William Henry, Fort, capture of
Montcalm left
Ticonderoga towards the close of July, 1757, with nearly 9,000 men, of whom about 2,000 were
Indians, and moved against
Fort William Henry, built by
Sir William Johnson, at the head of
Lake George.
It was garrisoned by about 3,000 troops, under
Colonel Munro, a brave English officer, who felt strong in his position because of the close proximity of 4,000 English troops, under
General Webb, at
Fort Edward, only 15 miles distant.
Webb was
Munro's commanding general.
When
Montcalm demanded (Aug. 1) the surrender of the post and garrison, the colonel refused, and sent an express to
General Webb for aid. For six days
Montcalm continued the siege, and daily expresses were sent to
Webb asking aid, but none was furnished.
One day
General Johnson, with a corps of provincials and
Putnam's Rangers, had marched a few miles in that direction, when they were recalled, and
Webb sent a letter to
Munro advising him to surrender.
This letter was intercepted, and
Montcalm sent it to
Munro, with a peremptory demand for his instant surrender.
Perceiving further resistance to be useless, for his ammunition was exhausted, he yielded,
Montcalm agreeing to an honorable surrender and a safe escort of the troops to
Fort Edward.
The
Indians were disappointed, for they expected blood and booty.
When the
English had entered the woods a mile from
Fort William Henry, the savages fell upon them, and slew a large number of men, women, and children, before
Montcalm could stay the slaughter.
The
Indians pursued the terrified garrison (plundering them in their flight) to within about cannon-shot of
Fort Edward.
Then
Fort William Henry and all its appendages were destroyed, and it was never rebuilt.
A, dock; B, garrison gardens; C,
Fort William Henry; D, morass; E,
Montcalm's 1st battery of nine guns and two mortars; F,
Montcalm's 2d battery of ten guns and three mortars; G,
Montcalm's approaches; H, two intended batteries; I, place where
Montcalm landed his artillery; K,
Montcalm's camp, with the main body of the army; L,
M. de Levy's camp—4, 1000 regulars and Canadians; M,
M. de la Corne, with 1,500 Canadians and
Indians; N, English encampment before the retrenchment was made; O, the bridge over the morass; P, the
English retrenchment.
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Subsequently a hotel was built on its site.
The fall of that fort caused greater alarm in the colonies than the loss of
Oswego the year before.
