HISTORY OF VERMONT. 439 



French and Indians would make their attack, 

 and what would be the consequence of their 

 J-iuvry and precipitation ; and the spirit he dis- 

 covered in the execution, was equal to the wis- 

 dom and precaution of his arrangements. Cool, 

 resolute, and cautious, Amherst left the enemy 

 nothing to expect from surprise, or from what 

 they called a coup du main ; but at the same 

 time, he made the Indians feel the horror and 

 vengeance of their favorite system, a warof ex- 

 teraunation. When the French officers found 

 that nothing but superior skill or force would 

 be able to withstand hinij they prudently de- 

 clined the combat j and to avoid being made 

 prisoners of war, resigned to him their forts, and 

 tiie command of lake Chan^plain. 



1760. The operations of the last campaign 

 had been so extensive and successful, that no- 

 o'.>ject now remained in the northern colonies, 

 but to compleat the conquest of Canada, by the 

 reduction of Montreal. In respect to its num- 

 bers, situation and importance, this was the se- 

 cond place in Canada. It was built on an island 

 in the riyer St, Lawrence,, at nearly an equal 

 distance from Quebec,- and the lake Ontario ; 

 and was the staple of the Indian trade and resi- 

 dence of the gcvernor general of the colony. 

 There M= de Vaudrieul had fixed his head 

 quarters, and proposed to make his last stand 

 against the e£'brts of the British generals. He 

 levied all the forces that could be raised, col- 

 lected magazines, erected nev/ fortifications, and 

 availed himself of all the arts and measures that 

 could be adopted bj^ an able and experienced 

 soldier and statesman. His hopes, however. 



