CHAPTER XXI. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 142. The Final Struggle. - Now comes the last of the four Indian Wars in America. The three which we have already George Washington at this early age possessed those qualities which in later life made him so famous. He was already a skilful surveyor, and an officer in the Virginia militia. He was wonderfully strong and athletic. He could outrun, outleap, outride all the young men of his acquaintance. Many instances are told of his youthful prowess and athletic accomplishments. Moreover, he was brave, honest, dutiful to his parents, and loyal to the government. The journey which Washington was obliged to make with these despatches was a hazardous one. He reached the French forts, and was treated with great courtesy. The French officers were evidently much impressed with Washington's sagacity and ability. The return trip was even more dangerous. Washington narrowly escaped drowning in the Alleghany River, and nearly lost his life at the hands of a hostile Indian. On his arrival at Williamsburg, the Virginia capital, the story of his adventures and escape greatly interested and aroused the Virginia officers. considered originated in Europe. This, which was the final and decisive contest, has been usually denominated "The French and Indian War." It was occasioned by the still unsettled boundaries of the English and French colonies in North America. Both France and England were ambitious to secure absolute dominion of this whole continent. In 1749 King George II. granted a large tract of land on the Ohio River to a company of merchants styled the Ohio Company. In 1752, this company endeavored to establish themselves on the Monongahela River, south of the present Pittsburg. Their agents were seized. by the French and detained as prisoners in their fort. Soon after this the French began a line of fortifications in that region. The governor of Virginia remonstrated, claiming that the territory was within the charter limits of his colony. George Washington, then but twenty-one years of age, was the bearer of despatches from Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia to the commander of these French forts. 143. Fort Du Quesne. In 1754 Washington was again sent to the frontier at the head of a body of Virginia troops, with the rank of major, under orders to dislodge the French. They had built a fort at the junction of the two rivers which form the Ohio, where Pittsburg now stands. This fort the French called. Fort Du Quesne. It was too strong to be captured by his small force, yet Washington succeeded in surprising and defeating a party of their troops, and brought on the war which the French wished to defer. He was finally attacked by a superior force and obliged to retire from the disputed territory. 144. Union of Colonies. The British government advised the colonies to unite for the common defence. A colonial congress was accordingly held at Albany with delegates from the four New England colonies, and New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Benjamin Benjamin Franklin was one of the most prominent characters of his time. He was born in Boston, in January, 1706. Being the youngest of a large family, his father took him from school at the age of ten years to work in his shop, cutting wicks and filling moulds for candles. The boy was a great reader. "Robinson Crusoe " and " Pilgrim's Progress" were his early favorites. When he was seventeen years old he went to Philadelphia, and was employed in a printing-office. He edited and published "The Pennsylvania Gazette," and the articles written by himself became so popular that the paper yielded him a comfortable income. He became famous throughout the world by a collection of wit and wisdom, couched in quaint and pithy language, and published as Poor Richard's Almanac." He invented a famous " 145. General Braddock. The British placed General Braddock in command of the forces of America. He planned three expeditions; one against Fort Du Quesne, which he himself was to command, another against Fort Niagara under command of General Shirley, and the third under Sir William Johnson, against Crown Point. Great preparations were now made by the various colonies, which raised troops and furnished supplies for these several expeditions. 146. Expedition against Acadia. May, 1755, an expedition was fitted out at Boston against the French people of Acadia in New Brunswick. The French inhabitants of that country were seized and carried by British officers away from their homes and distributed among the English colonies. There were about eight thousand of these simple In minded peasants who were dispossessed of their property and dispersed along the Atlantic Coast. This wholesale banishment has been severely condemned, warfare, and scornfully rejected the advice given him by young Washington as to the proper method of fighting Indians. The troops fell into an ambuscade, and Braddock was among the slain. Washington, with his Virginia troops, covered the retreat and saved the remnant of the army from annihilation. He retreated with what force remained to Philadelphia. 148. Other Expeditions. - General Shirley's expedition against Fort Niagara was likewise unsuccessful, and accomplished nothing except to leave garrisons in two small forts which he erected. Sir William Johnson marched against Crown Point with a force of six thousand men. The first battle was favorable to the French, but after a desperate fight, in the "Battle of Lake George," the French were defeated. Johnson did not, however, consider his force strong enough to attack Crown Point. He therefore built a fort on Lake George, which he called Fort William Henry, left a garrison there, as well as at Fort Edward, and returned to Albany. 149. War declared. In May, 1756, a formal declaration of war was made between France and Great Britain. The French appointed General Montcalm commander of their forces. The English government sent over Lord Loudon to command the forces of Great Britain and her colonies. In August of that year, Montcalm, with six thousand French troops and Indian allies, captured Fort Ontario on the Oswego River, and fourteen hundred men were compelled to [1757-1758 surrender. They gave up one hundred and thirty-five cannon, a large amount of military stores, and many vessels upon the lake. This was a severe blow to the cause of the English, and broke up the whole plan of the campaign. 150. English Disasters. The next year, 1757, was full of disasters to the English. Montcalm, with a large force numbering eight thousand French and Indians, captured Fort William Henry and about two thousand men. By the terms of capitulation the Eng WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA LAKE ERIE Presque Fort Chautauqua Fort Le Boeuf Alleghany Clarion Red Bank PENNSYLVANIA Fort Bird Alleghany Fort Duquesne Fort Pitt) Conemaugh Braddocks Field Fort Cumberland Potomac Branch ダン lish were promised a safe escort to Fort Edward, but the Indians carried on a wholesale plunder and massacred a large number of the English troops. Lord Loudon with a strong force set out on an expedition against Louisburg on the island of Cape Breton, but got no farther than Halifax. It was soon evident that this British officer did not possess the requisite qualities for a commander of so large a force. About this time. William Pitt, the famous British statesman, became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and entered upon the American campaign with great vigor. He removed Lord Loudon and placed General Abercrombie in command of the forces in this country. Additional troops were raised and sent over. When Abercrombie took command in America he found himself at the head of fifty thousand troops, more than half of whom had been raised by the colonies. He planned three expeditions; one against Louisburg, another against Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and the third against Fort Du Quesne. 151. Louisburg. The expedition against Louisburg was made in the summer of 1758. Admiral Boscawen brought over from England, in a large fleet, a force of twelve thousand men with General Amherst in command, and General Wolfe, who later was the leader of the English forces which captured Quebec, second in command. The French garrison numbered about half the English force, and after a brave resistance it was compelled to surrender. Both the Island of Cape Breton and Prince Edward's Island fell into the hands of the English with a large quantity of supplies and warlike material. 152. Ticonderoga. At Ticonderoga the English were less successful. General Abercrombie attacked the fort in July with a large force numbering not less than fifteen thousand. The French garrison could not muster one-third of that number, but the commander was no other than the Marquis Montcalm, a brave and gallant soldier. Before the English army had a chance to approach the fort, the French general came out and attacked it. By constant skirmishing with the English he delayed the final engagement for several days. At length Abercrombie made a general assault upon the fort, determined to capture it at all hazards; but, although his army was greatly superior in numbers, he was repulsed with a loss. of full two thousand men, and compelled to retreat to Lake George. The English and colonial forces under command of General Bradstreet captured Fort Frontenac at the outlet of Lake Ontario, where Kingston now stands. At this place a number of war vessels and more than fifty cannon with other stores and munitions fell into the hands of the English. 153. Fort Pitt.-The third expedition planned by the English and their colonies was against Fort Du Quesne. This was a strategic point of much importance (T 143). The English forces were under command of General Forbes and numbered about nine. thousand men. Colonel Washington with his Virginia troops had the post of honor as the advance-guard. On their arrival at the fort they found that it had been abandoned. The French, before retreating, had burned the fort and its contents. The occasion of their withdrawal was that their forces had from time to time been reduced until they were too weak to resist an attack from the British and American army. Soon after a new fort was erected at this place and named Fort Pitt in honor of the British statesman. The next year another change of commanders took place. General Amherst was given the command of all the English forces in America. Again three expeditions were devised; General Wolfe |