Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/44

 made us feel effectually the want of what we had lost, and what we had thrown away.

A confiderable fort called Fort William-Henry, had been built on the southern edge of the Lake George, in order to command that lake and to cover our frontiers; a garrison of 2500 men defended it, General Webb with about 4000 men was posted at no great distance. No sooner had the French learned that my Lord Loudon with the body of the army was gone on the Louisbourg expedition, than they prepared to take advantage of his absence. They drew together all the forces which they had at Crown Point, Ticonderoga, and the adjacent posts; they added a confiderable body of Canadians, and a greater number of Indians than they had ever yet employed; the whole made near 8000 men. With these and a very good artillery, Monsieur Montcalm prepared to besiege Fort William-Henry. It is said that the advances of this commander were not made with so much secrecy as to prevent General Webb from having early intelligence of his actions; but unfortunately no credit being given to this intelligence, orders were not sent to collect the militia in sufficient time, which in conjunction with his own forces, and with those in the Fort, had either obliged the French to relinquish their attempt, or to have made it a very great hazard.

But the siege being now regularly formed, and the besiegers meeting but little opposition from within, and no disturbance at all from without, the place was in six days surrendered by the advice of General Webb; whose intercepted letter M. Montcalm sent into the fort.

The garrison marched out with their arms, and engaged not to serve during eighteen months. The French savages paid no regard to the capitulation, but falling upon our men as they marched out dragged away the little effects they had left, hauling the Indians and Blacks in our service out of their ranks, scalping some, carrying off others, and committing a thousand outrages and barbarities, from which the French commander endeavoured in vain to restrain them. All this was suffered by 2000 men with arms in their hands from a disorderly crew of savages. However the greatest part of our men, though in a bad condition, got to Fort Edward, some by flight; some having surrendered themselves to the French, were by them sent home safe. The enemy demolished the fort, carried off the provision, ammunition, artillery, and the vessels which we had prepared on the lake, and departed without attempting any thing further. Neither was any thing further attempted on our side. And thus was finished the third campaign in North America, where we had actually near 20,000 regular troops, a great number of provincial forces, and a great naval power of upwards of twenty ships of the line.

A war between the maritime powers is felt in all parts of the world. Not content with inflaming Europe and America, the dissensions of the French and English pursued the tracks of their commerce, and the Ganges felt the fatal effects of a quarrel on the Ohio. But here the scene is changed greatly to the advantage of our nation; the bravery of Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, re-established the military honour of the English, which was sinking there as it had done in all other places. Admiral Watson with