674 [Assembly 



either from caprice or instability, suddenly announced the aban- 

 donment of that expedition, and his purpose of uniting his forces 

 for the conquest of Louisburgh. This futile and impracticable 

 scheme, left the frontier of the colonies, open and unprotected. 

 The vigilant and sagacious enemy, from their watch towers, at 

 Carrillon, saw the error and prepared promptly to seize the ad- 

 vantage. 



Montcalm returning triumphant, from the conquest of Oswego, 

 held a council at Montreal, of Indian tribes, gathered from 

 Acadia to Lake Superior. He mingled in their dances and chant- 

 ed their war songs, captivating their hearts by his largesses and 

 kindness, and exciting their angry passions, by visions of revenge 

 and plunder. These savage warriors embarked in two hundred 

 eanoes, bearing the distinctive pennons of the various nations ; the 

 priest accompanying their converts, and while the war chants 

 strangely mingled with the hymn of the missionary, passed up 

 Lake Champlain to unite at Ticonderoga, their rude forces, with 

 the legions of Montcalm, i 



These had been rapidly assembled at Ticonderoga and Crown 

 Point, and at the close of July, 1757, the French army proceeded 

 to the assault of Fort William Henry, On the second of August 

 Montcalm invested the devoted fortress. The feeble and inade- 

 quate garrison, after a heroic defence, protracted in the vain hope 

 of succor, that cowardice and imbecility withheld, yielded to 

 the French arms. Their capitulation guaranteed to them safety 

 and protection, under every solemnity of civilized warfare. Fif- 

 teen hundred persons, embracing these gallant soldiers, their wives 

 and children, were mercilessly slain, or carried into captivity by 

 the savage allies of France, while numbers of Indians within the 

 Fort were seized, and perished with barbarous and lingering tor- 

 tures,* This ferocious massacre, so immediately succeeding a 

 similar atrocity at Oswego, anvl bis other sanctions of Indian bar- 

 barities, have cast a deep shade upon the fame of Montcalm, that 

 his own denial, the apologies of his advocates, his subsequent 

 glorious defenc'^ "/^Ticonderoga, and his still more glorious death 



ja*i yotlai Hit. 



