CHAPTER XXIX.

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR TWO YEARS OF DISASTER.

Washington in the Shenandoah valley-Franklin in Pennsylva nia-Loudoun made commander-in-chief-Abercrombie second in command-War declared between France and Eng land-Montcalm captures Oswego-Armstrong defeats the Indians-Loudoun's inaction-He commands an expedition against Louisburg-He withdraws-Montcalm captures Fort William Henry—Massacre of the garrison.

In the early part of 1756, Washington, at the head of Virginians, drove back the French and Indians in the Shenandoah valley, and Franklin, at the head of Pennsylvania volunteers, gained some slight successes in that province. Governor Shirely had succeeded Braddock in command of the English forces, but plans only had been framed.

The English government now appointed the Earl of Loudoun commander-in-chief of all the military forces in America and General Abercrombie second in rank. The latter sailed in April, 1756, with two battalions of regulars, and on the 17th of May Great Britain declared war with France, to which the French soon replied in a similar way. England sent £115,000 for the expenses of the war. In July Loudoun arrived and took command of the colonial army.

The French, meanwhile, had collected 5,000 men under the Marquis of Montcalm, Dieskau's successor in the command of the French forces. Crossing Lake Ontario they attacked Oswego, where there were two En

glish fortifications, the old block-house on the western bank of the Oswego River and the new Fort Ontario on the east. The English were driven out of the latter and crossed the river. Here, for two days, 1,600 men fought bravely against the superior numbers of the French, but at last they had to surrender. Six ships of war, 120 cannon, besides numerous boats and considerable money, fell into the hands of the French as the result of this victory. Montcalm, to gratify the Indians, razed the forts to the ground.

The only success of this year was scored in Pennsylvania. The Del

aware Indians had violated their treaty and committed numerous atrocities. Colonel Armstrong, with 300 volunteers, was sent against them. On September 8th he surprised the Indians in their town of Kittanning, some dis

tance northeast of Pittsburg, and completely vanquished them, with a loss of only sixteen men.

Lord Loudoun remained at Albany, with a pretense only of activity. His army was strong, but he failed to direct it against the French, who took advantage of his laziness and incompetence to strengthen Crown Point and Ticonderoga. Thus ended the year

1756.

The only campaign laid out for 1757 was the capture of the strong fortress of Louisburg, on Cape Breton Island. In June Loudoun sailed from New York with 6,000 regulars. At Halifax he was joined

by sixteen men-of-war with 5,000 more troops. Loudoun delayed his advance on one pretext or another until news came that the French ships at Louisburg outnumbered his own by-one! This was too much for his courage. He sent the fleet to cruise around Cape Breton and himself returned with his army to New York-a ridiculous failure of a powerful expedition.

Montcalm was a brave and daring general. He had meanwhile been leading a force of 6,000 French Canadians and 1,700 Indians to Ticonderoga. Fort William Henry was his objective point. The Iroquois had now proved faithless to their English alliance and were in league with the French. On August 3d Fort William Henry was besieged. Its garrison consisted of only 500 men, under Colonel Munro, but 1,700 more were near at hand. General Webb meanwhile was only fourteen miles distant, at Fort Edward, with 4,000 regulars, but instead of coming to the support of Munro he advised him to surrender.

Munro was not the kind of a man to follow such cowardly advice. For six days he held out, till his ammunition was nearly gone and half of his guns were disabled. Then he was obliged to surrender, but he secured honorable terms. His men were to keep their effects and were permitted to go free under a pledge not to engage in the war again for a year and a half, and a safe passage to Fort Edward was -guaranteed. But the Indians had become intoxicated with the liquor found in the English camp. They fell upon the prisoners, and thirty Englishmen were killed and others made captive. The remainder fled panic-stricken to Fort Edward. Montcalm and other Frenchmen risked their lives to redeem their promise, but in vain.

Thus matters stood at the end of 1757, in even a worse shape than at the close of the previous year.

The French were masters of the Ohio valley and had gained a brilliant victory in the north. The only expedition of the English had proved a failure through the incompetence of the commander-in-chief.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR-SUCCESSES AND PEACE.

Pitt made prime minister-Abercrombie, Howe, and BoscawenPlans for 1758-Amherst takes Louisburg-Howe is killed near Ticonderoga-Abercrombie attacks the fort—Is defeated- Bradstreet captures Fort Frontenac - Fort Duquesne evacuated by the French-Amherst made commander-inchief-Preparations for 1759-Fort Niagara surrenders to the English-The French driven from Lake Champlain-Wolfe advances on Quebec-A temporary check-Defeats the French on the Plains of Abraham-Wolfe and Montcalm mortally wounded-Quebec capitulates - Montreal captured-The Cherokees in arms--Their defeat-The English occupy the French frontier posts-Trouble with the Indians-Pontiac's conspiracy-The conspiracy broken-The treaty of Paris-Its provisions.

The disasters of the years 1756 and 1757 had provoked much discontent in England, which resulted finally in a change of ministers. William Pitt was now called to the head of the government, and he determined on a vigorous prosecution of the war. Abercrombie was appointed to succeed Loudoun, with young Lord Howe second in command. Amherst, Forbes, James Wolfe, and Richard Montgomery were leading officers. Admiral Boscawen was in command of the fleet of twenty-two ships of the line and fifteen frigates. Three campaigns were arranged for the year 1758. Amherst and the fleet were to capture Louisburg, Howe was to take Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and For vas to recover the Ohio val.

ley.