USA > Massachusetts > Commonwealth history of Massachusetts, colony, province and state, volume 2 > Part 40
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In the meantime the French discovered Loudon's plan and ordered their fleet to proceed against him. Loudon thereupon held a council of war and decided that a successful attack could not be made, and after six weeks' stay returned to New York crestfallen. The navy, however, under Admiral Hol- bourne sailed towards Louisburg, but could not induce the French to fight.
Lord Loudon had left Webb and Abercrombie with about 2,600 men at Fort Edward; and Lieutenant-Colonel George Monro remained with a small force at Fort William Henry. Early in July, 1757, Montcalm, learning of the conditions, appeared with his army before Fort William Henry. Mont-
439
CAMPAIGN OF 1757
calm's victory at Oswego drew the Indians from all quarters to his side, so that he had in addition to his troops 2,000 Indian allies, representing 51 tribes.
Munro was in a dangerous situation. He wrote for rein- forcements, but received only Colonel Frye and 800 men from Massachusetts. He begged Webb to send him men from Fort Edward, but Webb was frightened almost out of his wits, and responded by ordering Munro to withdraw. But Munro could not bring himself to give up his fort. The in- evitable catastrophe began when about three hundred of the colonial troops, who had gone out to reconnoiter in small boats, were surprised by the French and Indians and sur- rounded. On one of the prisoners, the French discovered Webb's order to Munro to withdraw from the fort. Mont- calm wrote to General Munro :
"I owe it to humanity to summon you to surrender. At present I can restrain the savages and make them observe the terms of capitulation, as I might not have the power to do under other circumstances ; an obstinate defense on your part could only retard the capture of the place a few days and en- danger the unfortunate garrison, which, in consequence of the dispositions I have made, cannot be relieved. I demand a decisive answer within an hour."
By August 10, it was absolutely impossible for Munro to hold out any longer, and he surrendered with the understand- ing that his men should be protected. But the Indians knew only one course of procedure-they fell upon the surrendered troops. Montcalm, Lévis, and Bourlamaque, when they saw the massacres going on, rushed among the Indians but could not control them nor prevent the brutal massacres which en- sued. The French, after the departure of the English, de- stroyed the fort.
The French now held the valleys of the St. Lawrence, the Ohio, the Mississippi. Great Britain held but a strip along the shore of the Atlantic.
The Indians made fearful forays into the heart of Massa- chusetts and kept the middle colonies in terror. The only force in the field to check them during the winter was Major Rogers and his rangers of Methuen. At the age of 23 he had organized and disciplined his company. Each man was clad
440
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
in gray duffle hunting frock, armed with firelock, hatchet and scalping knife, a bullock horn full of powder hanging under his right arm, a leather or seal skin belt from his left shoulder, and a small compass. During the winter Rogers made life very uncomfortable for the French and Indians. General Stark said that for presence of mind in time of danger he was unsurpassed.
A similar guerilla force was commanded by Israel Putnam. He was born in Danvers, but was living in Connecticut when the French and Indian War called him to arms. He was present at the capture of Baron Dieskau. He himself was captured later, barely escaped the stake, and was carried prisoner to Canada. After being ransomed he raised a band of rangers and their gallantry did much to stimulate the fail- ing hearts of the Colonists.
Lord Loudon on his arrival in August, hearing of the cap- ture of Fort William Henry, sent his troops up the Hudson, but he was too late to render any service. This ended the campaign for the year 1757, and it was the darkest hour of the war for the British.
AMHERST'S CAMPAIGN OF 1758
The year 1758, however, opened auspiciously for the Eng- lish, with the appointment of William Pitt, the Earl of Chat- ham, as head of the English Government. One of the first things he did was to withdraw the Royal Order of 1756 on colonial rank, so that colonial officers now took equal rank with the King's own. The recall of this order had a good effect throughout the colonies and especially in Massachusetts.
Pitt's plan of campaign' was : first, to capture Louisburg; second, to capture Quebec; third, to capture Ticonderoga and Crown Point; fourth, to occupy Fort Duquesne on the Ohio; fifth, to prevent supplies from reaching the French.
He recalled Lieutenant Colonel Jeffery Amherst from Ger- many, and appointed him Major General in command of a land and sea force to attack Louisburg. He was noted as a brilliant soldier in the Seven Years War. Associated with him were Brigadier General Wolfe and Admiral Boscawen.
441
AMHERST'S CAMPAIGN OF 1758
Wolfe also had experience in war on the continent. He was a captain at 17, major at 20, and major-general at 32.
After Louisburg had been restored to France by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the fortifications were so strengthened that they were supposed to be impregnable. Nevertheless, under cover of the guns of Admiral Boscawen's fleet, a suc- cessful effort was made to land troops at the same place where Pepperrell had landed in 1745. A siege followed in which the skill displayed by Amherst and Wolfe, as well as the action of the fleet, was such that after seven weeks Chevalier de Drucour, the French commander, was obliged to surrender.
The administration in England, taking account of the cam- paigns in the north and at Cape Breton, recalled the Earl of Loudon; and Amherst was made Commander-in-Chief of all troops in America. The lateness of the season made it neces- sary to postpone the attack on Quebec, with the result that Wolfe returned to England to prepare himself for the cam- paign of the following year.
Abercrombie was appointed to take charge of the coming campaign against Crown Point and Ticonderoga. Pitt promised the colonies that if they would raise twenty thousand men, he would agree to furnish them arms, ammunitions and provisions. He also stated that Parliament would reimburse pay of the men, and he was supported enthusiastically by Massachusetts.
Abercrombie arrived, early in June, at the head of an army at Lake George with 6,000 regular troops and 9,000 provin- cials. Second in command was Lord Howe. He was, in some respects, the soul of the army. He began his campaign under favorable auspices, with three large divisions, each corps hav- ing its own flag and music; and also a large fleet of bateaux, whale boats, and flat boats for carrying artillery. The line of soldiers extended over six miles.
Not far from Ticonderoga the advance guard under the command of Lord Howe was met by 350 French under the command of Langy and Trelegac. During the engagement Howe was shot. His death demoralized the advance troops. They began to retreat, notwithstanding that they outnum- bered the French three or four times. On the night of the
442
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
battle Abercrombie went to New York, leaving many of his wounded and supplies.
General Bradstreet finally persuaded Abercrombie, much against his wish, to let him make an attack on Fort Frontenac. On August 21 he reached Oswego, and the following day embarked his expedition and landed near Fort Frontenac. The French fortress was in bad repair and in charge of a comparatively small number of men. The English had no difficulty in taking it; they secured great quantities of pro- visions, and also destroyed the French vessels. This victory interrupted the French communication in the west and greatly unsettled the attitude of the Indians toward them at the far- thest field of operation. Brigadier General John Forbes, as- sisted by George Washington, succeeded in capturing Fort Duquesne in November.
In consequence of the defeat of General Abercrombie, General Amherst's force sailed from Louisburg to Boston and camped on Boston Common, in June, 1758. Later Amherst marched with 10,000 troops to Albany. Here he devoted the fall and winter to drilling his men. He built Fort George, and made his plans for the campaign of 1759.
CAPTURE OF QUEBEC (1759)
According to Amherst's plans, Wolfe sailed from Louis- burg June 1, 1759; and, supported by his army and the navy, commanded by Admiral Saunders, laid siege to Quebec. To protect Quebec the French had erected earthworks eastward as far as the Falls of Montmorency, a distance of ten to fifteen miles. The eastern line was commanded by the Duc de Lévis ; the central by Montcalm; the nearest to Quebec by Governor Vaudreuil. They supposed that Quebec itself was impregnable and needed only a small number of troops. The French ex- pected, and with good reason, that efforts to capture would be made against one of the other three points. Wolfe did land at the Falls of Montmorency opposite Montcalm ; but all efforts at this point failed. The average commander would have given up the task as hopeless, especially as winter was coming on and it was absolutely necessary that something be done, and that quickly, or the navy would be icebound. Montcalm
443
END OF THE WAR
avoided battle, hoping that time and winter would drive the enemy away.
Wolfe discovered a path above Quebec, leading to the Plains of Abraham up a declivity of two hundred feet. It was guarded by but few soldiers, for the French had been deceived by Wolfe's feints at Montmorency and had withdrawn most of the troops to the east of Quebec. He felt sure that, if he could get a few troops on the hill before the French could bring up their army, he could win a successful battle. It was a bold undertaking, and one that would seem absolutely impossible, to get 5,000 men and cannon up such a declivity with pro- visions and ammunition. Bougainville lay two or three miles above Quebec, with 3,000 men. Montcalm had said that the city was safe unless the enemy had wings.
Twenty-four men volunteered to make the ascent. When they proved that it could be done, the army followed man by man and formed up on the plateau without giving an alarm. The handful of French troops on the plateau were promptly overwhelmed; and by eight o'clock Wolfe, Monck- ton, and Murray and their men were in position on the Plains of Abraham. The memorable date was September 13, 1759.
Montcalm had heard of the exploit and succeeded in throw- ing 5,000 men between Wolfe and the city. During the bat- tle Wolfe received three fatal wounds, Monckton a bad wound, and Montcalm was killed. The Massachusetts men who fought in this world-famous battle numbered four hun- dred. News of the victory created a great sensation through- out Europe as well as in America.
END OF THE WAR (1760-1763)
At the death of Wolfe, General James Murray was left in command at Quebec, and came near losing the fort. In April, 1760, Lévis with eight battalions of troops of the line, three thousand Canadian troops with artillery, and four hundred Indians, arrived almost at the Plains of Abraham before being discovered. After a fierce fight Murray won with a loss of over 1,000 dead.
Fortunately the arrival of the English fleet under Admiral Saunders compelled Lévis, the last commander of the French
444
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
troops in Canada, to withdraw toward Montreal. Murray left an army at Quebec sufficient to protect the fort, and with the rest of his men he marched on toward Montreal; but the year 1759 closed, leaving Montreal still the only stronghold in French hands.
Montcalm had withdrawn most of his soldiers from Crown Point and Ticonderoga in 1759; and the small garrisons which were left blew up and abandoned both Ticonderoga and Crown Point; and at the beginning of the year 1760 withdrew towards Montreal. General Amherst with about 10,000 troops fol- lowed up the Mohawk Valley and across to Oswego. There he waited until he was joined by the troops of Sir William Pepperrell and Sir William Johnson that had captured Fort Niagara. They embarked on the St. Lawrence River for Montreal. During this voyage forty-six boats were wrecked, eighteen were damaged, and 84 persons were drowned. Here the three forces, General Amherst from the west, General Havi- land from the south, and General Murray from the east, com- pelled Governor Vaudreuil, in charge of the French troops, to surrender and sign a capitulation on September 8, 1760.
Governor Vaudreuil insisted on better terms of surrender; but Amherst replied, "I am fully resolved, for the infamous part the troops of France have acted in exciting the savages to perpetrate the most horrid and unheard of barbarities in the whole progress of the war and for other open treacheries and flagrant breaches of faith to manifest to all the world by this capitulation my abhorrence of such practices." There was great rejoicing all through the country. Governor Ber- nard of Massachusetts ordered a day of thanksgiving. Nearly all the ministers preached sermons of thanks.
At the close of 1761, the war was revived for a few months by the intervention of Spain in defense of France. However, this was largely a maritime war, and the most effective blows delivered against Spain were directed at her colonies. The British troops, left free by the successes against the French in America, took part in an attack upon Havana in August, 1762, by Admiral Sir George Peacock and the Earl of Albemarle. In this attack 4,000 Massachusetts and Connecticut troops practicipated. Morro Castle was taken on the 30th of Septem- ber, and Havana surrendered on the 10th of October. At
Province of the @affachufetts-Bay,
By His Excellency the GOVERNOUR,
Do hereby authorize and impower to beat his Drums any where
within this Province, for enlifting Voluntiers for His Majefty's Service, in a Regiment of Foot to be forth- with raifed for the Expedition againft Crown-Point,
And the Colonels, with the other Officers of the Regiments within this Province, are hereby comman- ded not to give the faid
any Obftruction or Moleftation herein ; but on the contrary to afford him all neceffary Encouragement and Alliftance ; for which this is a fufficient Warrant.
Given under my Hand at Bofton, the Day of 1756. In the Twenty-ninth Year of His Majesty's Reign.
W Thirty
From the original in the possession of George A. Plimpton, Esq.
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY'S CALL FOR TROOPS
1
445
RECRUITING
Fontainebleau on November 3, 1762, England, France and Spain signed the preliminary articles of peace, which were made definite in February, 1763. By the terms of this treaty England received from France all of Canada and the French islands with the exception of St. Pierre and Miquelon off Newfoundland. The accretions of territory in Florida and other parts of the world are not a part of Massachusetts history.
RECRUITING IN MASSACHUSETTS (1754-1763)
The territory of the Province of Massachusetts-except Maine-was not occupied or threatened during this long war. Nevertheless the colony pledged its resources, raised and ex- pended large sums by taxes and loans, and raised great num- bers of troops. No forced levies were ordered. The tradi- tional method was to raise volunteers. An early form of appeal is the following prepared for recruiting officers, taken from an unpublished manuscript.
"Province of Massachusetts Bay
by his Excellency the Governor "I do hereby authorize and enjoin to beat his drums anywhere within the Province for enlisting volun- teers for his Majesty's service in a regiment of foot to be forthwith raised for the expedition against Crown Point. And the Colonels with the other officers of the regiments within the province are hereby councilled not to give the said
any obstruction or molestation herein, but on the contrary to afford him necessary encouragement and as- sistance for which this is a sufficient warrant.
"Given under my hand at Boston day
1756, twenty-ninth year of his Majesty's
Reign.
"W. Shirley."
When sufficient soldiers did not respond to the appeal by broadside, they employed officers to solicit and here is an ac- count of the expenses of one such :
446
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
"An Acct. of Travel & Expenses in Mustering the Severall Companys here Mentioned in Coll. Samll. Willards Rigement From Lancaster to Petersham-3 Days @6/ ... £0 18 .- Horse Hire & Expences 0 15 .-
Col. Whetcombs Company at Lancaster
0 6 .-
Capt. Hunts Company at Lunenburge 1 day
Horse Hire & Expences
0 4 .-
Capt. Prestons Company at Littleton 1 day 0 6 .- Horse Hire & Expences 0 4 .-
Capt. Woods Company at Hopkinton 2 days 0 12 .-
Horse Hire & Expences
0 10 .-
Capt. Brewers Comp. at Brookfield 2 days
0
12 .-
Horse Hire & Expences
0
10 .-
Darving & Returning List to Secra. office
0
8 .-
£5 11 .-
"U Braule"
"Boston March 10, 1756"
Suffolk SS
Errors Excepted
March ye 10th 1756
Sworn to by Levi Willard
Levi Willard
"Before me.
Saml. Math. J. Peace.
Under date of April 25, 1755, we have a statement of "Wages of the Army and Navy."
£
S
D
"Wages of Colonel
12
16
0 per month
Lt. "
10
13
4
Major
9
1
4
Commissary
3
4
0
Captain 50 men
4
16
0
Lieutenant
3
4
0
Ensign
2
2
8
Chaplain
6
8
0
Adjutant
2
2
8
Surgeon
10
0
0
Surgeon mate
5
6
8
3 Sergeants to each
Co 1 14
1
0 6 .-
ARMS AND EQUIPMENT
447
£ S
D
Wages of 4 Corporals to each Co
1
9
10
per month
1 Clerk to each Co
1
14
1
Drum Major
1
14
1
1 Common Drummer 1
9
10
Armourer to each Regiment 2
0
0
One engineer who shall be Cap-
tain
12
16
0
One Lieutenant of Artillery
5
6
8
One Second engineer
4
5
4
3 sub, engineers each
2
13
4
16 gunners
2
8 shillings per week 15 miles from home"
In addition to their wages they were allowed the following items for food.
"April 28, 1755
"One pound of bread
day
" pork
66
1 jill of rum
1/2 pint of Pease or beans
66
1/2 pound of sugar
week
2 oz. of Ginger
66
1 pound of flour
66
1 pint of Indian meal
4 oz. of butter
1 pint of molasses"
66
ARMS AND EQUIPMENT OF THE TROOPS
Similar manuscript records bring out the character and quantity of arms and equipments-for example : "1755 The Honorable Committee Warr to Sept. 26 R. Hunt Dr.
To 1 Entry from Barnard Shop to Sloop .7
Nov. 28 To 4 Chests Armes from Phillips to mark A House .4
66
448
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
1756
Apl. 22 To 2 Chests Armes from Mr. Cloud's boate to I. Wheelwright Stores .2
24 To 13 Chests Armes from Mr. Cloud's boate to I. Wheelwright Stores 13
27 To 50 Casks Shotte from King 7 Casks Flinte to Brewster 9.6
May 14 To 7 Hgs. Rum 20 Hgs. Molasses to Groves 19 Hgs. Rum to Sloop at Hubbards 16.11/2
35 Hgs. Rum to Cushing from Armory
£4.3.71/2"
"Boston Oct. 2nd, 1756
Gent'n.
Please to pay the above sum to Mr. Stephen Hall and you will oblige
Your Humble Serv't. Reinard Hunt
Oct. 5th, 1756. Rec'd. of John Osborne Esq.
Four pounds 3/7 p. in full of the above
£4.3.7p Stephen Hall"
"The Honble Committee Wars
To Joseph Caleb .. Dr.
Decr. 5th 1755
To 100 Pair Snow Shoes . at 6/8 33.6.8 100 Pair Mogginsons . . at 4/ 20 .- .
20 Waste Leather for String for the above mogginsons & Snow Shoes at 6/3 6.5 .-
Lawfull mony £59.11.8
"These Certifies yo. Hono. I have received ye above Snow Shoes & Mogginsons, and Leather into my Warehouse for yo. Province use.
Attest Jº. Wheelwright"
"The Province of The Massachusetts Bay To Joseph Hand 1757 March 25th
To 150 Hatts Dilv Comtre of War 4/ pr Hatt .£30. 0.0
SOLDIERS IN THE FIELD 449
To Lacing for the above @ 4d pr
2.10.0
To Quality & thread
1. 3.112
£33.13.11/2
Int. allowed
10.
£34. 3.11/2
Charlestown April ye 1st 1757
Errors Excepted Joseph Hand"
MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS IN THE FIELD
The condition, treatment, and experiences of Massachusetts troops in the field have been much neglected both by civil and military historians. Insight into the daily routine of the soldier may be gained from the manuscript of John Boyd.
"JOHN BOYD HIS ORDERLY BOOK-1759
Fort Cumberland July 21: 1759
Perole Bradford Counter Sign Duxbury
The Main and Cover Guard as Usuel
The Spur to Consist of one Sub s Corpl and 21 Privits the Guard to Post thair Centeris as the Officer Shall be Shoed and Keep a Patrole as Usuel Whare as the Solders in Garison belonging to the Province of the Masechesets Bay have Re- fused to be at the trifiling Expence of two Pence Per Week Each Man for to have thair Molases Brúed into bear and have Insisted upon haveing Molases Deliverd out to tham Under Protence thay Brew it tham Selues which thay have been In- dulged in Some time that they Might Do So and it a Pearing now that in Stid of Using the Molases in that way which the Gouerner afore Sd. Desined thay Eat it with thair Vittils to Pregeduce of Thair Helth thair fore Nomore Molases is to be Deleverd to them & Capt Livermore Commesery of Sd. Provenshel Stores will Please to Gouern him Self acordingly
officer of the Day to Morrow Capt Slocomb
officer for Guard Ensign Eddy & Baker Details Morning Guard Sargents 1 C o 8 Privits Night Guard S- 0 C 1 10 P"
450
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
"Fort Cumberland Aguast 3, 1759
Perole Storey Counter Sign Nevis Guard as Usuel
On the 21th of July Last on order was Isued dabaring the Solders in Garison of Molases which thay had A Castumed tham Salves to Eate Notwithstanding it was the Dissign of the Gouerner it Should be with Spruce Brued in to Bear which is a Very helthy Drink Sinc which Sum of the Solders Say if thay May have Molases thay will use it in that maner in order to Se if thay will Capt Livermore Commisery of the Mase- chusets Stores has Liberty to Issue Molases to the Trups in the Pay of that Province The aforesaid Orders Notwith- standing. But as the Solders have Apropencity to Eateing Molases which I find By long Experence which is Very Proiv- dicel to thair health the Captains and other officers in Garison are hearby Directed to use the utmost Endever to Caus the Molases to be Brued in to Bear that Maybe Isues in the Trupes as afore Said Than if the Solders in Spite of all Proctions Will Eat and Bring tham Selues in to Bad habit of body thay Must owne it is thair owne falt
officer of the Day Capt Slocom Details the Saim"
MILITARY LAND GRANTS
In addition to their regular pay, the troops at the end of their service received a bounty and a share in the booty, and in many instances a grant of lands, as is shown in the follow- ing document :
"WHEREAS his Majesty King George the Third has been graciously pleased to grant certain allowances of Land in North America to the reduced officers and soldiers thereby his proclamation of the 7 Oct. 1763.
AND WHEREAS we the subscribers hereunto are intitled by said Proclamation to Two hundred and fifty acres of Land, and made our appearance before the Lieutenant Governor of the Province of New York and had our Discharges Certified by him
Fort Cumberland > Aquaft & 1759 Fande Storey Counter Sign, Sans Onthe "21 of July at yourorder was the dabaring Guard as the folder in of Molales which they had a facturmed thang Selves tof gate Notwith flanding it, was the Difsign of the Governer it Should be with Spruce Brued in to Bear which is a Very healthy Drink Sine which Jim of the folders Say of thay May have Malades they will use it in that maner in order to Se if they will last fivemore formifery of the Mafechafels Flores As Schenly to Ifsul Molafes to the Trups in the Day of that Province The aforefaid Anders Notwith Standing But as the Folders have apropensity to Eating Morales which I find, By long Experience which is Very Proudiced to their health the Captains and other officers in Garifon are hearby Directed to the the litmale Indiver to faus the Molales to be Brudd in to Byer that May be Then in the Trupes as a fare Said Than if the Folders in Spite of all Inactions Will fat and Bring them Selves in to Bad kalit of body they way Mult sure it is their own
falt officer of the Day Co Slocombe Detail, the Jaime
From the original in the possession of George A. Plimpton, Esq.
A PAGE FROM JOHN BOYD'S "ORDERLY BOOK"
451
MILITARY LAND GRANTS
NOW THIS INDENTURE witnesseth that we Francis McLane, Private Soldier of the 17th Regm't of Foot Reduced and John McDonald Sergeant of the 80th Regm't of Foot.
For and in Consideration of the sum of Sixteen Shill. Cur- rent Money of the Province of New York to each of us in hand paid by William Cockburn of the City of New York, the Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge for ourselves, our heirs Executors and administrators, do covenant grant and agree to and with the said William Cockburn, his heirs and · assigns, that we will grant, Release and Convey into him the said William Cockburn or to any other Person or Persons whom the said William Cockburn shall appoint all our Right Title. Interest Property Claim and Demand of in and to the aforesaid Two hundred fifty acres of land as soon as Con- veniently may be after the grant of the same shall have passed the seal of the Province of New York and we do further testifie that we have each signed a Blank Sheet of Paper to be applyed in any manner or way the said William Cockburn shall Direct in order to secure him in the Premises aforesaid. In Witness Whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals at New York 9th April 1765.
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