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 40
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382
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Book II. the letter, and sent it into the fort to the colonel. He had acted the part of a soldier and made a brave defence ; but 1757. having burst a number of his cannon, expended a consider- able part of his ammunition, and perceiving that he was to have no relief from general Webb, he capitulated on terms honorable for himself and the garrison. It was, to march out with arms, baggage, and one piece of cannon, in hon- or to colonel Monroe, for the brave defence he had made. The troops were not to serve against the most christian king under eighteen months, unless exchanged for an equal number of French prisoners. The French and Indians Part of the garrison paid no regard to the articles of capitulation, but falling on the English, stripped them of their baggage and few re- murdered. maining effects ; and the Indians, in the English service, were dragged from the ranks, tomahawked and scalped. Men and women had their throats cut, their bodies ripped open, and their bowels, with insult, thrown in their faces. Infants and children were barbarously taken by the heels, and their brains dashed out against stones and trees. The Indians pursued the English nearly half the way to fort Edward, where the greatest number of them arrived in a most forlorn condition .* It seems astonishing, that be- tween two and three thousand troops, with arms in their hands, should, contrary to the most express stipulations, suffer these intolerable insults.
When it was too late, general Webb alarmed the coun- try, and put the colonies to great expense in sending on large detachments of the militia for the defence of the north- ern frontier. The sudden capture of the fort, the massa- cre made by the enemy's Indians, and suspicions of gene- ral Webb's treachery, and an apprehension that general The coun- Montcalm would force his way to Albany, put the country try alarm- ed. into a state of great alarm and consternation. People were never more alarmed during the war. At the same time, there was never a more general and manly exertion. Con- necticut detached and sent on, in a few days, about five thousand men. She had raised and sent into the field, four- teen hundred before, which was more than her proportion. Large reinforcements were marched on to Albany and fort Edward from New-York, and the other colonies. Gene- ral Webb, notwithstanding the great numbers of men with which he was reinforced, did not make any effectual pro- vision for the defence of the frontier settlements. No sooner was one expedition finished by the enemy, than German flats de- stroyed. another was undertaken. Soon after the reduction of fort William Henry, the enemy, with fire and sword, laid waste * Rider's Hist. vol. xlii. p. 14. Wright's Hist. vol. i. p. 41.
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the fine settlements at the German flats, and on the Mo- Book II. hawk river.
On the American station there were nearly twenty 1755. thousand regular troops, and a large number of provincials in service ; and yet one fortress and settlement after an- other were swept away ; and every where the enemy riot- ed and triumphed with impunity. The army spent the re- mainder of the campaign in inactivity. The provincials, as the season for winter quarters approached, returned to their respective colonies. The regular troops were sta- tioned at Albany and fort Edward. Thus ended the in- glorious campaign of 1757.
By this time, under the repeated losses they had sustain- The colo- ed, the colonies had very much lost their confidence in the nies lose British commanders in America. They for two years had their confi-
dence in witnessed their dilatory measures, their inconsistency, want British of foresight and a spirit of enterprise, and had such bit- generals. ter experience of the consequences, that they considered them as utterly disqualified for the important command which they held. To their incapacity and pusillanimity wholly, did they impute the loss of Oswego, fort William Henry, and their other losses on the frontiers.
Notwithstanding all the reinforcements which France had sent to Canada, they, every campaign, had a force much superior to the enemy. Had they been men of mil- itary genius, skill and enterprise, instead of the losses they sustained, they might have led on their troops to conquest and glory. Had the colonies been left to themselves, they would probably have done better. The first year of the war, when left to themselves, their achievements were hon- orable and useful to the nation : but now they had sustain- ed two years of great expense, which had been worse than lost. Indeed, such were the ministry, and the men whom they employed, that misfortune and disaster attended them in almost every quarter of the globe .* A British historian observes, with respect to this third campaign in America, "That it ended to the eternal disgrace of those who then commanded the armies, and directed the councils of Great- Britain."
* There was one exception : admiral Watson and colonel Clive acted with great magnanimity and success upon the Ganges, in the East-Indies.
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BOOK II. 1758.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Change of men and measures. Plan of the campaign in 1758. The colonies encouraged again to exert themselves. Extraordinary exertions of Connecticut. Armament against Louisburg. Its siege and capture by general Am- herst. Army under general Abercrombie. Its defeat at Ticonderoga. Frontenac taken by colonel Bradstreet. Expedition against du Quesne-taken by general Forbes. The general's death at Philadelphia.
B Y this time, the dispute relative to the Ohio, Crown Point, and territory in America, had involved a great part of Europe in the flames of war. It had kindled in both the Indies, and extended its destructive influence beyond the Ganges. The disappointments and losses of the Brit- ish nation for a succession of years, and its present exigen- ces, absolutely demanded a change of men and measures. Men of capacity and enterprise were necessary to retrieve its honor, and prevent its ruin. By a most happy turn in providence, those incomparable men, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leg, and their friends, had been chosen and established in the ministry, and had time to concert their measures, and choose the men to carry them into execution. Now there- fore, every thing relative to the nation, in Europe and Ame- rica, took a new and surprising turn. Now men were brought forward, upon whose fidelity, skill, and spirit of enterprise, confidence might be placed.
Notwithstanding the disappointments and losses of the past years, they determined on the reduction of Louis- burg, with a view of cutting off the communication be- tween France and Canada, of destroying the French fishe- ry, and of securing the trade and fisheries of Great-Bri- tain, and her colonies in America. At the same time, to gratify the colonies and to draw forth their whole strength into exertion, they also determined on expeditions against Crown Point and fort du Quesne.
Intimations of his majesty's designs, and of his expec- tations from the colonies, were, at an early period, giv- en to them by letters from the right honorable Mr. Pitt. These were written in a style which animated their cour- age, and drew forth their most spirited exertions. The people of Connecticut, in particular, exerted themselves in an extraordinary manner.
A special assembly was convened on the 8th of March,
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at New-Haven, when the right honorable Mr. Pitt's letter Book II. was communicated to the legislature, importing, that his majesty had nothing more at heart than to repair the loss- 1758. es and disappointments of the last inactive and unhappy A special campaign, and by the most vigorous and extensive efforts, assembly,
March 8, to avert, by the blessing of God upon his arms, the dan- 1758. gers impending over North-America ; and not doubting Mr. Secre- but his faithful and brave subjects here would cheerfully tary Pitt's co-operate with and second, to the utmost, the large ex- letter. pense and extraordinary succours supplied by his king- dom, for their preservation and defence : And that his ma- jesty, judging that this colony, together with Massachu- setts Bay, New-Hampshire, Rhode-Island, New-York and New-Jersey,, were able to furnish 20,000 men, to join a body of the king's forces for invading Canada, and carry- ing the war into the heart of the enemy's possessions ; and that it was his majesty's pleasure, that, with all possible dispatch, there be raised as large a body of men as the number of inhabitants would allow, to begin the opera- tions of the campaign, as soon as practicable. And that no encouragement might be wanting to so great and salu- tary an attempt, that strong recommendations would be made to parliament, to grant compensation for the ex- penses of said provinces, according as their active vigor and strenuous efforts should appear justly to merit.
The legislature resolved, That, notwithstanding this Resolves colony, when acting with the several provinces aforesaid, of the legua in the three several expeditions undertaken the preceding islature. years, against Crown Point, hath raised a much greater number of men than its just proportion, in comparison with what they then raised, by means of which the number of men is greatly diminished and its strength much exhausted, yet that nothing be wanting, on the part of this colony, to promote the great and good design proposed by his majes- ty, and relying on his royal encouragement, 5000 good and effective men, including officers, shall be raised within this colony, as soon as may be, for the service aforesaid. It was resolved at the same time, that the assembly is sen- sible, that it is really more than the number of men this colony can allow, without great difficulty ; and much ex- ceeds this colony's proportion, even of twenty thousand men, when compared with the other provinces.
It was resolved that the said 5000 men should be formed into four regiments, consisting of twelve companies in each regiment. That there should be one colonel, one lieuten- ant colonel, one major and one chaplain to a regiment. Oficers The honorable Phinehas Lyman, Esq. who had a general's appointed,
Y 2
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Book II. command in 1755, Nathan Whiting, Esq. Eliphalet Dyar, Esq. and John Read, Esq. were appointed colonels, to 1758. command the respective regiments .* The Rev. Messrs. George Beckwith, Joseph Fish, Benjamin Pomeroy and Jonathan Ingersoll, were appointed chaplains.
To encourage the speedy enlistment of men for the ser- vice, the bounty was increased much beyond what it had been in former years. All proper measures were adopted to raise the troops with expedition, and to have them sea- sonably in the field.
To provide for the expense of such a number of troops, the assembly enacted that thirty thousand pounds lawful money in bills of credit, at five per cent interest, should be immediately printed : and that for a fund for the sinking of said bills, a tax of eight pence on the pound should be levied on the grand list of the colony to be brought in, Anno Domini, 1760. It was provided, however, that such monies as should arrive from Great-Britain for the reim- bursement of the expenses of the war, should be applied, by the treasurer, for the purpose of sinking the said bills, and that, if a sufficient sum should arrive before the time fixed for the payment of said tax, to sink the whole, that then said tax should not be levied, and that the act res- pecting it should be null and void.
That the treasurer might be able to pay the troops on their return from the public service, the assembly laid a. tax of nine pence on the pound on the whole rateable es- tate of the colony, according to the list brought in to the assembly in October last, and ordered that it should be collected by the last of December then following. And as it was uncertain whether money would arrive, sufficient to reimburse the expenses of the colony, in season, a com- mittee was appointed to borrow the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds, to be paid before the 20th of May, 1761. For an ample fund to repay the sum to be borrowed, a tax of five pence on the pound was levied on the list which should be brought in to the assembly in 1759, to be paid into the treasury by the last of December, 1760. It was enacted also, that any of the notes given for the money borrowed, might be received in payment of said tax. But, as considerable sums of money were expected from Eng- land, for provisions, furnished for the troops under the command of lord Loudon, in 1756, it was enacted that
* Each colonel was allowed forty pounds for his table, and the decent support of his chaplain. Their wages as colonels, and captains for one company, was fifteen pounds per month. The bounty for each man who would equip himself for the field was four pounds. The wages were the same as in the preceding years.
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said money, as fast as it should arrive, should be applied Book II, to discharge the notes given for the money borrowed; and that, if a sufficient sum should seasonably arrive to dis- 1758. charge all the notes, that then said tax should not be col- lected.
That nothing might be left undone, which could be at- tempted for his majesty's service, the commissioners ap- pointed in October, to meet those from the other colonies, were now authorised to meet them at Hartford on the 19th of April, or as near that time as might be, to consult on measures for the general safety, and to excite the several colonies to the most vigorous and united exertions to carry his majesty's designs into execution .* As it appeared by Mr. Pitt's letter, that major general Abercrombie was chief commander of the troops for the northern expedition, the governor was desired to give him the earliest information of the measures adopted by the colonies, and their vigor- ous preparations for an early and successful campaign.
While the colonies were employing the most vigorous Arma- exertions for an early campaign, such effectual measures mont for had been pursued in England, that, in February, the arma- the reduc. tion of ment designed for the reduction of Louisburg, was in readi- Louisburg, ness, and sailed for America. Admiral Boscawen com- sails from manded the naval, and general Amherst the land opera- England, tions. Under general Amherst, was brigadier general Feb. 19th. Wolfe. These were men of singular characters. General Amherst had the coolness and abilities of the Roman Fabi- us, while general Wolfe possessed the magnanimity and fire of the Scipios. From such men, great achievements might reasonably be expected; and the .: successes equal- led the most sanguine expectations.
Admiral Boscawen and general Amherst, with the arma- Departs' ment under their command, arrived safely in America ; and from Hali- on the 28th of May, the whole fleet, consisting of one hun- ogthe fax, May dred and fifty-seven sail, with about fourteen thousand troops on board, took its departure from Halifax, and on the second of June appeared before Louisburg. For six June 2d, days the landing of the troops was impracticable. The appears surf was so great, that no boat could live near the shore. before On every part of the coast, where a landing was judged Louisburg. possible, the enemy had made entrenchments; and, in places most convenient for the purpose, they had erected batteries and mounted cannon. During the whole time after the discovery of the fleet, until the landing of the troops, the enemy employed themselves in strengthening their lines. These they manned with a numerous infantry.
* Records of the colony for March 8th, 1753.
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Book II. General Amlierst, with a number of liis officers, reconnoi- tered the shore.
1758. On the eighth, the weather became more favourable, The troops though there was yet a great swell and surf. The general, land, June determining not to lose a moment, seized the opportunity. 8th. Before the break of day, the troops were embarked in three divisions. The admiral and general made their dispositions with consummate judgment. To distract the enemy, and draw their attention to different parts, the dispositions were made in this manner :-- The divisions on the right, and in the centre, were designed only for feints, while that on the left, was appointed for the real attack. This was commanded by general Wolfe. Before the landing, five frigates, and some other ships of war, commenced a furious fire, not only on the centre, but on the right and left of the enemy, to rake them in their flanks. When these had fired about fifteen minutes, general Wolfe pressed to the shore. The enemy reserved his fire until the boats were nearly in shore, and then poured upon them the united blaze and thunder of their musketry and cannon. Many of the boats were overset, and others dashed in pieces. Some of the men were thrown, and others leaped into the water ; and while some were killed, and others drowned, the main body, supported and animated by the noble ex- ample and conduct of their commander, pushed to the land, and with such order and resolution rushed on the enemy, as soon put them into confusion, and drove them from their entrenchments. When general Wolfe had made good his landing, the centre division having moved to the left, and the right following the centre, the landing was com- pleted in excellent order.
For many days, the weather was so bad, and the swell and surf so great, that scarcely any of the artillery or stores could be landed. It was with great difficulty that even the tents, provisions, and implements for the siege, were got on shore. The weather was so bad, at the time of land- ing, and during the siege, that a hundred boats were lost in the service. The enemy had five ships of the line, and one or more frigates, in the harbour, and could bring their guns to bear upon the troops, in their approaches. The ground was exceedingly bad; in some places rough, in others boggy, wet, and miry. These obstacles, with a brave resistance from the enemy, caused the siege, for some time, to proceed slowly. But no discouragements were judged insurmountable, by. such generals as Amherst and Wolfe. By the twelfth of June, general Wolfe had secured the point called the light-house battery, and all
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the posts in that quarter. On the twenty-fifth, he had si- Book II. lenced the island battery ; but the shipping in the harbour kept up their fire upon him until the twenty-first of July. 1758. One of the ships then took fire, and blew up. This set two others on fire, which burnt to the water's edge. This was to the enemy an irreparable loss.
By this time, general Amherst had made his approaches near to the city ; so that he was in good forwardness to make lodgments on the covered way. The town, in many places, was consumed to the ground, and in others, was much damaged. The fire of the enemy greatly languished, yet no proposals of capitulation were made. One bold action more was necessary to bring them to terms. That was, to destroy, or bring off, the ships remaining in the harbour. For this purpose, the admiral sent in a detach- ment of six hundred men, under the command of two en- terprising young captains, Laforey and Balfour. Between the 25th and 26th of the month, under the darkness of the night, they made their way through a terrible fire of can- non and musketry, and, sword in hand, took the two ships. One ran aground, and was burnt; the other they rowed out of the harbour, in triumph.
The next morning, the governor proposed terms of ca- Louisburg pitulation. The garrison, consisting of five thousand sev- taken, Ju- en hundred and thirty-seven men, surrendered prisoners ly 26th. , of war. One hundred and twenty-one cannon, eighteen mortars, and large quantities of stores and ammunition, were taken. The enemy lost five ships of the line and four frigates, besides other vessels. St. John's, with Lou- isburg, was given up, and the English became masters of the whole coast from St. Lawrence to Nova-Scotia .* This was the most effectual blow to France, which she had re- ceived since the commencement of the war. It was a deep wound to her navy, and especially to her colonies and in- terests in America. It very much cut off her communica- tion with Canada, and greatly facilitated the reduction of that country.
As the reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, was a favorite object with the northern colonies, they made early and great exertions for carrying it into effectual ex- ecution. Besides the assistance which they gave to the reduction of Louisburg, they furnished about ten thousand troops for the northern expedition. These, in conjunction with between six and seven thousand regular troops, had,
* Rider's Hist. vol. xliii. p. 127, 135. Wright's Hist. vol. i. p. 95, 103. General Amherst's journal of the siege of Louisburg, and articles of capitu- lation. At St. John's, 4100 inhabitants submitted and brought in their arms.
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Book II. by the beginning of July, got into lake George more than a thousand boats and batteaux, a fine train of artillery, pro-
1758. visions, and every thing necessary for an attack on the fortresses of the enemy.
The north- ern army embark for Ticonde- `roga.
Lord Howe kil- led, July 6th.
On the fifth of July, the army, consisting of fifteen thou- sand three hundred and ninety effective men, embarked in nine hundred batteaux, and one hundred and thirty-five whale boats, for Ticonderoga. Besides, there were a number of rafts, on which cannon were mounted, to cover the landing of the troops. Early the next morning, they landed at the north end of lake George, without opposition. The army formed in four columns, and began their march for Ticonderoga. But as the woods were thick, and the guides unskilful, the troops were bewildered, and the col- umns falling in one upon another, were entirely broken. In this confusion, lord Howe, advancing at the head of the right centre column, fell in with the advanced guard of the enemy, consisting of a battalion of regulars and a few In- dians, who had deserted their advanced camp near the lake, and were precipitately fleeing from our troops; but had lost their way, and were bewildered in the same manner as they were. The enemy discharged, and killed lord Howe the first fire. The suddenness of the attack, the terribleness of the Indian yell, and the fall of lord Howe, threw the regulars, who composed the centre columns, into a general panic and confusion ; but the provincials, who flanked them, and were more acquainted with their mode of fighting, stood their ground and soon defeated them. The loss of the enemy, was about three hundred killed, and one hundred and forty-eight taken. The loss of the English was inconsiderable as to numbers, but in worth and con- sequences, it was great. The loss of that gallant officer, lord Howe, was irreparable. From the day of his arrival in America, he had conformed himself, and made his regi- ment to conform, to that kind of service which the country required. He was the first to endure hunger and fatigue, to encounter danger, and to sacrifice all personal conside- rations to the public service. While he was rigid in dis- cipline, by his affability, condescending and easy manners, he conciliated affection, and commanded universal esteem. Indeed, he was considered very much as the idol and life of the army. The loss of such a man, at such a time, can- not be estimated. To this, the provincials attributed the defeat and unhappy consequences which followed.
July 7th.
As the troops for two nights had slept little, were greatly fatigued, and needed refreshment, the general ordered them to return to the landing place, where they arrived at
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eight in the morning. Colonel Bradstreet was soon after Book II. detached with a strong corps, to take possession of the saw mill, about two miles from Ticonderoga, which the enemy had abandoned. Towards the close of the day, the whole army marched to the mill. The general having received information, that the garrison at Ticonderoga consisted of about six thousand men, and that a reinforcement of three thousand more was daily expected, determined to lose no time in attacking their lines. He ordered his engineer to reconnoitre the ground and intrenchments of the enemy. It seems that he had not so approached and examined them as to obtain any proper idea of them. He made a favorable report of their weakness, and of the facility of forcing them without cannon. On this groundless report, a rash and fatal resolution was taken, to attack the lines without bringing up the artillery.
The army advanced to the charge with the greatest intre- pidity, and for more than four hours with incredible obstina- Defeat at cy maintained the attack. But the works where the princip- roga, July Ticonde- al attack was made were eight or nine feet high, and impreg- 8th. nable even by field pieces ; and for nearly an hundred yards from the breast work, trees we're felled so thick, and so wrought together with their limbs pointing outward, that it rendered the approach of the troops in a great mea- sure impossible. In this dreadful situation, under the fire of about three thousand of the enemy, these gallant troops were kept, without the least prospect of success, until near- ly two thousand were killed and wounded .* They were then called off. To this rash and precipitate attack suc- ceeded a retreat equally unadvised and precipitate.t By July 9th. the evening of the next day the army had retreated to their former encampment at the south end of lake George.
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