George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 4, 15th edition.

[306] but ‘a large wooden cross.’ As the Ameri-

chap. XIII.} 1758.

cans gazed with extreme pleasure on the scene around them, they were told that farther west, in ‘Genesee and Canasadaga, there were lands as fertile, rich and luxuriant as any in the universe.’ Crossing Lake Ontario in open boats, they landed, on the twentyfifth of August, within a mile of Fort Frontenac. It was a quadrangle, mounted with thirty pieces of cannon and sixteen small mortars. On the second day, such of the garrison as had not fled surrendered. Here, also, were military stores for Fort Duquesne and the interior dependencies, with nine armed vessels, each carrying from eight to eighteen guns. Of these, two were sent to Oswego. After razing the fortress, and destroying such vessels and stores as could not be brought off, the Americans returned to Lake George.

There the main army was wasting the season in supine inactivity. The news of the disastrous day at Ticonderoga induced Amherst, without orders, to conduct four regiments and a battalion from Louisburg. They landed in September at Boston, and at once entered on the march through the greenwood. In one of the regiments was Lieutenant Richard Montgomery, who remained near the northern lakes till 1760. When near Albany, Amherst hastened in advance, and on the fifth of October came upon the English camp. Early in November, dispatches arrived, appointing him commander-in-chief. Returning to England, Abercrombie was screened from censure, maligned the Americans, and afterwards assisted in parliament to tax the witnesses of his pusillanimity.

Canada was exhausted. ‘Peace, peace,’ was the