolved by this assembly, that they are of opinion that the peaceably and orderly erecting and carrying on of some new and well regulated colony, or plantation, on the lands above mentioned, would greatly tend to fix and se- cure the said Indian nations in allegiance to his majesty, and friendship with his subjects ; and do accordingly hereby manifest their ready acquiescence therein, if it should be his majesty's royal pleasure to grant said land to said petitioners, and thereon erect and settle a new colo- ny, in such form and under such regulations as might be consistent with his royal wisdom; and also take leave humbly to recommend the petitioners to his royal favor in the premises.
The expedition against Nova-Scotia, was under the command of colonel Monckton. He was the first in the field. The province of Massachusetts, early in the spring, sent on a considerable number of men to Nova-Scotia ; and about the last of May, the colonel proceeded up the
V 2
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Book II. bay of Fundy with a good body of troops, covered by three frigates and a sloop of war, under the command of 1755. captain Rouse, with a design to dislodge the enemy from that quarter. On his arrival at Malagash, he found the passage up the river defended by a large number of French troops, Acadians and Indians. Four hundred were placed in a log house, with cannon mounted. The rest of the troops were defended by a strong breast-work of timbers thrown up around the block-house. But, the English at- tacked them with such order and gallantry that, after an action of about an hour, the enemy abandoned their works, and the passage up the river was opened. The army ad- vanced, and on the twelfth of June, invested the French fort called Beausejour. This, after a bombardment of four days, was taken. The French had twenty-six pieces of cannon mounted, and ample supplies of ammunition. The garrison were sent to Louisburg, on condition of not bearing arms in America, for the term of six months. As soon as the fort was provided with a proper garrison, the colonel marched further into the country, and reduced another French fort on the river Gaspereau, which runs into the bay of Verte. This was the principal magazine for supplying the French, Indians and Acadians with arms, ammunition, and all other necessaries for war. Here, therefore, were large quantities of provisions and stores of all kinds, for the victorious army. The colonel then pro- ceeded to disarm the Acadians, to the number of about fif- teen thousand men. They were pretty generally remov- ed from that part of the country. Great numbers of them were brought into New-Englan-1.
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