1763, JuNE.j POSITION OF SIR JEFFREY AMHERST. 29 



be totally deserted, and Lancaster become the fron- 

 tier town.^ 



While these scenes were enacted on the borders 

 of Pennsylvania and the more southern provinces, 

 the settlers in the valley of the Mohawk, and even 

 along the Hudson, were menaced with destruction. 

 Had not the Six Nations been kept tranquil by the 

 exertions of Sir William Johnson, the most disas- 

 trous results must have ensued. The Senecas and 

 a few of the Cayugas were the only members of the 

 confederacy who took part in the war. Venango, 

 as we have seen, was destroyed by a party of 

 Senecas, who soon after made a feeble attack upon 

 Niagara. They blockaded it for a few days, with 

 no other effect than that of confining the garrison 

 within the walls, and, soon despairing of success, 

 abandoned the attempt. 



In the mean time. Sir Jeffrey Amherst, the Com- 

 mander-in-chief, was in a position far from envi- 

 able. He had reaped laurels ; but if he hoped to 

 enjoy them in peace, he was doomed to disappoint- 

 ment. A miserable war was suddenly thrown on 

 his hands, barren of honors and fruitful of troubles ; 

 and this, too, at a time when he was almost bereft 

 of resources. The armies which had conquered 

 Canada were, as we have seen, disbanded or sent 

 home, and nothing remained but a few fragments 

 and skeletons of regiments lately arrived from the 

 West Indies, enfeebled by disease and hard ser- 

 vice. In one particular, however, he had reason to 

 congratulate himself, — the character of the offi- 



1 Penn. Gaz. No. 1805-1809. 



