buried him in the road, and, to save him from discovery, and the scalping knife, ordered the wagons, on their retreat, to drive over his grave!-O, God! what is man? Even a thing of nought!

Amidst all this fearful consternation and carnage, amidst all the uproars and horrors of a rout, rendered still more dreadful by the groans of the dying, the screams of the wounded, the piercing shrieks of the women, and the yells of the furious assaulting savages, Washington, calm and self-collected, rallied his faithful riflemen, led them on to the charge, killed numbers of the enemy who were rushing on with tomahawks, checked their pursuit, and brought off the shattered remains of the British army.

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With respect to our beloved Washington, we cannot but mention here two very extraordinary speeches that were uttered about him at this time, and which, as things have turned out, look a good deal like prophecies. A famous Indian warrior, who assisted in the defeat of Braddock, was often heard to swear, that Washington was not born to be killed by a bullet; "for," continued he, I had seventeen fair fires at him with my rifle, and, after all, I could not bring him to the ground." And, indeed, whoever considers that a good rifle, levelled by a proper marksman, hardly ever misses its aim, will readily enough conclude, with this unlettered savage, that some invisible hand must have turned aside his bullets.

The Rev. Mr. Davies, in a sermon occasioned by Gen. Braddock's defeat, has these remarkable works-" I beg leave to point the attention of the public to that heroic youth, Colonel George Washington, whom I cannot but hope providence has preserved for some great service to this country."

Governor Shirley proceeded to Oswego, on Lake Ontario. His army was poorly supplied with provisions, and the rainy season approaching, he abandoned the expedition, and returned to Albany. The army under Gen. Johnson arrived at the south end of Lake George, the latter part of August, when he received information that two thousand of the enemy, commanded by Baron Dies

kau, were marching against Fort Edward. Accordingly, Colonel Williams was detached to intercept him.

Colonel Williams' party, which left the camp between eight and nine o'clock in the morning of Sept. 8th, 1755, very unexpectedly fell in with the army of Baron Dieskau ; the two armies met in the road, front to front; the Indians of Dieskau's army were in ambuscade, upon both declivities of the mountains, and thus it was a complete surprise, for Col. Williams had unhappily neglected to place any scouts upon his wings. A bloody battle ensued, and a deadly fire was poured in upon both flanks.

Col. Williams, endeavouring to lead his men against the unseen enemy, was instantly shot through the head, and he and hundreds of his party, including old Hendrick, the chief of the Mohawks, and forty Indians, were slain. The remainder of the party, under the command of Col. Whiting, retreated into the camp. They came running in, in the utmost confusion and consternation, and perhaps owed their safety, in a great measure, to another party, which, when the firing was heard, and perceived to be growing louder and nearer, was sent out to succour them.

Nor did this battle terminate the fighting of this bloody day. The remains of Dieskau's army retreated about four miles, to the ground where Colonel Williams had been defeated in the morning-the rear of the army were there sitting upon the ground, had opened their knapsacks, and were refreshing themselves, when Captain M'Ginnies, who with two hundred men, had been despatched from Fort Edward to succour the main body, came up with this portion of the French army, thus sitting in security, and attacked and totally defeated them, although he was himself mortally wounded. Thus were three battles fought in one day, and almost upon the same ground.

The neighbouring mountain, in which the French so suddenly made their appearance, is to this day, called French mountain; and this name, with the tradition of the fact, will be sent down to the latest posterity. I was shown a rock by the road, at which a considerable slaughter took place. It was on the east side of the road, near

where Colonel Williams fell, and I am informed, is to this day, called Williams' Rock.

it

Just by the present road, and in the midst of these battle grounds, is a circular pond, shaped exactly like a bowl; may be two hundred feet in diameter, and was, when I saw it, full of water, and covered with the pond lily. Alas! this pond, now so peaceful, was the common sepulchre of the brave; the dead bodies of most of those who were slain on this eventful day, were thrown, in undistinguished confusion, into this pond; from that time to the present, it has been called the Bloody Pond; and there is not a child in this region but will point you to the French Mountain and the Bloody Pond. I stood with dread upon its brink, and threw a stone into the unconscious waters. After these events, a regular fort was constructed at the head of the lake, and called fort William Henry.

Early in the spring, 1756, the enemy, invited by the success of the preceding year, made another irruption into the inhabited country, and did great mischief. The number of troops on the regular establishment, was totally insufficient for the protection of the frontier. The Indians, divided into small parties, concealed themselves with so much dexterity, as seldom to be perceived until the blow was struck. These murders were frequently committed in the very neighbourhood of the forts, and the detachments which were employed in scouring the country were generally eluded, or attacked to advantage. In one of these skirmishes in the neighbourhood of a stockade, the Americans was totally routed, and Captain Mercer killed.

The smaller forts were frequently assaulted and attacked. The people either abandoned the country, or attempted to secure themselves in small stockades, where they were in great distress for provisions, arms, and ammunition. Lord Loudon arrived in America, in July, 1756, as commander-in-chief. He was clothed with the highest civil authority, having been appointed governor of the colony. A complimentary address from the regiment, stating their pleasure at his arrival and appointment, and the readiness with which they would execute his commands, was presented to him; also a statement of

the distress of the colony, and a particular description of the situation of the military points.

An army was raised, of about twelve thousand men, which was better prepared for the field than any army that had been assembled in America. But the change of commanders delayed the operations of the English army. The French were active, and on the 12th of July, General Abercrombie received intelligence that they meditated an attack upon Oswego, a poet of the utmost importance. Gen. Webb was ordered to prepare to march with a regiment to support the defence of that place, but was detained until the 12th of August. Before he had proceeded far, he learned it was too late.

By the loss of Oswego, all the western country was laid open to their ravages. There was reason to fear that the frontier posts would be swept away, one after another, and that all the preparations which had been made for an early attack on the enemy, would be lost with them. Besides, the enemy would have another year to fortify and strengthen their posts, and to render the reduction of them much more hazardous and difficult.

The colonies were obliged to submit, and Lord Loudon sailed from New-York for Halifax, with six thousand land forces, and there made a junction with Holbourn and Hopson. Here was now an army of twelve thousand men, exclusive of officers, aided by a powerful fleet; but they were so dilatory in their measures, that before they were ready to sail, the Brest fleet, with seventeen sail of the line, besides frigates and transports, arrived at Louisburg. The garrison was so reinforced as to amount to nine thousand men. On the reception of this intelligence, it was judged inexpedient to proceed, and the expedition was given up.

Had the Earl of Loudon been a man of enterprisehad he wished to distinguish himself in his majesty's service, or to have rendered himself popular in the colonies, he might have conducted this powerful army to Ticonderoga, and carried all before him in that quarter. At least, he might have sent on large detachments for the defence of the frontiers. With his Prussian majesty, an Amherst, or a Wolfe, these would have been but natural and com

mon achievements. But he returned leisurely to NewYork, and effected nothing.

The British generals in America did more, in two years, by the pusillanimity, weakness, and inconsistency of their councils, to injure the colonies, than the French could have done with all their force. The provincials would, probably, have advanced to Crown Point the last year, and made themselves masters of the country south of Lake Champlain. They would undoubtedly have kept their own posts, and prevented the evils which followed. The British generals and officers not only lost Oswego, but they destroyed the fortifications at the great carrying place, and filled Wood Creek with logs and trees. They cut off all communication between the colonies and the Five Nations, the only body of Indians which preserved the appearance of friendship to them. They abandoned their whole country to the mercy of the enemy. Nothing could be done to prevent their collecting the Indians, from all quarters, to act against the colonies.

Monsieur Montcalm did not neglect to improve the advantages he had gained, and which the conduct of the British generals afforded him. Finding that the troops were drawn off to Halifax, he at once determined on the siege of Fort William Henry, and the destruction of the vessels, boats, and batteaux, at the south landing of Lake George. Bodies of Indians, with his whole force, were collected for this purpose.

Colonel Monroe, who commanded at Fort William Henry, having intelligence that an advanced party of the enemy lay at Ticonderoga, detached Colonel Parker, with four hundred men, to surprise them. Having landed at night, not far distant from the enemy, he sent three boats to reconnoitre, directing them where to meet him in a general rendezvous. The enemy, waylaying and intercepting the boats, obtained a perfect knowledge of the colonel's designs, and concerted measures to decoy him into their hands. They laid an ambush behind the point where they knew he designed to land; and having been reinforced to nearly double his numbers, they sent three boats to the place appointed for the general rendezvous. The colonel, mistaking them for his own boats, eagerly