many soldiers; and, retiring to Frederica, he resolved to act, as long as he could, upon the defensive. By an English prisoner, who had escaped from the Spaniards, he learned, that the troops from Cuba, and those from St. Augustine, agreed so ill with each other, that they had taken up their encampments apart. One of these, the general thought he might venture to attack. He selected the flower of his little army; and, under the cover of the night, marched unobserved within two miles of the lines. The main body was halted; while he went forward, with a small party, to reconnoitre the encampment. He had, with great circumspection, approached very near it; when the whole enterprise was supposed to be defeated, by the treachery of a French soldier, who fired his musket, and ran over to the enemy. General Oglethorpe wrote a letter to the deserter; requesting him to tell the Spaniards how defenceless Frederica was; to urge an immediate attack; or, at any rate, to persuade them to remain at Simon's Fort three days longer; when his expected reinforcement of two thousand men and six ships of war would arrive. He particularly cautioned him against dropping even a hint about the contemplated attack of Admiral Vernon upon St. Augustine. A Spanish prisoner, who had been taken in a skirmish, was bribed to deliver the letter into the deserter's own hands: but he, of course, delivered it into the

hands of General Don Antonio Di Radondo. The latter was, at first, not a little perplexed, whether to consider it as a mere stratagem, or as a real and serious letter of instruction: but the appearance of some ships, which had been despatched with supplies by the assembly of South Carolina, appeared to put the seriousness of the paper beyond all doubt. The panicstruck army set fire to the fort, and hurried on board of their vessels; and thus a circumstance, which, at first, seemed to threaten the certain conquest of the province, served, in the hands of a skilful commander, as perhaps the only means of its preservation.

CHAPTER V.

War between France and England and their Colonies-Preparation for an Attack upon Louisbourg-The AttackSurrender-D'Anville's Expedition-Abortive Attempt upon Nova Scotia-Upon Crown Point-Peace-Paper Money in Massachusetts-Discovery of Louisiana and Foundation of New Orleans-Situation of the English and French Colonies-Origin of the Rupture between themColonel Washington's Embassy-Project of Union-Plan of the first Campaign-Capture of Nova Scotia-General Braddock's Defeat-Expedition against Crown Point—That against Niagara-Second Campaign-Capture of Oswego -Third Campaign-Disputes between Lord Loudoun and Massachusetts-Fourth Campaign-Second Capture of Louisbourg-Unsuccessful attack upon Ticonderoga-Capture of Fort Frontignac-Of Du Quesne-Fifth Campaign -Capture of Quebec-Death of Wolfe-Attempt to retake Quebec-Surrender of New France-General Peace.

WHILE France and England were engaged in actual war, under the pretence of supporting respectively the queen of Hungary and the elector of Bavaria, the colonies of the two nations preserved a sort of hostile peace; but, as soon as the news reached Cape Breton, that the controversy had become open and avowed in Europe, Duvivier attacked and took the English fishing settlement at Canseau; and, soon after, made a similar, though unsuccessful, attempt, upon Annapolis. Governor Shirley immediately formed the design of

taking Cape Breton. It was well situated for annoying the English fisheries; and thirty millions of francs employed upon its fortifications, had made it the 'Dunkirk of America.' The governor requested the secrecy of the court, upon a project, which he was about to communicate. They readily promised it; and he surprised them with the proposal of sending four hundred men to take Louisbourg by storm. They condemned the undertaking as vastly too hazardous and expensive: but, unfortunately, or, perhaps, fortunately, one of the members happened to pray for blessings upon it, in the family devotions at his lodgings. The plan was soon known, all over Massachusetts: the people were generally in favour of it; and an influx of petitions, from every quarter, induced the council to change their determination. They invited the co-operation of all the colonies as far as Pennsylvania; but none, except those of New England, would furnish their quotas of troops. There was no military character of note in the country; and the command of the expedition was given to one Colonel Pepperel; who had little other qualification than that of being a rich merchant and a popular man. A general embargo was laid: more bills of credit were issued, notwithstanding the express prohibition of the crown: 'a ' variety of advice, (says Mr. Belknap,) was given from 'all quarters:' private property was impressed; and, by

the 4th of April, 1745, three thousand two hundred and fifty troops from Massachusetts arrived safely at Canseau. The quota of three hundred and four, from New Hampshire, had landed four days before; that of five hundred and sixteen, from Connecticut, came in, on the 25th of the same month; but the troops from Rhode Island did not arrive in time to be of vice to the expedition.

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Governor Shirley had written to England for assistance, some time before the disclosure of his project to the general court; and a detachment from Admiral Warren's fleet in the West Indies, appeared off Canseau, the day before the arrival of the Massachusetts troops: the admiral himself soon followed, in the Superb, of sixty guns; and, every thing being now ready, the land forces embarked for Chapeaurouge; while the fleet, (in all, about one hundred sail,) manoeuvred before Louisbourg. The landing was effected with little difficulty; and, in the course of the ensuing night, a party of four hundred men marched around to the north-east part of the harbour; and set fire to some warehouses of spiritous liquors and naval støres. The smoke was blown directly into the grand battery; and it did such signal execution, that, when thirteen of the party were returning, next day, they saw, with surprise and joy, that the flagstaff was bare, and the chimnies without smoke. An Indian was hired, for