French and Indian War.
A fourth intercolonial war between the
English and
French colonies in
America was begun in 1754, in which the Indians, as usual, bore a conspicuous part.
The English population (white) in the colonies was then a little more than 1,000,000, planted along the seaboard.
The
French were 100,000 strong, and occupied the regions of
Nova Scotia, the
St. Lawrence, the
Great Lakes, and a line of trading-posts in the
Valley of the Mississippi to the
Gulf of Mexico.
The latter, as chiefly traders, had gained great influence over many of the
Indian tribes.
There was outward peace, but inward war, between the colonists, and it needed only a small matter to kindle a flame of hostilities.
After the capture of
Louisburg (1745), the
French had taken measures to extend and strengthen their dominion in
America.
Their power became aggressive, and early in 1754 it was evident that they intended to hold military possession of the
Ohio and the region around its head-waters.
The
English attempted to build a fort at the forks of the
Ohio.
The
French seized the post, and completed the fortification (see
Duquesne, Fort).
Washington led provincial troops to recapture it, but was unsuccessful.
The colonists appealed to the
British government, and received promises of its aid in the impending war; and in 1755
Gen. Edward Braddock (q. v.) was sent, with regular troops, to command any forces that might be raised in
America to resist the
French and their Indian allies.
Three separate expeditions were planned, one against
Fort Duquesne, another against forts on, or near,
Lake Ontario, and a third against French forts on
Lake Champlain.
An expedition against
Acadia (q. v.) was also undertaken.
The three expeditions failed to accomplish their full purposes.
In May, 1756,
England declared war against
France, and sent Lord Loudoun as chief commander in the colonies, with
General Abercrombie as his lieutenant.
Expeditions similar to those of 1755 were
[
470]
 |
|
Map of the scene of operations. |
planned, but failed in the execution.
The skilled soldier, the
Marquis de Montcalm, commanding the
French and
Indians, captured
Oswego, on the southern shore of
Lake Ontario.
Loudoun proposed to confine the campaign of 1757 to the capture of
Louisburg, on Cape Breton.
Going there with a large land and naval armament, he was told that the
French were too strong for him. He believed it, withdrew, and returned to New York.
Meanwhile,
Montcalm had strengthened Fort Ticonderogn, on
Lake Champlain, and captured and destroyed the
English fort, William Henry, at the head of
Lake George (August, 1757); and so ended the campaign and the leadership of the inefficient Lord Loudoun.
William Pitt at this time took the chief control of public affairs in
England, and prepared to prosecute the war in
America with vigor.
Gen. James Abercrombie was placed in chief command in
America in 1758, and
Admiral Boscawen was sent with a fleet to co-operate.
Louisburg,
Fort Ticonderoga, and
Fort Duquesne were to be attacked.
Louisburg was captured, but
Abercrombie, who led the troops towards Lake Chainplain, failed in his attack on
Ticonderoga.
Fort Frontenac, at the foot of
Lake Ontario, was captured; so, also, was
Fort Duquesne, and its name was changed to
Fort Pitt, in compliment to the great prime minister.
These suecesses so alarmed the Indians that, having assembled in council, they agreed not to fight the
English any more.
Pitt now resolved to conquer
Canada.
General Amherst was placed in chief command in
America, in the spring of 1759, and a land and naval force was sent over from
England.
Again three expeditions were put in motion, one to go up the St.
Lawrence, to capture
Quebec, another to drive the
French from
Lake Champlain, and force them back to
Canada; and
[
471]
a third to attack
Fort Niagara, at the mouth of the
Niagara River.
General Wolfe commanded the expedition against
Quebec,
General Amherst led the troops against the
French on
Lake Champlain, and
General Prideaux commanded the expedition against
Fort Niagara.
Prideaux was killed in besieging
Fort Niagara, but it was captured under the lead of
Sir William Johnson, in July.
Amherst drove the
French from
Lake Champlain into
Canada, and they never came back; and he built the strong fortress on
Crown Point whose picturesque ruins still attract the attention of the tourist.
Wolfe attacked
Quebec, and at the moment of victory he was killed.
Montcalm, the commander of the
French, also perished on the field.
In 1760 the
French tried to recapture
Quebec, but were unsuccessful.
Early in September Amherst went down the
St. Lawrence and captured
Montreal.
The conquest of
Canada was now completed, and the
French and Indian War was essentially ended.
The last act in it was a treaty of peace, concluded in
Paris in 1763.
