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 38
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Meanwhile, captain Rouse, and the ships under his com- mand, sailed to St. John's river, to dislodge the enemy from that post. At the mouth of the river, they were erect- ing a new fort. But on his approach they burst their can- non, blew up their magazine, and as far as time would per- mit, destroyed their works, and then abandoned the post 'to the English ... Thus, by this successful expedition, Great ·Britain became possessed of the whole country of Nova- Scotia, and its tranquillity was restored, and put on a firm ·establishment.
The two expeditions against Crown Point and Niagara, were forwarded with great exertion and dispatch, by the colonies of New-England and New-York. The troops for each of these enterprises, were ordered tó rendezvous at Albany. Most of them arrived at the place of their desti- nation before the end of June. Generals Johnson and Ly- 'man found themselves at the head of an army of between
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five and six thousand men. Besides, they were joined by Book II. Hendrick, sachem of the Mohawks, with a considerable body of Indians. Major-general Lyman soon marched 1755. with the main body of the army, along Hudson's river, as The north- far as the carrying place, about fourteen miles south of the ern army under south end of lake George. General Johnson tarried at Johnson Albany, to forward the artillery, batteaux, and other ne- and Ly- cessaries for the enterprise. At the carrying place, where man, ad- the artillery, provisions, stores and batteaux were to be vance to- landed, it was judged necessary to erect a fort, and to cast lake. wards the up entrenchments to secure them, in order to keep up their communication when they should advance, and provide for a retreat whenever it should be necessary. The ac- complishment of these works, with the transportation of the cannon, provisions, stores and batteaux, employed the army five or six weeks, before they could be in readiness to advance to the lake.
While the New-Englanders were humbling the French in Nova-Scotia, and advancing towards Crown Point, gen- General eral Braddock had been slowly making preparations for Brad- the expedition against the French on the Ohio. Though dock's ex- this, with the ministry, was the favorite expedition, and pedition. though the general arrived soon enough to have begun his operations early in the spring, yet it was the tenth of June before he commenced his march from fort Cumberland, which the Virginians had built at Will's Creek. This, it has been said, was owing to the dilatoriness of the Virgin- ians, whom he had employed as contractors for his army. They were nearly three months in procuring provisions, horses, and a sufficient number of waggons, for the convey- ance of his baggage. Some waggons were procured from Pennsylvania, and yet but about half the number for which he had contracted were procured for his service. He began his march with about two thousand two hundred men. When he had advanced as far as the great mead- ows, he received the intelligence that the French, at fort Du Quesne, were in expectation of a reinforcement of five hundred men. This induced him to quicken his march ; and that he might proceed with greater expedition, he left colonel Dunbar, with eight hundred men, to bring up the provisions and heavy baggage; while he pressed forward with such provisions and necessaries as were barely suffi- cient for him, until colonel Dunbar should bring up the rear.
-
Before the general's departure from England, much pains Precau- had been taken to make him cautious, and to prepare him for his command. Colonel Napier furnished him with an
tions given him.
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Book Il. excellent set of instructions, which he had received from the duke of Cumberland. Indeed, the duke in person fre- 1755. quently admonished him to be particularly watchful against an ambush or surprisc. When he was on his march, col- onel Washington intreated him, with earnestness, to suffer him to precede the army and scour the woods with his ran- gers ; but the general treated this generous and necessary proposal with contempt. He rashly pressed on, through thickets and dangerous defiles, without reconnoitering the woods, or obtaining any proper knowledge of the country through which he was to pass. By the eighth of July, he had advanced nearly sixty miles forward of colonel Dun- bar, and within twelve or fourteen miles of fort Du Quesne. In this situation, his officers, especially Sir Peter Halket, earnestly intreated him to proceed with caution, and to employ the friendly Indians in his army, as an advanced guard, against ambuscades and surprise. But he was too haughty and self-sufficient, to derive any benefit even from the experience or wisdom of the greatest characters.
The next day, without any knowledge of the enemy, or any of the precautions to which he had been so repeatedly advised, he pressed on until about twelve o'clock, when, all on a sudden, he was saluted with a heavy and deadly fire in front, and on the whole of his left flank. The ene- my artfully concealed themselves, and reserved their fire, until the whole army had time to enter the defile. Though the yell and fire of the enemy were tremendous, yet there was scarcely one of them to be seen. The suddenness of the attack, the horrible scream of the Indians, and the slaughter made by the first fire of the enemy, threw the advanced guard into the utmost panic, so that they, rush- ing back upon the main body, threw the whole of the reg- ular troops into irretrievable confusion. The general cx- hibited the greatest intrepidity and imprudence. Instead of retreating from the defile, and scouring the thickets with his cannon, or ordering the Virginians to drive the enemy from his flanks, he remained on the spot, giving orders for the few gallant officers and men who remained with him, to form regularly and advance to the charge of their invisible enemy. But, as the enemy kept up an incessant and de- structive fire, his officers and men fell thick about him. Five horses were soon killed under him ; but his obstina- cy seemed to increase with his danger : until, at length, he received a musket ball through his right arm and lungs. As he fell, those who remained, fled in great confusion. The general was carried from the field, by the bravery of lieut. colonel Gage and another of his faithful officers.
Defeated, July 9th.
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The artillery, ammunition, baggage, and the general's Book II. cabinet, with all his letters and instructions, fell into the hands of the enemy. The latter of these were sent to 1755. France, and the French court availed itself of them in their memorials and declarations. The general died of his Dies July wounds four days after his defeat. Thus the loss of his 13th. own life, and the ruin of a fine army, were but the natural consequences of his unparalleled self-sufficiency, impru- dence and obstinacy. The enemy consisted of about four or five hundred men only, and these were chiefly Indians. The whole were not a match even for the Virginians, had they been allowed to fight in their own way.
One of the most remarkable circumstances of this unfor- tunate expedition remains yet to be told. The Virginia militia, who had been despised by the general, and kept in the rear, though equally exposed with the regular troops, amidst all the dismay and confusion, stood firm and unbro- ken. They alone advanced against the enemy ; and, un- der colonel Washington, covering the retreat, seem to have saved the regulars from total destruction.
The loss of officers and men was very great. Sir Peter Loss of Halket was killed at the head of his regiment, by the first men. fire. The general's secretary, son of governor Shirley, fell soon after. The loss of officers much exceeded the com- mon proportion. The whole loss was not less than seven or eight hundred men .*
The flight of the army was so precipitate and extraor- Extraordi- dinary, that it never stopped until they met the rear divi- nary panic sion. This, on their junction, was instantly seized with and re- the same general panic which affected the main body ; and treat ..
though no enemy had been discovered in pursuit of them, yet the army continued retreating, without making any stand, or considerable halt, till it reached fort Cumberland, which was little less than a hundred and twenty miles from the place of action. Had the troops, even at this distance, so recovered their spirits as to have made a stand, they might, in some measure, have guarded the frontiers, and .prevented those devastations, murders, and barbarities, which the French and Indians, during the rest of the sum- · mer, perpetrated on the western borders of Virginia and Pennsylvania. But, instead of adopting this prudent and salutary measure, colonel Dunbar, who succeeded in com- ·mand, leaving the sick and wounded at this post, under the care of the Virginians, marched off, with fourteen hun- dred men, to Philadelphia.t
* Rider says he lost half his army. Hist. of England, vol. xl. p. 110 t Rider, vol. xl. p. 111.
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BOOK II. The northern army, under general Johnson, having brought on their artillery, batteaux, and provisions, to the 1755. carrying place at fort Edward, towards the last of August, In August, advanced fourteen miles to the south end of Lake George. the north- ern army advanced to the lake. Here preparations were making, with all possible dispatch, for crossing the lake, as soon as the cannon, batteaux, and stores could be brought on. In the mean time, the army was encamped on a rising ground, covered, on its flanks, with a thick wood and swamp, by the lake in the rear, and having, in the front, a breast-work of trees. While the army was encamped in this situation, the Indian scouts, whom the general sent out daily to make discoveries, brought him intelligence of a large body of the enemy ad- vancing from Ticonderoga, by south bay, towards fort Ed- ward. There was a garrison of five hundred men, of the New-York and New-Hampshire troops, under the com- mand of colonel Blanchard. Immediately on the recep- tion of this intelligence, the general, comprehending the design of the enemy, to destroy the provisions and stores at fort Edward, and cut off the retreat of the army, sent expresses, one after another, to the colonel, acquainting him with his danger, and ordering him to call in all his detached partie:, and to keep his whole force within the fort and entrenchments. About midnight, one of the ex- presses returned, with an account that the enemy were ad- vanced within four miles of fort Edward. A council of officers was called ; and, agreeably to their opinion, early in the morning, a party of a thousand men, with Hendrick, the Mohawk sachem, and his Indians, were detached to intercept the enemy. The party was commanded by colo- nel Williams, of Massachusetts, and colonel Whiting, of Connecticut. Baron Dieskau, who commanded the French, marched from Ticonderoga, with a view to cut off the gar- rison at fort Edward; but when he had advanced within a few miles of the fort, he received information, that it was fortified with cannon, and that the camp, at the lake, had neither lines nor cannon. This, with the universal desire of his officers, determined him to attack the main camp. As he was advancing within about three miles of it, his ad- vanced parties discovered the corps under colonel Wil- liams, and immediately laid in ambush to surprise him. Notwithstanding the vigilance and keen sight of the In- dians, the whole party were drawn into the snare. The enemy instantly rose, and, from every quarter, poured in upon them a tremendous fire. Colonel Williams, the In- dian sachem, and many other officers and men, instantly fell, Under these disadvantages, and pressed with supe-
Detach- ment un- der colonel Williams.
Colonel killed.
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rior numbers, it was with the utmost difficulty, that colonel Book II. Whiting, who succeeded in the command, extricated his men from this dangerous defile, and secured his retreat 1755. into the camp. The enemy pressed so hard, that many Detach- fled singly, and some whole companies soon followed their ment re- pulsed, example. To prevent an entire overthrow, the whole Sept. 6th. were obliged to retreat with as much haste as possible.
At the same time, the firing was heard in the camp, which was judged to be at three or four miles distance, and it appeared to approach nearer and nearer. From this circumstance, it was rightly conjectured, that the detach- ment was repulsed, and retreating into camp. The alarm being thus given, the utmost exertions were instantly made to give the enemy a proper reception. A few cannon had been brought on; but 'they were at the south landing of the lake, half a mile or more from the breast-work. Par- ties were sent to bring forward such pieces as could be moved with the greatest facility and dispatch. Fugitives from the retreating detachment, soon came running into the camp. These were followed by company after com- pany, in the utmost hurry and disorder. The whole party were soon in ; and the enemy following close upon them, appeared in regular order, advancing towards the centre of the camp. At about thirty rods distance, they made a Battle at little halt, and commenced the attack with a brisk and lake heavy firing of platoons. The Canadians and Indians Sept. 6th, Georgė, covered the flank of the regular troops, and maintained a brisk, but irregular fire. The dismay and disorder with which the detachment retreated, the reports of the loss sustained, and of the great number of the enemy, with the bold countenance and regularity with which they made the attack, for a few minutes, caused such a general panic, that it required the utmost exertions of the generals and officers to keep the men at the lines. But they had re- ceived but a few fires before their spirits began to rise, and they fought with great resolution. The lines became one continual blaze and roar. Some pieces of artillery began to play, and so intimidated the Canadians and In- dians, that they were scattered, and retired behind trees and bushes, at too great a distance to do execution. Baron Dieskau, finding that he could make no impression on the centre of the camp, moved first to the left, and then to the right, attempting, by every exertion of military art and prowess, to force a passage. Nevertheless, as he was not supported by his irregulars, and as from every part of the lines, which he attempted to penetrate, he received a heavy and destructive fire, he was obliged to give over his at-
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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 re- solution and firmness, as put them to an entire rout.
B. Dies- kau de- feated and taken.
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, col- onel Williams, major Ashley, six captains and several sub- alterns. Among the slain was the brave king Hendrick, and about forty of his warriors. The only officer of dis- tinction killed in the attack on the camp, was the gallant colonel Tidcomb, who about ten years before had signaliz- ed himself at the siege of Louisburg. General Johnson and major Nichols were wounded.
M'Ginnes defeats a party of the French. .
The next day, captain M'Ginnes, marching from fort Edward with a detachment of a hundred and twenty New- Hampshire men, as a reinforcement to the camp, discover- ed between three and four hundred of the remains of the enemy sitting by a pond not far from the place where col- onel Williams had been defeated. Though his numbers were so inferior to the enemy, yet he made such disposi- tions, 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- cumstan- ces occa- sion the victory.
.
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 re- port of a prisoner whom the French had taken, that the camp was entirely defenceless, without lines or cannon, de- termined 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 en- emy began the attack at so great a distance, as rendered their fire in a great measure ineffectual, until the provin- cials had recovered their spirits and were prepared to make a manly resistance, were very favorable circumstan- Rider's Hist. vol. x !. p. 120.
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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 circum- stances 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 coun- try, 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 liad in actual service be- tween 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, regiments to consist of seven hundred and fifty men each. Aug. 27. The officers were appointed and the reinforcement was for- warded with all possible dispatch .* In a little more than one week from the alarm, the regiments were raised, equip- ped and marched for service.
Necessity
Though the army was, with great expedition, sufficiently of erecting reinforced, yet the necessity of strong fortifications and fortifica- garrisons 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 re- inforced 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 pro- ceed 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 com- plete the works designed. A fort was erected at lake. George, and the works at fort Edward were completed.
* Records of the colony.
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Book II. The army was employed in these services until the latter part of November. The troops then decamped, and, ex- 1:755. 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 pru- dence. The colonists had advanced far through an al- most trackless wilderness : they cut 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 General Johnson created a baronet, and from the parliament a present of promoted. five thousand pounds .*
The expedition against Niagara was commanded by governor Shirley, and consisted of two thousand five hun- dred men. But his preparations were so deficient and di- latory, 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 ar- rived. The great distance between Albany and Oswego rendered the transportation of provisions, ammunition and stores an exceedingly difficult task. On the news of gen- eral Braddock's defeat, many of his boatmen dispersed and- ran home. For this reason a sufficient quantity of provis- ions 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 provis- ions. As late as the 26th of September, he had not suffi- cient 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 erect- ing two new forts. The ground on which the old fort was built, in 1727, was chosen, rather for the agrecableness of its situation than for defence against a regular siege. One fort was built on the east side of the river Onondaga, call- ed 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.
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that and the entrance of the harbor. The other was four Book II. hundred and fifty yards west of the old fort, called Oswe- go. 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 por- tion of territory, either on their northern or western fron- tiers. 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 lay- and Penn- ing them waste, murdering and captivating the inhabitants sylvania. 1756. during the whole winter .*
It will doubtless appear very extraordinary, if not in a measure unaccountable, that while New-England, New- York, and New-Jersey, were raising such powerful ar- mies, the wealthy and numerous colonies of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, should suffer a small num- ber 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 colo- nies themselves, and between their governors and the peo- ple. The great number of slaves in those colonies dimin- ished 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 en- couraged the French and Indians at first, and to have wish- ed them success. Afterwards, when they began to feel the effects of their inhumanity, a misunderstanding be- tween them and governor Morris, the royal and proprieta- ry governor, entirely frustrated their best concerted plans. When the general assembly of the province saw the abso- lute 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 thou- sand 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 in- sisted 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
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