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menced for a campaign. Early in the spring of 1754, Major Washington advanced with a detachment of his regiment into the disputed territory, where he fell in with, and defeated a party of hostile French and Indians. Being joined by the remainder of his regiment, he pushed forward with the intention of preoccupying the post at the confluence of the Alleghany and Monongahela rivers; but on his march thither, he met a superior force of French and Indians, who attacked him in a hastily built stockade, and after a gallant resistance, compelled him to capitulate. The post, towards which he was proceeding had already been occupied by the French, who built there a strong fort, which they called Fort Du Quesne.

Meantime the English government were not backward in perceiving and preparing for the approach of war. The Earl of Holderness, secretary of state, had written to the governors of the respective colonies, recommending united action, and directing their attention to the necessity of securing the friendship of the Five Nations; ordering them at the same time to repel force by force, and, if possible, dislodge the French from their posts on the Ohio.

A convention of delegates from the several colonists met at Albany, to treat with the Five Nations. Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, embraced this opportunity of recommending to the other governors to instruct their commissioners on the subject of union. The delegates from Massachusetts and Maryland received the necessary instructions: the others received no direct authority for this purpose. The congress of delegates, however, after endeavouring to secure the friendship of the Five Nations by large presents, directed a committee to report a plan of union. It was accordingly reported, and approved on the 4th of July. It provided for a grand council of delegates from the several legislatures, and a president general to be appointed by the king, and invested with a negative power. This council was to enact general laws for the union, raise money, and provide for, and regulate the system of general defence.

The delegates from Connecticut dissented from this plan, being apprehensive of the dangerous powers vested in the president general. The English government disapproved of the plan, on the ground that the union might eventually lead to a concerted system of resistance to the supremacy of the mother country. The scheme was therefore laid aside. Subsequent events proved that both objecting parties under

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CONQUEST OF NOVA SCOTIA.

stood full well the tendency of such a union as the one pro→ posed.

The ministry presented a plan of their own, which was still less acceptable; and it was accordingly determined to carry on the war with British troops aided by such reinforcements as the colonies could raise.

Early in the year 1755, General Braddock arrived from Europe with an army, and convened the governors of the several provinces in Virginia, on the 14th of April, for the purpose of adopting a plan for the campaign. It was resolved to carry on three expeditions; one against Fort Du Quesne, to be conducted by General Braddock, at the head of the British army and auxiliary forces from Maryland and Virginia; a second against Niagara and Fort Frontignac, under the command of Governor Shirley, his own and Pepperel's regiments constituting the principal force; and a third against Crown Point, led by Colonel William Johnson, and composed of the colonial troops raised in New England and New York.

Meantime, the government of Massachusetts, having already projected an invasion of Nova Scotia, sent out three thousand men to that province, under Colonel Winslow, who embarked at Boston, in May; and in the course of the month of June, with the loss of only three men, the English acquired complete possession of the whole country. This conquest was followed by the confiscation of the lands and moveables belonging to the French inhabitants, and their dispersion through the English colonies; a measure which the English considered necessary though severe; inasmuch as the war, which was already commencǝd, would render it extremely unsafe to permit their continuance in Nova Scotia, or their retirement to Canada. No parole, nor even the oath of allegiance to England, had ever been found sufficiently binding on these people, to prevent their taking an active part against the English, whenever an opportunity was afforded.

After the convention of governors had separated, General Braddock proceeded to Fort Cumberland, in the western part of Virginia. After waiting here some time for the residue of his army, he selected 1200 men, and pushing forward towards Fort Du Quesne, reached the Monongahela, on the 8th of July. On the march, he was repeatedly warned to guard against a surprise. Washington, and the other provincial officers, advised him to send forward the provincial troops, to scour the woods, and look out for ambuscades.

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But Braddock, confident in his own skill and bravery, disregarded their advice, and absurdly persisted in marching forward, as if no hidden enemy were to be apprehended. His van was composed of British troops, totally unaccustomed to forest warfare; and the main body, with the artillery, followed at some distance.

When within seven miles of Fort Du Quesne, in an open wood, thick set with high grass, as the troops were pressing boldly forward, the war whoop resounded in their ears, and a destructive fire was poured in upon them from thousands of invisible enemies. Every rock, and tree, and stump, appeared to conceal a marksman. The van was thrown into confusion; but the main body being ordered to come up, and the fire of the enemy being suspended in consequence of the fall of their commander, they were supposed to be dispersed. But in a few minutes the attack was renewed with increased fury; the van was driven back upon the main body; and the whole army was thrown into utter confusion. The officers on horseback were conspicuous marks for the Indian sharpshooters; and most of them were brought down. In a short time Washington was the only aide-de-camp left alive, and not wounded. He had two horses shot under him, and four bullets passed through his coat; but he escaped unhurt. He was reserved, by Providence, to perform future and more important services. Throughout the whole of that tremendous scene he displayed the most perfect coolness and self-possession. Braddock was not less undaunted. Amidst the whistling of the Indian bullets, he endeavoured to rally his men, and restore order. But being totally unacquainted with the Indian mode of fighting, he neither allowed his men to push into the forest singly and attack the enemy in their own way, nor did he order a retreat. He endeavoured to form his broken troops on the spot where they were first attacked, and where they still remained exposed to the fire of a sheltered enemy. The battle lasted three hours. The general, after having three horses shot under him, received a mortal wound. The British officers fought with determined bravery; and out of eighty-five, lost sixty-four of their number, killed and wounded. The common soldiers of the British regiments were so unaccustomed to this savage mode of attack, that they soon broke and could not be rallied; but the provincial troops stood their ground coolly; and, under the command of Colonel Washington, covered the retreat of their associates.

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VICTORY OF COLONEL JOHNSON.

The Indians, attracted by the rich plunder left upon the field, soon gave over the pursuit. The army retreated to the camp of Colonel Dunbar, where Braddock died of his wounds. The panic of the defeated portion of the army was communicated to those troops which had been left in reserve; and the whole of the British troops, after destroying the chief part of their stores, hastily retreated to Philadelphia; leaving the entire western frontier of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, exposed to the incursions of the savages. The settlements on the border were broken up, and the inhabitants driven towards the sea-board. Distress and dismay were universal. Such were the effects of the presumption and folly of one man. Had Braddock but listened to the prudent counsels of Washington, the border would, probably, have been freed from the presence of a savage enemy; and the inhabitants might have held their possessions in peace.

The two northern expeditions, though less disastrous than this, were both unsuccessful. The expedition of 1500 men, commanded by General Shirley, against Niagara, was delayed so that he was not able to reach Oswego, till late in August: while attempting to embark 600 men on the lake, his progress was arrested by a succession of heavy rains. The troops were discouraged and the Indians dispersed. The season being then too far advanced for the success of the enterprise, the general retired to Albany, leaving 700 men in Oswego, under Colonel Mercer.

The third expedition of this campaign, that against Crown Point, was also delayed till the last of August. Baron Dieskau, the French commander, advanced to attack Johnson, who was on his march to Crown Point. Colonel Williams, with 1000 men, was detached to meet him, but fell in the onset; and his party retired. A second detachment, ordered forward for his support, was also driven in upon the main body, who awaited it, posted behind fallen trees. The French, who were in close pursuit of the fugitives, now halted. The Americans commenced an effective fire, with musketry and two pieces of artillery, and soon put the enemy to flight, in their turn. Dieskau was mortally wounded, and taken prisoner. This victory re-assured the colonists, and removed the depression which Braddock's defeat had occasioned. Johnson was rewarded with 5000l. and the title of baronet.

Thus ended the campaign of 1755, leaving the colonies without any important point gained, except the recovery of

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Nova Scotia; while the French and Indians maintained complete ascendancy on the frontier; and, by their bloody incur. sions, broke up the border settlements, murdering the people, carrying them into captivity, or driving them into the more thickly settled regions. This disastrous result is to be attributed to the want of union and concerted action.

Notwithstanding these hostile operations, war had not yet been formally declared between France and England. This took place, however, in the following spring, in consequence of the capture of part of a French squadron, destined for America, by Admiral Boscawen.

The plan for the campaign of 1756, was similar to that of 1755. In a grand council of war, held by General Shirley, commander-in-chief of the British forces in America, and the governors of Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, it was resolved to attempt the reduction of Crown Point and Niagara, with the other posts on Lake Ontario, and of Fort Du Quesne. For this purpose it was determined to raise 19,000 men in America. This number was so unusually large, that much delay was experienced in the raising of recruits. A further source of difficulty was the regulation requiring that provincial officers should be under British officers when they acted together.

While they were adjusting their claims to rank, and deliberating whether to attack Niagara, or Fort Du Quesne, Montcalm, the successor of Dieskau, an accomplished and brave officer, advanced at the head of 5000 French and Indians, and invested Oswego. The garrison consisting of 1600 men, well supplied with provisions, was soon compelled to surrender; and the fortress was demolished.

This bold measure completely disconcerted the original plan of the campaign, and nothing was thought of now, but security against further losses. An invasion was expected; and the colonies were urged to send forward reinforcements. To add to the distress, the small-pox broke out in Albany, and spread such alarm, that it was found necessary to garrison the posts in that neighbourhood with British troops, and discharge all the provincials, except a regiment raised in New York. Thus, the second campaign terminated as unfortunately as the preceding one.

The campaign of 1757 was, nevertheless, commenced with great zeal and activity. Lord Loudoun, the new commanderin-chief of the British forces, applied for 4000 men from New