and American troops. The general and his principal officers were killed, with about seven hundred men; the remainder were saved by the brave and skillful conduct of colonel Washington.

386. General Johnson's victory. In the same summer, the northern colonies raised a body of about five thousand men, who were intended to take Crown Point, a fort fifteen miles north of Ticonderoga. General Johnson, who commanded these troops, marched them to lake George, where he encamped to wait for bateaus to transport the men down the lake. While he lay in that situation, a body of French forces under baron Dieskau, advanced by South bay, with a view to attack and seize the camp at the portage, now called fort Edward. But understanding that the place was defended by cannon, and that general Johnson's camp was destitute of large guns, the baron altered his plan and attacked general Johnson's troops. The French were repulsed with the loss of several hundred men. An expedition against Niagara, under governor Shirley of Massachusetts, was intended, the same year, and a body of troops marched to the lake; but the execution of the plan was deferred on account of the lateness of the

season.

387. Conquest of Nova Scotia. In the year 1755, also, an expedition against Nova Scotia was conducted by colonel Monckton and general Winslow, with a small body of English troops and two thousand men from Massachusetts. The principal fortress was taken with little loss, and the country subdued. The inhabitants were descendants from French settlers, and had frequently changed masters, as their country was conquered alternately by the English and French. They called themselves neutrals; but it was the determination of the commanders, in this expedition, that they should all be removed and their estates confiscated. Accordingly, about two thousand men, women, and children, were transported to New England, dispersed into different towns, and incorporated with the inhabitants.

388. Loss of fort Oswego. Although hostilities had commenced in 1754, yet no formal declaration of war

was made till May, 1756, when it was proclaimed by the British king in the usual form. Lord Loudon was appointed governor of Virginia, and commander in chief of the forces in America. Governor Shirley was recalled, and general Abercrombie succeeded him in the command of the forces in the northern colonies. These generals, with additional troops, arrived, and proceeded to Albany; but before they were prepared to begin their operations, the garrison at Oswego, consisting of fourteen hundred men, had surrendered to the French. This post was very important, as it commanded the communication between Canada and the Ohio. The campaign closed without any other great event, and the winter was spent in preparations for prosecuting the war with vigor, the next summer.

389. Military operations in America in 1757. Great preparations had been made to attack Crown Point, but the plan of operations was changed; and lord Loudon went to join admiral Holborn, who arrived in July, with a squadron of ships, to attack Lewisburg, which had been restored to France by the peace of 1748. This plan also was defeated by the previous arrival of a strong squadron of French ships and a large land force. Lord Loudon departed, and in the winter following, went to England; and the English fleet, after being shattered by a violent tempest in September, returned to England. In the mean time, the French general, Montcalm, laid siege to fort William Henry, on lake George, and after a brave defense, without any prospect of relief, general Webb, the commanding officer, surrendered. Thus the campaign of 1757 ended with disgrace to the British arms; while the French were gaining strength, and multiplying their forts on the back of the colonies. These misfortunes were owing to bad management in the British councils, and the want of concert in the colonies, which were governed by different legislatures, and could not be brought to act with union

or energy.

390. Conquest of Cape Breton, in 1758. In 1758, great efforts were made to subdue the French in America. Three armies were employed; one commanded

by general Amherst, destined to take Lewisburg; one under general Abercrombie, to act against Crown Point; and a third under general Forbes, to drive the French from the Ohio. A fleet, under admiral Boscawen, and twelve thousand men, under general Amherst, laid siege to Lewisburg; which, after a vigorous resistance, surrendered. Three French ships of the line were set on fire by bombs, and burnt in the harbor. Two others were boarded and taken, and forty cannon out of fiftytwo, in the principal bastions, were dismounted, before the besieged consented to capitulate. The inhabitants of the isle were sent to France, and the prisoners to England. Colonel Rolls was then dispatched, with a body of troops, to St. Johns, which isle submitted to the arms of England. After the conquest of Canada, in 1760, the fortifications of Lewisburg were utterly demolished, and reduced to a heap of rubbish.

391. Defeat of general Abercrombie. The French had erected a fort at Ticonderoga, at the point of communication between lake George, South Bay, and lake Champlain. To dispossess them of this important place, and of Crown Point, was the object of general Abercrombie, with the main division of the forces, amounting to seven thousand British regulars, and ten thousand colonial troops. This army arrived near Ticonderoga in July. After disembarking from the batteaus, the troops had to march through woods, and the center column, under lord Howe, a young officer of great worth, met and defeated a detachment of the French forces, retreating from an outpost; but this advantage was purchased by the loss of lord Howe. The main body advanced and attacked the fort, but the French were so well protected by abbattis, and a breast-work eight feet high, that the British troops could not carry the works. After an action of four hours, during which the troops were exposed to a terrible fire, the general ordered a retreat, having lost eighteen hundred men, and returned to the camp at lake George.

392. The taking of fort Frontenac and Pittsburg. The ill success at Ticonderoga was in part counterbalanced by the taking of fort Frontenac, on the St.

Lawrence, near lake Ontario, by a party of colonial troops, under colonel Bradstreet. This fort was garrisoned by a hundred and ten men only; but contained a great number of cannon, mortars, military stores, provisions, and goods. Nine armed vessels were also taken. The whole was effected without bloodshed, and the fort demolished. During these transactions, general Forbes marched from Philadelphia, with a considerable body of troops, to attack the French fort, Duquesne. After passing the mountains, he detached colonel Bouquet, with two thousand men, to a position fifty miles in advance. This officer sent major Grant forward with eight hundred men, to reconnoiter the fort and country. The detachment met a superior French force, and was defeated with the loss of major Grant and three hundred men. But the French, not willing to risk a siege, abandoned the fort, and retired down the Ohio. General Forbes took possession, and gave it the name of Pittsburg, which the town since built continues to bear.

393. Operations of general Amherst. In 1759, the efforts of the British and Americans to "reduce the French were more successful. General Amherst, with the main army, crossed lake George, to lay siege to Ticonderoga; but the French abandoned that post and Crown Point. General Amherst took possession, repaired the fort at Ticonderoga, and leaving a strong garrison in it, proceeded to Crown Point, where he raised a new fort. Here he built a sloop of sixteen guns, and a large boat for six guns, with a brig. With these, and his batteaus, he embarked to proceed down the lake, but he was baffled by tempestuous weather. The land forces were compelled to return, but the armed vessels proceeded, and drove ashore three of the French vessels. General Amherst spent the winter in completing the fortifications at Crown Point, and in opening roads to the colonies.

394. Reduction of Niagara. During these transactions, general Prideaux laid siege to the French fort at Niagara, in the prosecution of which he was killed, and the command devolved on sir William Johnson. This officer urged the siege, and defeated a party of

troops, coming from Detroit to Venango, to the relief of the place. This success hastened the surrender of the fort, which capitulated the last week in July. This was a valuable acquisition, as well as the possession of Crown Point and Ticonderoga.

DEATH OF GENERAL WOLFE.

395. Victory of general Wolfe, and surrender of Quebec. The forces destined against Quebec were intrusted to general Wolfe, a young officer, who had distinguished himself, the preceding year, at the siege of Lewisburg. The army, amounting to eight thousand men, landed on the isle of Orleans, below Quebec, in June. Quebec stands on a rock, at the confluence of Charles river and the St. Lawrence; it is naturally strong, and was well fortified and defended by a superior force under general Montcalm. General Wolfe had to contend with immense difficulties, and a detachment of his troops attacking the French entrenchments at the falls of Montmorenci, was repulsed with the loss of five hundred men. At length the British troops landed in the night, and ascended a steep, craggy cliff, to an ele