HISTORY OF VERMONT. 381 



oT the army designed for Louisbourg. When 

 he arrived with his troops at Halifax, he found 

 himself at the head of twelye thousand men ; 

 well officered, disciplined, and provided with 

 every thing nf cessary for the expedition. While 

 the army lay at Halifax, preparing to embark, 

 intelligence was received that M. de la Mothe 

 had sailed from Brest, in the month of May, 

 and was arrived safe at Lonisbourg, with a large 

 fleet of ships of war, and transports. The in- 

 telligence was soon confirmed, with more par- 

 ticular information ; that there were seventeen 

 ships of the line and three frigates moored in 

 the harbor ; a land army of six thousand regu- 

 lar troops, three thousand natives, and thirteen 

 hundred Indians ; that the place was well sup- 

 plied with ammunition, provisions, and every 

 kind of military stores ; and that the enemy 

 were expecting and desirous of a visit from the 

 English fleet and army. This intelligence put 

 an end to Loudon's deliberations. No attempt 

 was made to proceed in the expedition, it was 

 foreseen that the consequence of a defeat would 

 have been greatly injurious to the British affairs 

 in America. And neither their admirals or 

 generals had as yet acquired that determined 

 resolution and perseverance, which were necesr 

 sary to give success to the American contest. 



But whatever was the case with the British 

 commanders, the French generals perfectlj^ well 

 understood their business. Montcalm, who 

 had the command of the troops in Canada, was 

 an able and experienced officer. Ke had served 

 with much reputation in the French armies in 

 Italy and Bdhem-ia, and ^ad met with mugk 



TOL. I, Y 2- 



