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9. Dieskau, therefore, directed his march towards fort
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
Edward, and when within three or four miles of the place communicated to his army his design of attacking the fort, and expressed to them entire confidence of success. His army, which consisted mostly of Cana- dians and Indians, were not however so sanguine in their expectations. They by no means relished the idea of making an assault upon the fort, where they should be exposed to the destructive fire of cannon ; but they expressed a willingness to attack the English in their camp at lake George, where they supposed that muskets would be the only arms employed against them. Under these circumstances Dieskan found it necessary to comply with the inclination of his troops and immediately altered the direction of his march and proceeded towards the English encampment.
10. Johnson had no intelligence of the approach, or of the designs of the enemy, till after their depar- ture from South bay, when he learned that a large body of French and Indians were on their march towards fort Edward. IIe immediately sent off two separate messengers to apprise the garrison of the intended attack, and to bring, him intelligence respect- ing the force and designs of the enemy. One of these messengers was intercepted and slain; the other returned about midnight, and reported that he saw the enemy about four miles to the northward of fort Edward and evidently designing an attack upon that place. In the morning it was resolved in a council of war that one thousand English and a number of Indi- ans should be detached and sent under the command of Col Williams to intercept the enemy in their return to lake Champlain, either as victors, or defeated in their designs upon fort Edward.
11. The English encampment had lake George on one side and two other sides were covered by swamps, and thick woods ; and after the departure of the de- tachment a slight breast-work of logs was thrown up and a few cannon, which had just arrived, were planted in front, which was the only assailable side. Williams
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BATTLE AT LAKE GEORGE.
had proceeded only four miles when he met the enemy in full march towards Johnson's encampment. An engagement immediately ensued, bnt Williams was obliged to retreat before the superior force of the ene- my. Johnson, hearing the firing and perceiving that it approached, beat to arms and dispatched Col Cole with 300 men to cover the retreat, while he made the best preparation he could for receiving the enemy. About 10 o'clock some small parties came running back to the camp with intelligence that the detach- ment was attacked on all sides and was retreating ; and soon after all who escaped returned in considera- ble bodies to the encampment.
12. At half after eleven o'clock, the enemy were seen to approach in regular order aiming directly to- wards the centre of the encampment. When they ar- rived within about 150 yards of the breast-work, they halted, and the Canadians and Indians filed off upon the right and left flanks. The regular troops then mooved forward and commenced the attack upon the centre by platoon firing, which, on account of the dis- tance, produced little effect. A brisk fire was now opened upon the enemy by the artillery stationed at the breast-work, which so terrified the Canadians and Indians, that they immediately betook themselves to the swamps, where from behind logs and trees they kept up an irregular fire upon the encampinent.
13. The engagement now became general, and the French regular troops, for some time, maintained their ground and order; but finding themselves abandoned by the Canadians and Indians, and suffering severely by the incessant fire from the breast-work, they at length directed their attack to the right where they were received with firmness by the regiments of Ruggles, Williams and Titcomb. After continuing an unsuccessful attack upon this point for about an hour, and sustaining a heavy loss from the fire of the English, Dieskau attempted a retreat, as the only means of saving the remainder of his troops.
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BISTORY OF VERMONT.
14. Observing his intention a party of the English leaped over their breast-work, and falling upon the rear of the French, soon dispersed them. Dieskau was found resting upon the stump of a tree, wounded and unable to walk. As a provincial soldier approach- ed him, he was putting his hand in his pocket for his watch to present to him ; but the soldier, supposing that he was feeling for a pocket pistol, discharged his musket at him and gave him a mortal wound in his hip.
15. The enemy on their retreat collected and made a halt at the place where the engagement began in the morning with the detachment under Col Williams, Here they were attacked by a party of 200 men under the command of Capt. M'Ginnes, a New Hampshire officer, who had been ordered from fort Edward to the aid of the main army under Johnson. The at- tack was made with impetuosity and spirit, and the French, after a resistance of nearly two hours, were again dispersed in every direction. In this last en- gagement the English lost 12 men, and the brave M' Ginnes died a few days after his arrival at Johnson's encampment, of the wounds he had received.
: 16. The whole loss of the English in these several engagements was 130 slain, and 60 wounded Among the slain were Col Williams, Maj. Ashley, and "Cap- tains, Ingersol, Porter, Ferrel, Stoddard and M'Ginnes, and among the wounded was Col Johnson. Of the Indians belonging to Johnson's army about 40 were slain, among whom was Hendrick, a distinguished Mohawk sachem. The loss of the French was about 700 slain, and among these were several officers of distinction. Johnson was deterred by fear, or some other cause, from pursuing the retreating enemy, or making any attempt upon their works'on lake Cham- plain ; and the remainder of the campaign of 1755, was spent in erecting a fort at the south end of lake George, which was afterwards called fort William Henry.
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OSWEGO TAKEN BY THE FRENCH.
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SECTION VI.
French and English Colonies-from 1756 to 1758. Fort William Henry surrendered to the French-Massacre ¡ of the garrison.
1. In 1756 a considerable number of troops, and several distinguished officers arrived from England, and a large provincial army was collected at Albany and fort William Henry. But while the English officers were deliberating upon the course to be pur- sued and the troops were lying inactive, the French, under the brave Montcalm, were prosecuting their affairs with energy and success. With scarcely any loss on their part, they succeeded in taking and de- molishing the forts at Oswego, where they took 1400 prisoners, 120 pieces of cannon, 14 mortars, and a large quantity of ammunition, military stores and provisions, and also 2 sloops and 200 batteaux. The English suffered the season to pass away without any attempt to retrieve their loss, or annoy the enemy.
2. The command of the English forces in America having been given to Lord Loudon, he sailed from New York in the spring of 1757, with 6000 men for the purpose of capturing the French fortress at Louis- burg. At Halifax his force was increased to 12000 men, with a fleet of 15 ships of the line and a large number of transports under admiral Holburne. But he here received intelligence, that a French fleet of 17 line of battle ships and three frigates had arrived at Louisburg-that their land force amounted to 6000 regulars, 3000 natives, and 1300 Indians, and that the place was well provided with ammunition, provisions and military stores. This information, dissipating eve- ry prospect of success, the expedition was consequent- ly abandoned.
3. During these transactions the French under Montcalm were by no means inactive. As early as
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
the 20th of March, they made an attempt to take fort William Henry by surprise, but their object was de- feated by the bravery of the garrison, and several of their number slain. They, however, succeeded in burning three sloops, a large number of batteaux, three store houses, and indeed every thing of value, which was not protected by the guns of the fort.
4. At the opening of the spring, Col Parker was sent down the lake, with a detachment of about 400 men, to attack the enemy's advanced guard at Ti- conderoga, but he was decoyed in an ambuscade of French and Indians, who fell upon him with such Impetuosity and success, that only two officers and 70 privates of his number escaped. Encouraged by this success, Montcalm resolved once more to attempt the reduction of fort William Henry. For this purpose he collected, at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, all his forces, amounting to about 10,000 men, and consisting of regulars, Canadians and Indians.
5. General Webb, upon whom the command of the English forces devolved on the departure of Lord Loudon, wishing to examine the works at lake George, and to ascertain the force and condition of the enemy at their posts on lake Champlain, selected Major Putnam with 200 men to escort him to fort William Henry. Soon after their arrival Putnam set out with 18 men in three boats for the purpose of reconnoitering the enemy at Ticonderoga : but before he reached the northwest bay, he discovered a body of men on an island. and leaving two of his boats to fish he hasten- ed back in the other with the information.
6. He communicated the intelligence to Webb only, who, with much reluctance, permitted Putnam to re- turn for the purpose of making further discoveries and of bringing off the boats. In accomplishing this business he was observed and pursued by the ene- my and, although at times nearly surrounded by their canoes, effected his retreat to the fort. These trans- actions were carefully concealed from the garrison
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SURRENDER OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY.
by an injunction of secrecy from Webb, who ordered Putnam to prepare immediately to escort him back to fort Edward. Putnam, wishing to be engaged in surprising the enemy, observed " he hoped his excel- lency did not intend to neglect so fair an opportunity of giving battle, should the enemy presume to land." To which the general coldly replied " what do you think we should do here."
7. The next day Weeb returned to fort Edward, and the day following, Col Monro was sent with his regiment to reinforce the garrison at lake George. The day after his arrival the French and Indians under Montcalm appeared upon the lake, effected a landing with but little opposition, and immediately laid siege to the fort. Montcalm, at the same time, sent "a letter to Monro, stating that he felt himself bound in humanity to urge the English commander to surrender before any of the Indians were slain and their savage temper further inflamed by a resistance, which would be unavailing. Monro replied that as the fortress had been entrusted to him, both his honor and his duty required him to defend it to the last ex- tremity.
8. The garrison amounting to about 2,500 men, made a gallant defence, while Monro, aware of his danger, sent frequent expresses to fort Edward for succor. But Webb remained inactive and apparently indifferent during these alarming transactions. On the 8th or 9th day of the siege, Gen. Johnson was permitted; to set out for the relief of fort William Henry with the provincial regiments and Putnam's rangers ; but he had proceeded only three miles, when he received orders from Webb for his immediate re- turn. Webb then wrote to Monro that he could afford him no assistance, and advised him to surrender on the best terms he could obtain.
9. Monro and his garrison, in hourly expectation of relief from fort Edward defended themselves with much spirit and resolution, till the 9th of August, 4
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
when their works having become much injured and their animunition nearly expended, all their hopes of holding out were at once blasted by the reception of Webb's letter, which Montcalm had intercepted, and now sent in with further proposals for a surrender of the fort. Articles of capitulation were therefore agreed upon and signed by Montcahn and Monro, by which it was stipulated, that the garrison should march out with their arms and baggage-should be escorted to fort Edward by a detachment of French troops, and should not serve against the French for the term of 18 months-that the works and all warlike stores should be delivered to the French-and that the sick and wounded of the garrison should remain under the protection of Montcalm and should be permitted to return as soon as they were recovered.
10. After the capitulation no further troubles were ap- prehended. But the garrison had no sooner marched out of the fort, than a scene of perfidy and barbarity began to be witnessed, which it is impossible for lan- guage to describe. Wholly regardless of the articles of capitulation, the Indians attached to the French army, fell upon the defenceless soldiers, plundering and murdering all who came in their way. The French were idle spectators of this bloody scene; nor could all the entreaties of Col Monro persuade then to fur- nish the escort, as stipulated in the articles of capitu- lation. On this fatal day about 1500 of the English were either murdered by the savages or carried by them into captivity, never to return.
11. The day following these horrid transactions, Major Putnam was despatched from fort Edward with his rangers, to watch the motions of the enemy. He reached lake George just after the rear of the enemy had left the shore, and awful indeed was the scene which presented itself. "The fort was entirely demolished, the barracks, out houses, and buildings were a heap of ruins-the cannon, stores, boats and vessels were all carried away. The fires were still
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MASSACRE OF THE GARRISON.
burning-the smoke and stench, offensive and suffo- cating. Innumerable fragments of human skulls and bones, and carcases half consumed, were still frying and broiling in the decaying fires. Dead bodies, mang- led with scalping knives and tomahawks, in all the wantonness of Indian fierceness and barbarity, were every where to be seen. More than 100 women, butch- ered and shockingly mangled, lay upon the ground, still weltering in their gore. Devastation, barbarity and horror every where appeared; and the spectacle presented was too diabolical and awful either to be endured or described."
12. The French satisfied with their success, retired to their works at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and nothing further was effected in this quarter worthy of notice, either by the French or English, during the remainder of the year ; and thus terminated the cam- paign of 1757, in which the English suffered exceed- ingly in lives and property and gained nothing. 'This want of success was doubtless owing, in some measure to the inefficiency and ignorance of the British ministry in relation to American affairs, but is principally to be attributed to the want of ability and energy in the generals to whom the prosecution of the war was intrusted.
SECTION VII.
French and English Colonies-Events of 1758. Capture of Louisburg-Abercrombie defeated-Fort Fronte- nac and Du Quesne taken.
1. The repeated failure of the British arms in America, having created much dissatisfaction both at home and in the colonies, a change of ministry was found to be indispensable, in order to secure the pub-
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
lic confidence and revive the drooping spirits of the nation ; and this was effectually done by the appoint- ment of William Pitt one of the secretaries of state. From this time the British affairs in America assumed a more favorable aspect. Instead of defeat and dis- grace, vicory and triumph now usually attended the English arms. Measures were concerted with wisdom and prudence and executed with promptness and vigor.
2. In planning the campaign of 1758, it was deter- mined that the French settlements should be attacked upon several different points at the same time. Twelve thousand troops were to attempt the reduction of Louisburg in the island of Cape Breton, 16,000 were to proceed against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and 8,000 against Du Quesne ; and the several American colonies were called upon to furnish troops, and to make all the exertions in their power to aid and facili- tate these expeditions.
3. General Amherst took command of the expedition against Louisburg, assisted by Generals Wolfe, Whit- more and Lawrence and by Admiral Boscawen, who commanded the fleet. The fleet, consisting of 157 sail and having the troops on board, sailed from Halifax in Nova Scotia, on the 28th of May, and on the 2nd day of June, anchored about seven miles west of Louisburg. On the 8th a landing was effected under the gallant Wolfe, and in a few days the place was completely invested. The garrison consisted of upwards of 3,000 men, mostly regulars, and the harbor was defended by six ships of the line and five frigates, all under the command of chevalier Drucour. Amherst proceeded with caution, but with such vigor that the French ships were soon destroyed, and the garrison surrendered themselves prisoners of war on the 26th of July.
4. The expedition against the French posts on lake Champlain, devolved upon General Abercrombie. Having assembled about 7,000 regular and 9,000 prc
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ABERCROMBIE DEFEATED.
vincial troops, with a fine train of artillery and the necessary military stores, he, on the 5th of July, em- barked his army at fort William Henry, on board 900 batteaux and 135 whale boats, and the next morning landed, without opposition, near the north end of lake George. Forming his men into tlirce columns he moved forward towards the enemy, whose advanced party, consisting of one battalion, lay encamped be- hind a breast-work of logs. On the approach of the English, they set fire to their breast-work and tents and retreated with precipitation. The English continued to advance, but were soon embarrassed and thrown into some disorder by the thickness of the wood.
5. Lord Howe was in the front of the centre col- umn with Major Putnam, when a skirmish commen- ced on the left with the party of the enemy which had retreated from the breast-work. One hundred men immediately filed off under Putnam and Howe, and they soon fell in with the enemy, whose first fire proved fatal to his lordship. Howe had made himself the idol of the army by his affability and virtues, and his fall animated Putnam and his party to avenge his death. They cut their way through the enemy, and, being joined by another party of the English, slew about. 300 of the French and took 148 prisoners. But the English columns being broken and embarrassed by the thickness of the wood, Abercrombie deemed it advisable to march back to the place where they had landed in the morning, rather than pass the night where they were. The next day Col Bradstreet, with n' detachment of the army, took possession of the saw mills without opposition, and the general once more advanced upon the enemy.
1 6. The fort at Ticonderoga was very favorably sit- uated for defence. "" It was surrounded on three sides by water, and about half the other side was pro- tected by a deep swamp, while the line' of defence was completed by the erection of a breast-work nine feet high on the only assailable ground. 'The ground 4* j
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
before the breast-work was covered with felled trees and with bushes, arranged with a view to impede the approach of the English. The French garrison consisted of 6,000 men and a reinforcement of 3,000 troops under. M. de Levy, was expected soon to join them.
7. Abercrombie, wishing to get possession of the fort before the garrison should be augmented by the expected reinforcement, sent forward his engineer to reconnoiter the works, who reported that the breast- work was unfinished and that he believed the place might be immediately assaulted by musketry with a fair prospect of success. The general confiding in this intelligence, marched forward to the attack in reg- · ular order and with undaunted firmness. The French opened upon them a well directed fire from their artillery, notwithstanding which, the English moved forward undismayed till they became entangled and stopped by the timber which had been felled to im- peded their approach. For four hours they strove to cut, with their swords, their way to the breast-work through the limbs and bushes, but without success. All this time they were exposed to the deadly fre of the enemy, who were completely sheltered by their breast-work. Their numbers continually diminishing and no prospect of success appearing, Abercrombie thought it expedient to retreat, and accordingly led back his army to their former encampment without being pursued or molested by the enemy.
8. The English lost in this encounter, 18,00 men, killed and wounded, and 2,500 stand of arms. Every part of the army engaged behaved with coolness and intrepi,lity, but the loss fell heaviest on a highland regiment commanded by Lord Murray. Of this re- giment one half of the privates and 25 officers were either slain on the spot or severely wounded. So severe a loss determined the commander-in-chief to withdraw from the scene of carnage, and he hastened hark whth his shattered army to the encampment at
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ABERCROMBIE DEFEATED.
lake George, from whence he sent off all the wound - ed, who could be safely removed, to fort Edward and Albany.
9. How far the conduct of General Abercrombie is reprehensible in this unfortunate affair, it is difficult now to determine. The censure of mankind almost always follows misfortune ; and so it was in the pre- sent case. The attempt to take the fort by storm was considered a rash and imprudent measure-and the retreat was condemned as pusillanimous and unne- cessary. And indeed with troops, who had manifested such courage and intrepidity in the assault, it is very difficult to conceive what could have prevented the commencement of a regular siege.
10. Notwithstanding his defeat and mortification, Abercrombie did not suffer his army to remain inac- tive. He dispatched General Stanwix to erect a fort at the carrying place between the Mohawk and On- ondaga rivers; and Col Bradstreet, with 3,000 men, mostly provincials, was ordered to proceed against fort Frontenac, situated at the outlet of lake Ontario. Bradstreet landed his men within one mile of the fort, before the enemy had any intelligence of his approach and the garrison, consisting of only 110 Frenehmen, with a few Indians, could do no other than surrender at discretion. In the fort were found 60 cannon, 16 mortars, and small arms, military stores, merchandise and provisons in large quantities. He also captured all the enemy's shipping on the lake, consisting of nine armed vessels ; and having destroyed them and the fort he returned to Oswego.
11. While these things were transacting General Forbes was making his advances towards fort Du Qusne of which he got possession on the 24th' of November, the French having abandoned it and re- treated down the Ohio river. Having repaired the works, he changed the name of the fort to Pittsburgh, in honor of William Pitt, the secretary of state who was then at the head of American affairs. Such were
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HISTORY OF VERMONT.
the events of the year 1758. The British arms had every where been successful, excepting in the attack upon Ticonderoga, and the hopes and confidence of the public were every where revived. General Am- herst, having left a strong garrison at Louisburg, re- turned to Boston. Thence he proceeded, about the middle of September, to Albany, with six regiments, and the remainder of the fall and winter were spent in concerting measures and making preparations for the campaign of the following year.
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SECTION VIII.
French'and English, Colonies-Transactions of 1759 and 1760. Quebec taken-Ticonderoga, Crown Point and Niagara taken-Expedition against the St Francis In- dians-Montreal and Canada surrender.
1. The advantage obtained over the French in " the preceding campaign gave ' the British Minister reason to hope this year to complete the conquest of Canada. Three expeditions were therefore projected, one against Quebec under the command of Gen. Wolfe, one against the forts on lake Champlain, "under Gen. Amherst, who was commander-in-chief of the British forces in America, and one against the French fort at Niagara, to be conducted by Gen. Prideaux and Sir William Johnson. It was believed that while these generals were making their attacks on different points, they would assist each other, by dividing the forces
- and embarrassing the councils'of the enemy.
2. The conquest of Quebec was looked upon as the most important and the most difficult object of the campaign. 'The city was strongly fortified by na- ture and art, formidable on account of the number and bravery of its inhabitants, 'and in a situation " in
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QUEBEC INVESTED BY WOLFE.
which it could not be much injured by a fleet, or be approached but with extreme difficulty and hazard by land. As soon as the season would permit, Wolfe embarked his troops at Louisburg, sailed up the St Lawrence and in the latter part of June landed his whole army on the island of Orleans a little below Quebec, without difficulty or opposition.
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