678 [Assembly 



ment against the Fortresses upon lake Champlain, and after their 

 conquest, penetrating into Canadaj to unite his forces with Wolf, 

 beneath the walls of Quebec. The subjugation of New France, 

 had become, in England, the cherished purpose of public policy, 

 and the fervid aspiration of national sentiment. The colonies, with 

 hopes so often disappointed, despondent of success, bleeding a;;id 

 impoverished, did not exhibit their usual zeal and promptitude, in 

 meeting the requisitions of Eritain.* Six thousand provincials, 

 with an equal number of regulars, assembled in the last days of 

 June, at Lake George. On ihe 26th of July, Amherst, with his 

 force, invested Tioonderoga. Montcalm, alarmed at the impend- 

 ing descent of Wolf upon Quebec, and with no adequate supplies 

 or aid from Europe, had already withdrawn the strength of his 

 army from the fortress of Champlain, and had hastened himself 

 to the defence of the citadel of New France. Boulamarque, on 

 the fourth day of the investment, abandoned and dismantled 

 Ticonderoga, and securing his munitions, had conducted the garri- 

 son to Crown Point. Amherst immediately occupied the evacuated 

 works. 



This conquest, the desire and labor of so many years, was at 

 length achieved, almost without bloodshed. Townsend, the coun- 

 terpart of Howe, young, brave and noble, full of hope and pro* 

 mise, was almost the only sacrifice. Two weeks were spent in 

 the guarded and anxious scrutiny of his spies and savages, before 

 Amherst was assured that Crown Point also had been abandoned. 

 Exact, cautious and fettered, bj the prescribed formula of mili- 

 tary progress, he lingered three momentous months, in perfec- 

 ting an ascendancy upon the lake, that genius and enterprise 

 "would have grasped. In the interval of this delay, Amhersr had 

 caused a small flotilla to be constructed at Tio<)nderoga. Escorted 

 by this fleet, he embarked his army on the 11th da} of October, a 

 month after the conquest of Quebec, with the design of advancing 

 into Canada. Arrasted by an autumnal temj>est, which often 

 sweeps the lake at that advanced season, he was constrained to 

 lead back his forces to Crown Point and Ticonderoga. The naval 

 armament continued its advance, pursued and attacked the French 

 fleet. This first conflict, U|>on the waters of Champlain, occur- 



• Grahtun baI SaoUeb. 



