236 FORT DUQUESNE. 



Fort Oswego, built by the British in 1726, upon the 

 mouth of the river of that name, where it debouches 

 into the south eastern end of Lake Ontario. The 

 commercial and strategic importance of these posts 

 was at once recognized by the governors of both 

 these rival nations, and for several years a bitter war 

 was waged between them, mainly with the object of 

 ousting his opponent from the possession of one or other 

 of these places. The disastrous result of an expedi- 

 tion sent out by the British for the reduction of the 

 first-named, in 1755, we have already spoken of: but 

 true to their history, notwithstanding this and other 

 most serious, and at the time almost ruinous defeats 

 at the hands of the French (of whom it must be 

 said that 150 years ago, they possessed much more 

 able leaders than the English in North America), the 

 British still stubbornly fought on, and on, both by sea 

 and land, until at length the tide of fortune changed ; 

 the British arms were completely successful at all 

 points, and the French regime in Canada was brought 

 to an end in 1760. Fort Duquesne (the Gate of the 

 West) we need hardly add, in the general downfall 

 of the French power in North America, had already 

 passed, some two years before the final catastrophe, 

 into British hands ; another force fitted out against the 

 French by their redoubtable enemy (in those days), was 

 known to be rapidly pushing its way through the 

 forest; their Indian scouts brought them daily notice 

 of its approach: and the French garrison, which at 

 that time was only some 500 strong, after blowing 

 up the magazines, fled in bateaux down the Ohio ; and 

 the next day (Nov. 28th, 1758) the British standard 

 waved in triumph above the ruined battlements, which 



