Volume I Part 23 (2/2)
Rapin adds:--”While all Europe was in suspense about the fate of the English and French squadrons, the preparations for a vigorous sea war were going on in England with unparalleled spirit and success.
Notwithstanding, the French Court still flattered itself that Great Britain, out of tenderness to his Majesty's German dominions, would abstain from hostilities. Mirepoix (the French Amba.s.sador at London) continued to have frequent conferences with the British Ministry, who made no secret that their admirals, particularly Boscawen, had orders to attack the French s.h.i.+ps wherever they should meet them; on the other hand, Mons. de Mirepoix declared that his master would consider the first gun fired at sea, in a hostile manner, as a declaration of war.
This menace, far from intimidating the English, animated them to redouble their preparations for war.”--_Ib._, p. 521.]
[Footnote 227: Rapin, Vol. XXI., p. 521. It was during this interval that the unfortunate expedition, death, and defeat of General Braddock took place, on the banks of the Ohio river, at Fort du Quesne, afterwards called Pittsburg. ”The naval expedition, under Admiral Boscawen, was somewhat more fortunate (than that of Braddock), though far from answering the expectations of the public. He made a prosperous voyage till he came to the banks of Newfoundland, where his rendezvous was; and in a few days the French fleet, under De la Mothe, came to the same station. But the thick fogs which prevail on those coasts, especially at that time of the year, kept the two squadrons from seeing one another; and part of the French squadron escaped up the River St.
Lawrence, while some of them went round and got into the same river by the Straits of Belleisle, by a way which had never been attempted before by s.h.i.+ps of war. While Boscawen's fleet, however, lay before Cape Race, on the banks of Newfoundland, which was thought to be the proper station for intercepting the enemy, two French s.h.i.+ps--the _Alcide_, of 60 guns and 480 men; and the _Lys_, pierced for 64 guns, but mounting only 22, and having eight companies of land forces on board--fell in with the _Dunkirk_, Captain Howe, and the _Defiance_, Captain Andrews, two 60-gun s.h.i.+ps of the English squadron, and were, both of them, after a smart engagement, in which Captain (afterwards Lord) Howe behaved with the greatest skill and intrepidity, taken, with about 8,000 on board.
Though this action was far from answering the grand destination of the fleet, yet when the news reached England it was of infinite service to the public credit of every kind; as the manner in which it was conducted was a plain proof that the English Government was resolved to observe no further measures with the French, but to take or destroy their s.h.i.+ps wherever they could be met with.”--_Ib._, pp. 525, 526.
Yet, in the face of these facts, that the French Government had been encroaching upon the colonies for six years--ever since the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle; had been transporting soldiers and all the munitions of war to America to exterminate the English colonies; had put to death British subjects; and that complaints of these outrages had been made to England year after year by the Governors and representatives of the Colonies, and that the French Government had at this time, by fair words and false pretences, deceived the Government of England, which had warned the French Government that the English admirals had orders to attack and take all the French s.h.i.+ps, public and private, that should be met with at sea; yet, in the face of such facts, Mr. Bancroft, with his habitual hostility to England and endless perversions of historical facts, says in 1755: ”France and England were still at peace, and their commerce was mutually protected by the sanct.i.ty of treaties. _Of a sudden_, hostile orders were issued to all British vessels of war to take all French vessels, private as well as public,” and ”eight thousand French seamen were held in captivity. All France resented the perfidy.
'Never,' said Louis the Fifteenth, 'will I forgive the piracies of this insolent nation.' And in a letter to George the Second he demanded ample reparation for the insult to the flag of France by Boscawen, and for the piracies of the English men-of-war, committed in defiance of international law, the faith of treaties, the usages of civilized nations, and the reciprocal duties of kings.” (History of the United States, Vol. IV., pp. 217, 218.)
Among the eight thousand French seamen held in captivity were the soldiers destined for America, to invade the British colonies in time of protracted peace and against ”the faith of treaties.” Mr. Bancroft also ignores the fact that a year before this the Commissioners from the Legislative a.s.semblies of the several colonies, a.s.sembled at Albany, had represented to the British Government the alarming encroachments of the French, and imploring aid, and that the French authorities in America had offered the Indians bounties on English scalps.]
[Footnote 228: Hutchinson's History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. III., pp.
21-23.
”While the Convention was sitting, and attending princ.i.p.ally to the frontiers of the colonies, in the western parts, Mr. s.h.i.+rly (Governor of Ma.s.sachusetts) was diligently employed in the east, prosecuting a plan for securing the frontiers of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay.”--_Ib._, p. 25.
”In the beginning of this year (1755) the a.s.sembly of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, in New England, pa.s.sed an Act prohibiting all correspondence with the French at Louisburg; and early in the spring they raised a body of troops, which was transported to Nova Scotia, to a.s.sist Lieutenant-Governor Lawrence in driving the French from the encroachments they had made upon that province.” (Hume and Smollett's History of England, Vol. VII., p. 7.)]
[Footnote 229: History of the United States, Vol. IV., pp. 276, 277.]
[Footnote 230: Minot's History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. I., p. 228.
Dr. Minot adds: ”The whole number a.s.signed for this expedition against Crown Point was 3,700, of which Ma.s.sachusetts voted to raise 1,560, besides 500 by way of reinforcement, if judged necessary by the Commander-in-Chief, with the advice of the Council; and to these 300 more were added after the defeat of General Braddock. The General Court also voted 600 to be applied towards engaging the Indians of the Six Nations in the enterprise, and supporting their families. In short, this became a favourite enterprise both with the General Court and the people of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, not only because it originated with them, but because it was directed against a quarter (considering the French in Nova Scotia were subdued and dispersed) whence they had the most to fear.”--_Ib._, pp. 229, 230.]
[Footnote 231: Before Johnson could attack Crown Point, he was himself attacked in his own quarters, at what was called Carrying Place, near Lake George, by Dieskau, at the head of 200 regular troops, 600 Canadians, and 600 savages. Johnson's force consisted of 3,400 provincial soldiers and 300 Indians, ”regularly enlisted under the English flag and paid from the English treasury.” Among the New England men was Israel Putman, of Connecticut, then a private soldier, afterwards famous. Mr. Bancroft, as might be expected, depreciates the services of Sir William Johnson in this important and successful battle.
But he cannot deny that Johnson selected the most advantageous position for his camp; sent out scouts on all sides, and obtained timely information of the approach of the enemy, and was fully prepared for it; directed the order of battle, in the early part of which he was wounded, causing his removal from the field, when for five hours the provincial soldiers, good marksmen, under their own officers, ”kept up the most violent fire that had yet been known in America.” The House of Lords, in an address to the King, praised the colonists as ”brave and faithful,”
and Johnson was honoured with a t.i.tle and money. ”But,” says Mr.
Bancroft, ”he did little to gain the victory, which was due to the enthusiasm of the New England men. 'Our all,' they cried, 'depends on the success of this expedition.' 'Come,' said Pomeroy, of Ma.s.sachusetts, to his friends at home, 'Come to the help of the Lord against the mighty; you that value our holy religion and our liberties will spare nothing, even to the one-half of your estate.' And in all the villages 'the prayers of G.o.d's people' went up that 'they might be crowned with victory, to the glory of G.o.d;' _for the war with France seemed a war for Protestantism and freedom_.” (History of the United States, Vol. IV., p.
212.) Dr. Minot justly observes: ”Such a successful defence made by the forces of the British colonists against a respectable army, with which the regular troops of France were incorporated, was an honourable instance of firmness, deliberation, and spirit.” (History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. I., p. 254.)]
[Footnote 232: Hume and Smollett's History of England, Vol. XII., p. 25.
”Thus,” says Minot, ”ended the transactions of the year 1755--'a year,'
says a well-informed writer of that time, 'never to be forgotten in America.' It opened with the fairest prospects to these distant possessions of the British empire. Four armies were on foot to remove the encroachments of a perfidious neighbour, and our coasts honoured with a fleet for their security, under the command of the brave and vigilant Boscawen. We had everything to hope--nothing to fear. The enemy was dispersed; and we only desired a proclamation of war for the final destruction of the whole country of New France. But how unlooked-for was the event! General Winslow (great-grandson of Edward Winslow, one of the patriarchs of the Plymouth Colony), indeed succeeded in Nova Scotia; but Braddock was defeated; Niagara and Crown Point remained unreduced; the savages were let loose from the wilderness; many thousand farms were abandoned; the King's subjects inhumanly butchered or reduced to beggary. To all which might be added an impoverishment of finances to a desperate state, the Crown Point expedition having cost, on the part of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay alone, 76,618 8s. 9-1/2d., besides unliquidated accounts to a large amount for the charge of the sick and wounded, the garrisons at the two forts of William Henry and Edward, and the great stock of provisions laid in for their support.” (History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. I., pp. 259-261.)]
[Footnote 233: ”Mr. Fox, on the 28th of January, presented to the House of Commons a message from the King, desiring them to take into consideration the faithful services of the people of New England and some other parts of North America; upon which 115,000 were voted, and 5,000 as a reward to Sir William Johnson in particular.” (Hume and Smollett's History of England, Vol. XII., p. 42.)
”The sum granted by Parliament was 115,000 sterling, which was apportioned in the following manner: Ma.s.sachusetts Bay,54,000; Connecticut, 26,000; New York, 15,000; New Hamps.h.i.+re, 8,000; Rhode Island, 7,000; New Jersey, 5,000. This money arriving in New York with the troops from England, enabled the Government (of Ma.s.sachusetts) to pay off by antic.i.p.ation the sums borrowed of the Commander-in-Chief, and to replenish the public treasury. They had also the satisfaction to find that the Province had not only antic.i.p.ated the King's expectations in raising men, but had furnished them with provisions, which he had ordered to be found at the national expense.” (Minot's History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. I., p. 288.)]
[Footnote 234: ”The loss of the two small forts, called Ontario and Oswego, was a considerable national misfortune. They were erected on the south side of the great Lake Ontario, standing on the opposite sides, at the mouth of Onondaga river, that discharges itself into the lake, and const.i.tuted a port of great importance, where vessels had been built to cruise upon the lake, which is a kind of inland sea, and interrupt the commerce as well as the motions and designs of the enemy. The garrison consisted of 1,400 men, chiefly militia and new-raised recruits, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mercer, an officer of courage and experience; but the situation of the forts was very ill-chosen; the materials mostly timber or logs of wood; the defences wretchedly contrived and unfurnished; and, in a word, the place altogether untenable against any regular approach. Such were the forts which the enemy wisely resolved to reduce. They a.s.sembled a body of troops, consisting of 1,300 regulars, 1,700 Canadians, and a considerable number of Indian auxiliaries, under the command of the Marquis de Montcalm, a vigilant and enterprising officer, to whom the conduct of the siege had been entrusted by the Marquis de Vaudreuil, Governor and Lieutenant-General of New France. The garrison having fired away all their sh.e.l.ls and ammunition from Fort Ontario, spiked up the cannon, and, deserting the fort, retired next day across the river into Fort Oswego, which was even more exposed than the other, especially when the enemy had taken possession of Fort Ontario, from whence they immediately began to fire without intermission. Colonel Mercer being on the 13th killed by a cannon ball, the fort dest.i.tute of all cover, the officers divided in opinion and the garrison in confusion, they next day demanded capitulation, and surrendered themselves prisoners of war, on condition that they should be exempted from plunder, conducted to Montreal, and treated with humanity. These conditions, however, the Marquis did not punctually observe. The British officers were insulted by the savage Indians, who robbed them of their clothes and baggage, ma.s.sacred several of them as they stood defenceless on parade, and barbarously scalped all the sick people in the hospital. Finally, Montcalm, in direct violation of the articles as well as in contempt of common humanity, delivered up above twenty men of the garrison to the Indians in lieu of the same number they had lost during the siege; and in all probability these miserable captives were put to death by those barbarians, with the most excruciating tortures, according to the execrable custom of the country.
”The prisoners taken at Oswego, after having been thus barbarously treated, were conveyed in batteaux to Montreal, where they had no reason to complain of their reception; and before the end of the year they were exchanged. The victors immediately demolished the two forts (if they deserved that denomination), in which they found one hundred and twenty-one pieces of artillery, fourteen mortars, with a great quant.i.ty of ammunition, warlike stores and provisions, besides two s.h.i.+ps and two hundred batteaux, which likewise fell into their hands.” (Hume and Smollett's History of England, Vol. XII., pp. 92-94.)
”The policy of the French was no less conspicuous than the superiority of their arms. Instead of continuing the fort at Oswego, they demolished it in presence of the Indians of the Five Nations, to whom they represented that the French aimed only at enabling them to preserve their neutrality, and therefore destroyed the fortress which the English had erected in their country to overawe them, disdaining themselves to take the same advantage, although put in their hands by the right of conquest.” (Minot's History of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, Vol. I., pp. 285, 286.)]
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