Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/265

 breast, and fell dead upon the field. Ticonderoga was held by some two thousand Frenchmen. Having learned that reinforcements were expected to arrive soon, Abercrombie resolved on an assault without waiting for his artillery. The troops having received orders to advance briskly, to rush upon the enemy's fire, and reserve their own till they had passed the breastwork, marched to the assault with great intrepidity. Unlooked-for impediments, however, occurred. In front of the breastwork, to a considerable distance, trees had been felled with their branches outward, many of which were sharpened to a point, by means of which the assailants were not only retarded in their advance, but becoming entangled among the boughs, were exposed to a very galling and destructive fire. Finding it impossible to pass the breastwork, which was nine feet high, and much stronger than had been represented, Abercrombie, after a contest of four hours, abandoned the attack, and the next day made a hasty retreat to Fort William Henry. His conduct was regarded with so little favor, that he was superseded, and Amherst was appointed commander-in-chief.

No further attempt was made on Ticonderoga, at the present. As some compensation, however, for this defeat, Colonel Bradstreet, with three thousand men, marched to Oswego, and embarking in vessels already provided, ascended the lake, and landed, August 25th, at Fort Frontenac, (now Kingston). The place was feebly garrisoned, and as the attack was entirely unexpected, its success was speedy and certain. Nine armed vessels were taken, and the fort, with a large store of provisions, was destroyed. Bradstreet lost but few men in the attack, but sickness carried off some five hundred of his troops. On the return, the soldiers aided in building Fort Stanwix, on the site where the village of Rome is now situate.

The expedition against Fort Duquesne, was put under the command of General Forbes. His force consisted of seven thousand men, including the Pennsylvania and Virginia troops, and the Royal Americans from South Carolina. Great delay occurred in consequence of General Forbes not following the advice of Washington, to advance by the road already opened by Braddock, and ordering a new one to be cut from Raystown, on the Juniata. The vanguard to whom this work was committed, had been nearly cut off, like Braddock's, by a sudden surprise, having lost two hundred men, when Forbes, on November 8th, came up with the remainder of the forces. With fifty miles of road to open across the forests, the winter rapidly approaching, and the disheartened troops beginning to desert, it was contemplated to retrace