No. 112.1 671 



France was not insensible to the gathering storm, which began 

 to lower around her ADierican empire, and prepared to meet and 

 avert it. ' • 



CHAPTER IV. 



TO THE EXPEDITION OF ABECRROMBIE. 



The hokl ajid rocky cliffs of Ticonderoga, at the confluence of 

 the outlet of Horicon with Lake Champlain, a position still moie 

 imposing than Crown Point, had attracted the military eje of 

 the French engineers. The foundations of Fort Carillon had just 

 been laid ;* a fortress and a site destined to a terrific pre-eminence 

 in the future scenes of a sanguinary warfare. 



Johnson, contemplating an attack upon Ticonderoga and Crown 

 Point, advanced with his provincial army to Horiconf of the In- 

 dians, St. Sacrament of the French, and then first called Lake 

 George, " not only in honor of his majesty, but to ascertain his 

 undoubted dominion here."t His progress was arrested by start- 

 ling and unexpected tidings. 



Dieskau had suspended a projected assault upon Oswego, on 

 hearing upon his march, of the approach of the American arma- 

 ment ; and with the high and impulsive daring of his age and coun- 

 try, decided to anticipate and avert the menaced^blow, by a bold 

 and effectual attack. 



Collecting a force of French and Indians at St. Frederic and 

 Carillon, he promptly and secretly passed up Lake Champlain, 

 intending to seize and destroy the depot of the English army at 

 Fort Edward. Bewildered in the forests, or betrayed by his 

 guides, instead of marching towards that point, he advanced in 

 the direction of Lake George and the encampment of Jcdiusuu. 

 Tliese events, and others upon the same theatre, belonging to the 

 annals of oth^r ronnties, T may only glance at, to preserve un- 

 broken the chain of occurrences On the 8th of September, 1755, 



• Carlllnii .1 ,1 Iciir ilicj^iiino ^i^iiit;< iiticn, a." the. Indian naiiio ** Clic-ondcroga,'' tha 



original of Ti' :n, noi^c-chimo, in allusion doubtlrps to the I rnwlirg wafer?. 



f Iloricon, i. o. '* Iho Silver Water."' iJow beautiful and approj-riatc the application. 



i Johnson letter. 



