Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/88

 upwards of four hours exposed to a most terrible fire, thought it necessary to order a retreat, to save the remains of the army. Near 2000 of our men were killed, wounded, and taken prisoners; the number of the taken being very inconsiderable.

This precipitate attack was followed by a retreat as precipitate; insomuch that our army gained their former camp to the southward of Lake George, the evening after the action.

To repair the misfortune of this bloody defeat, General Abercrombie detached Colonel Bradstreet with about 3000 provincials against Fort Frontenac. The colonel, with great prudence and vigour, surmounting great difficulties, brought his army to Oswego, where he embarked on the Lake Ontario, and arrived at Frontenac the 25th of August. This fort stands at the communication of Lake Ontario with the river St. Lawrence, the entrance into which river it in some manner commands. However, for a post of such moment, it was poorly fortified, and poorly garrisoned.

It was taken, without the loss of a man on our side, in less than two days after it had been attacked. The garrison, consisting of 130 men, were made prisoners; nine armed sloops were taken and burned; and a large quantity of provisions amassed there for the use of their garrisons to the southward, was desroyed. The fort was demolished. Colonel Bradstreet having performed this important service, returned. Many were of opinion, that so fine a post ought to have been kept and strongly garrisoned; others thought that it would be impossible to preserve a place at such a diftance from our own establishments.

It is very possible, that the success of Colonel Bradstreet greatly facilitated that of the expedition under General Forbes. The general had had a very tedious and troublesome march, through a country almost impracticable, very little known, and continually harrassed on his route by the enemies Indians. An advanced guard of this army, consisting of about 800 men under Major Grant, had most unaccountably advanced close to Fort du Quesne, with a design as it should seem of reducing the place by a coup de main; but the garrison suddenly sallying out and attacking them warmly on all sides, killed and made prisoners many of this party, and dispersed the rest. This was however their last success; for the body of the army being conducted with greater skill and circumspection, baffled all their attempts; so that the French being convinced by several skirmishes that all their efforts to surprise the troops, or interrupt their communication, were to no purpose, and being conscious that their fort was not tenable against a regular attack,

they wisely abandoned the place after destroying their works; and fell down the Ohio, to the number of 4 or 500 men, towards their more southern settlements. General Forbes once more erected the English flag on Fort du Quesne.

Without any resistance we became masters, in the third year after the commencement of hostilities, of that fortress, the contention for which had kindled up the flames of so general and destructive a war. This place with its masters has changed