LOUISIANA— Flow LOST TO THE FRENCH. 337 



ginians resented the act, dispatched forces across the mountains under Washing- 

 ton, who at first was successful and then forced to capitulate. Fort Duquesne 

 was built where Pittsburg now stands. Braddock arrived in 1755 ^i^^ ^^ army, 

 and with auxiliary troops marched westward to attack the Fort. Expeditions 

 against Crown Point and Niagara were planned. Nova Scotia was invaded, the 

 Acadians were overcome and ruthlessly transported to different points in the 

 English colonies. Braddock was defeated with great slaughter. The expedition 

 against Niagara was unsuccessful, that against Crown Point more favorable to 

 British aims. 



War was formally declared in 1756. Oswego was taken by the French. 



In 1757 Fort Henry capitulated to Montcalm, and the victory secured him 

 complete possession of Lake George. The general result at the close of the 

 year, although large reinforcements had arrived from England, was disaster and 

 defeat. 



In 1758 the influence of William Pitt at the head of the British Government 

 was felt in America, and the English commandant, General Abercrombie, was 

 enabled to count upon an aggregate force for the prosecution of the war, of 

 50,000 men, two-fifths of whom were colonial troops. Three expeditions were 

 planned, against Louisbourg, Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and Fort Duquesne. 

 The first was taken ; the second successfully resisted; and the third, after some 

 temporary advantages over General Forbes, who led the attacking column, was 

 abandoned and burnt. The new post that arose upon its ruins was thereafter 

 known as Fort Pitt. 



In 1759 Ticonderoga and Crown Point were evacuated by the French, and 

 Sir William Johnson captured Niagara. Wolf attacked Quebec, was killed, as 

 also its defender, Montcalm ; the city surrendered. 



Face to face the giants stood, a death struggle at hand, an empire to be lost 

 or saved. Note the contrast. 



England was governed by the greatest and most masterful of all the distin- 

 guished ministers she had ever had, who wielded the resources and the power of 

 a mighty empire with firmness, and vigilance, and vigor, and undaunted per- 

 severance, to the crushing of a rival nation, to this end sacrificing all else and 

 constraining all interests to contribute. 



On the other hand, France was under the rule of the miserable Louis XV, 

 as degraded a prince as ever sat upon a throne, whose ambition a new mistress, 

 whose aim in life the gratification of lust, whose companions gilded harlots, 

 whose estimate of money its power to minister to groveling pleasures. Little 

 cared he for success or failure, victory or defeat, honor or dishonor, so long as 

 his ignominious enjoyments were not interfered with; and the revenue of his 

 kingdom, which should have been husbanded to sustain the mighty contest in 

 which the nation was involved, was wasted upon minions that pandered to his 

 vanity, fattened on his vices, took part in his orgies, or gave up their bodies to 

 gratify animal passions so vile and so fierce as to increase with indulgence and 

 know no satiety. Such a thing deserved not success. 



