Empires Collide: The French and Indian War 1754–63

274 Pages·2006·93.309 MB·English

by  Ruth Sheppard(Editor), William M. Fowler Jr.(Introduction)

THE FRE C D INDIAN WA 1754-63
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754-63

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754-63
Introduction by William M Fowler, Jr.
EDITOR RUTH SHEPPARD
FirstpublishedinGreatBritainin2006byOspreyPublishing,MidlandHouse,
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Campaign79:Louisbourg 1758;StuartReid, Campaign12I: Quebec 1759;ReneChartrand,
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366: ColonialAmericanTroops l6l0-l774(l);ReneChartrand,Men-at-Arms372: Colonial
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION by William M. Fowler, Jr. 7
PART I
WAR IN THE WILDERNESS
Rivalries in North America 12
Redcoats and Colonials 21
Colonials and Militas of New France 34
A Charming Field for an Encounter 41
War Paths andTomahawks 52
Braddock's Defeat 63
The British Catastrophe 84
PART 2
THE TURNING OF
Declaration and Reinforcement 92
Troupes de Terre 100
The High-Water Mark 108
American Colonial Rangers 119
Montcalm'sVictory 130
The Light Bobs 149
The Gateway to New France 158
Taking back the Ohio 178
PART 3
SIEGES AND SURRENDER
TheYear of Miracles 186
Deprivation, Massacre, and Exile 193
The armies of 1759 201
Sieges and Engineers 210
Winning New France 218
The Final Act 240
AVolley that set theWorld on Fire 247
ApPENDIX 257
French and IndianWar sites today
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 262
INDEX 264

IN-rR()[)lIC:orI()N
INTRODUCTION
by William M. Fowler, Jr.
I n the early morning hours of May 28, 1754, at a place now called
Jumonville Glen 45 miles east ofPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ayoungVirginia
militiaofficerledhis men in anunprovoked attack against aforce ofFrench
soldiers just stirring from sleep. The officer was George Washington. In that
one momentWashington, according to HoraceWalpole, set the world on fire."
H
Walpole was right. Washington's untoward attack set in motion events that
within two years swept across the globe ensnaring the world's two superpowers
into atitanic struggle for imperial domination. For decades England andFrance
had scrambled for territory in North America. Since 1689 they had fought
three declared wars punctuated by incessant violent skirmishes occurring along
the contested boundaries between their colonial possessions. News of the
engagement at Jumonville Glen reinforced each other's fears and within a few
months both powers sent naval and military forces to defend their territorial
claims.Violence across the Atlantic further unsettled already fragile European
alliances, and by 1756 every major European power had joined the fray. From
Africa to India, in Europe and Asia and on distant seas England, France and
their allies fought in what was truly the world's first world war, and although
the struggle encircled the globe, North America was the most decisive theater.
To turn back the French advance in the Ohio RiverValley the king dispatched
a large expeditionary force to America under the command of General Edward
Braddock.InadditiontohisowncommandBraddockalso carriedorderstoorganize
a defense of the king's lands by seizing Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario and Crown
Point on Lake Champlain. It was a debacle of the worst kind. Braddock's force ran
headlongintoaFrenchandIndianforce thatnearlywipedthemout.Theexpeditions
againstNiagaraandCrownPointneverevenreachedtheirobjectives.Theonlybright OPPOSITE VJ7aife wading ashore
spot was British success in Nova Scotia where forts Beausejour and Gaspereau fell atLouisbourg) by C. W JifJreys.
(Library andArchives Canada)
with little resistance, but their capture was oflittle strategic importance. C-073711)
7
E~lPIH.ES C()LLIDE
Buoyed by their initial victories the French pressed the attack striking south
from Canada. InAugust 1756the newlyarrivedFrench commander, the Marquis
de Montcalm, took Oswego on Lake Ontario.The British response was feeble.
The king sacked GovernorWilliamShirleyofMassachusetts who hadsucceeded
Braddock as commander-in-chiefin North America and replaced him withJohn
Campbell, Lord Loudoun and instructed him to organize an attack against
Louisbourg, the French fortress on Cape Breton Island. Although he assembled
a sizable fleet and army at Halifax, after numerous delays and the arrival of
French reinforcements he gave up the plan. Just as Loudoun was preparing to
return to his headquarters in New York news arrived that Montcalm had
captured FortWilliam Henry.
Bad news from America stirred political unrest in London. In the Commons
William Pitt rose to assail the government's conduct of the war. His biting
attacks infuriated the king. His Majesty's feelings notwithstanding, Pitt's
popularitywiththe masses andhis skillfulmanagementofthe House madehim
the inescapable choice to lead the government.
Pitt took the reins and immediately engineered Loudoun's recalL In his place
the king appointed Major GeneralJames Abercromby, the fourth commander in
three years. Pittpursued a clearstrategy. Although England's forces were engaged
around the world, he was determined to force the issue in North America.
In long and detailed dispatches he laid out his plan to Abercromby. The
General himself would advance north towards Quebec via Lake Champlain and
the Richelieu River. Pitt then tasked Jeffrey Amherst to assemble a fleet and
army at Halifax to take Louisbourg, and then move up the St Lawrence towards
Quebec to join Abercromby. Meanwhile he orderedJames Forbes with amixed
force of regulars and militia to march on Fort Duquesne.
In Forbes and Amherst Pitt found able commanders. Abercromby, however,
proved a poor choice. He led his army in a disastrous frontal assault against
FortTiconderoga. In defeat and disgrace Abercromby's battered army scurried
back down Lake George. Amherst andForbes fared much better and despite the
defeat at Ticonderoga, 1758 was the turning point for the British in North
America. Shortly after Abercromby's repulse Colonel John Bradstreet took a
force of militia and regulars west and captured Fort Frontenac. Frontenac's fall
cut off the French posts toward the south including Forts Niagara and
Duquesne.Thanks in part to Braddock's victory a few months after Frontenac
fell Forbes captured Fort Duquesne.The most memorable victory of the year,
however, was Amherst's successful siege of Louisbourg.
Pitt was pleased at the capture of Louisbourg, but he was disappointed that
Amherst had not been able to carry the attack in the same season to Quebec
City. For 1759 the ministerlaid out aplan aimed at the final destruction ofthe
French in Canada.
8
INTRC)DlJCTIC)N
Pittselected GeneralJamesWolfe to command the approach to Quebec from
the north via the St Lawrence. As Wolfe sailed up the St Lawrence Amherst
was to close on Quebec from the south via Lake Champlain. Unfortunately,
Amherst moved too slowly and never got farther down the lake than Crown
Point leavingWolfe to deal with Quebec alone.Wolfe, of course, went on to a
brilliant victory, and his own death, on the Plains of Abraham.
Wolfe's victory did not end the war in North America. The British hold on
Quebec City was tenuous and in the spring 1760 the French launched a
counterattack. As usual, however, British control ofthe sea-lanes proved decisive.
Francewas unable to reinforceherdwindling armyinNorthAmericaandinMay
1760 the Royal Navy arrived at Quebec bringing men and supplies forcing the
French to retreat to Montreal.
In an extraordinarily well-coordinated movement three British armies closed
on Montreal. Amherst who had moved his command to the west, advanced
down the St Lawrence; Colonel William Haviland approached via Lake
Champlain, and General James Murray moved up the river from Quebec. By
September 7, 1760 the three armies were in place.The next day Amherst sent
amessage to the Marquis deVaudreuil, governor of Canada, demanding that he
surrender the city and all French forces in Canada. Vastly outnumbered and
with no hope of reliefVaudreuil accepted Amherst's terms.
Vaudreuil's surrender did not end the war. It would take several weeks for
orders to reach distant French posts, and in the Carolinas the Cherokees, who
had been fighting against the British independently of the French, continued
their struggle, but within a year they too were forced to capitulate. Meanwhile
in other parts of the world the conflict continued to rage until finally on
February 10, 1763 the warring parties signed theTreaty of Paris. Great Britain
emerged victorious with Canada as the chiefprize.This triumph helped lay the
foundation for a global empire which would provide the wealth and resources
to fuel the industrial revolution and transform the world.
9