the conquest of new france-第18章

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years　to　come。



What　astonishes　us　in　regard　to　these　events　is　that　Britain　and

France　long　remained　nominally　at　peace　while　they　were　carrying

on　active　hostilities　in　America　and　sending　from　Europe　armies

to　fight。　There　were　various　reasons　for　this　hesitation　about

plunging　formally　into　war。　Each　side　wished　to　delay　until　sure

of　its　alliances　in　Europe。　During　the　war　ending　in　1748　France

had　fought　with　Frederick　of　Prussia　against　Austria；　and　Britain

had　been　Austria's　ally。　The　war　had　been　chiefly　a　land　war；　but

France　had　been　beaten　on　the　sea。　Now　Britain　and　Prussia　were

drawing　together　and；　if　France　fought　them；　it　must　be　with

Austria　as　an　ally。　Such　an　alliance　offered　France　but　slight

advantage。　Austria；　an　inland　power；　could　not　help　France

against　an　adversary　whose　strength　was　on　the　sea；　she　could　not

aid　the　designs　of　France　in　America　or　in　India；　where　the

capable　French　leader　Dupleix　was　in　a　fair　way　to　build　up　a

mighty　oriental　empire。　Nor　had　France　anything　to　gain　in　Europe

from　an　Austrian　alliance。　The　shoe　was　on　the　other　foot。　The

supreme　passion　of　Maria　Theresa　who　ruled　Austria　was　to　recover

the　province　of　Silesia　which　had　been　seized　in　1740　by　Prussia

and　heldheld　to　this　day。　Austria　could　do　little　for　France

but　France　could　do　much　for　Austria。　So　Austria　worked　for　this

alliance。　It　is　a　story　of　intrigue。　Usually　in　France　the　King

carried　on　negotiations　with　foreign　countries　only　through　his

ministers；　who　knew　the　real　interests　of　France。　Now　the　astute

Austrian　statesman；　Kaunitz；　went　past　the　ministers　of　Louis　XV

to　Louis　himself。　This　was　the　heyday　of　Madame　de　Pompadour；　the

King's　mistress。　Maria　Theresa　condescended　to　intrigue　with　this

woman　whom　in　her　heart　she　despised。　There　is　still　much　mystery

in　the　affair。　The　King　was　flattered　into　thinking　that

personally　he　was　swaying　the　affairs　of　Europe　and　took　delight

in　deceiving　his　ministers　and　working　behind　their　backs。　While

events　in　America　were　making　war　between　France　and　Britain

inevitable；　France　was　being　tied　to　an　ally　who　could　give　her

little　aid。　She　must　spend　herself　to　fight　Austria's　battles　on

the　land；　while　her　real　interests　required　that　she　should　build

up　her　fleet　to　fight　on　the　sea　the　great　adversary　across　the

English　Channel。



The　destiny　of　North　America　might；　indeed；　well　have　been　other

than　it　is。　A　France　strong　on　the　sea；　able　to　bring　across　to

America　great　forces；　might　have　held；　at　any　rate；　her　place　on

the　St。　Lawrence　and　occupied　the　valleys　of　the　Ohio　and　the

Mississippi。　We　can　hardly　doubt　that　the　English　colonies；

united　by　a　common　deadly　peril；　could　have　held　against　France

most　of　the　Atlantic　coast。　But　she　might　well　have　divided　with

them　North　America；　and　today　the　lands　north　of　the　Ohio　and

westward　beyond　the　Ohio　to　the　Pacific　Ocean　might　have　been

French。　The　two　nations　on　the　brink　of　war　in　1754　were　playing

for　mighty　stakes；　and　victory　was　to　the　power　which　had　control

of　the　sea。　France　had　a　great　army；　Britain　a　great　fleet。　In

this　contrast　lay　wrapped　the　secret　of　the　future　of　North

America。



As　the　crisis　drew　near　the　vital　thought　about　the　future　of

America　was　found；　not　in　America；　but　in　Europe。　The　English

colonies　were　so　accustomed　to　distrust　each　other　that；　when

Virginia　grew　excited　about　French　designs　on　the　Ohio；

Pennsylvania　or　North　Carolina　was　as　likely　as　not　to　say　that

it　was　the　French　who　were　in　the　right　and　a　stupid；　or

excitable；　or　conceited；　colonial　governor　who　was　in　the　wrong。

In　Paris　and　London；　on　the　other　hand；　there　were　no　illusions

about　affairs　in　America。　In　both　capitals　it　was　realized　that　a

grim　fight　was　on。　During　the　winter　of　1754…55　extensive

preparations　were　being　made　on　both　sides。　France　equipped　an

army　under　Baron　Dieskau　to　go　to　Canada；　Britain　equipped　one

under　General　Braddock　to　go　to　Virginia。　Each　nation　asked　the

other　why　it　was　sending　troops　to　America　and　each　gave　the

assurance　of　benevolent　designs。　But　in　the　spring　of　1755　a

British　fleet　under　Admiral　Boscawen　put　to　sea　with　instructions

to　capture　any　French　vessels　bound　for　North　America。　At　the

same　time　the　two　armies　were　on　the　way　across　the　Atlantic。

Dieskau　went　to　Canada；　Braddock　to　Virginia；　each　instructed　to

attack　the　other　side；　while　in　the　meantime　ambassadors　at　the

two　courts　gave　bland　assurances　that　their　only　thought　was　to

preserve　peace。



The　English　colonists　showed　a　political　blindness　that　amounted

to　imbecility。　Albany　was　the　central　point　from　which　the

dangers　on　all　sides　might　best　be　surveyed。　Here　came　together

in　the　summer　of　1754　delegates　from　seven　of　the　colonies　to

consider　the　common　peril。　The　French　were　busy　in　winning；　as

they　did；　the　support　of　the　many　Indian　tribes　of　the　West；　and

the　old　allies　of　the　English；　the　Iroquois；　were　nervous　for

their　own　safety。　The　delegates　to　Albany；　tied　and　bound　by

instructions　from　their　Assemblies；　had　to　listen　to　plain　words

from　the　savages。　The　one　Englishman　who；　in　dealing　with　the

Indians；　had　tact　and　skill　equal　to　that　of　Frontenac　of　old；

was　an　Irishman；　Sir　William　Johnson。　To　him　the　Iroquois　made

indignant　protests　that　the　English　were　as　ready　as　the　French

to　rob　them　of　their　lands。　If　we　find　a　bear　in　a　tree；　they

said；　some　one　will　spring　up　to　claim　that　the　tree　belongs　to

him　and　keep　us　from　shooting　the　bear。　The　French；　they　added；

are　at　least　men　who　are　prepared　to　fight；　you　weak　and　

un…prepared　English　are　like　women　and　any　day　the　French　may

turn

you　out。　Benjamin　Franklin　told　the　delegates　that　they　must

unite　to　meet　a　common　enemy。　Unite；　however；　they　would　not。　No

one　of　them　would　surrender　to　a　central　body　any　authority

through　which　the　power　of　the　King　over　them　might　be　increased。

The　Congressthe　word　is　full　of　omen　for　the　futurefailed　to

bring　about　the　much…needed　union。



In　February；　1755；　Braddock　arrived　in　Virginia　with　his　army；

and　early　in　May　he　was　on　his　march　across　the　mountains　with

regulars；　militia；　and　Indians；　to　the　number　of　nearly　fifteen

hundred　men；　to　attack　Fort　Duquesne　and　to　rid　the　Ohio　Valley

of　the　French。　He　knew　little　of　forest　warfare　with　its　use　of

Indian　scouts；　its　ambushes；　its　fighting　from　the　cover　of

trees。　On　the　9th　of　July；　on　the　Monongahela　River；　near　Fort

Duquesne；　in　a　struggle　in　the　forest　against　French　and　Indians

he　was　defeated　and　killed。　George　Washington　was　in　the　fight

and　had　to　report　to　Dinwiddie　the　dismal　record　of　what　had

happened。　The　frontier　was　aflame；　and　nearly　all　the　Indians　of

the　West；　seeing　the　rising　star；　went　over　to　the　French。　The

power　of　France　was；　for　the　time；　supreme　in　the　heart　of　the

continent。　At　that　moment　even　far　away　in　the　lone　land　about

the　Saskatchewan；　the　English　trader；　Hendry；　had　to　admit　that

the　French　knew　better　than　the　English　how　to　attract　the

support　of　the　savage　tribes。



Meanwhile　Dieskau　had　arrived　at　Quebec。　In　the　colony　of　New

York　Sir　William　Johnson；　the　rough　and　cheery　Irishman；　much

loved　of　the　Iroquois；　was　gathering　forces　to　attack　Canada。

Early　in　July；　1755；　Johnson　had　more　than　three　thousand

provincial　troops　at　Albany；　a　motley　horde　of　embattled　farmers；

most　of　them　with　no　uniforms；　dressed　in　their　own　homespun；

carrying　their　own　muskets；　electing　their　own　officers；　and

altogether；　from　the　strict　soldier's　point　of　view；　a　rabble

rather　than　an　army。　To　meet　this　force　and　destroy　it　if　he

could；　Dieskau　took　to　the　French　fort　at　Crown　Point；　on　Lake

Champlain；　and　southward　from　there　to　Ticonderoga　at　the　head　of

this　lake；　some　three　thousand　five　hundred　men；　including　his

French　regulars；　some　Canadians　and　Indians。　Johnson's　force　lay

at　Fort　George；　later　Fort　William　Henry；　the　most　southerly

point　on　Lake　George。　The　names；　given　by　Johnson　himself；　show

how　the　dull　Hanoverian　kings　and　their　offspring　were　held　in

honor　by　the　Irish　diplomat　who　was　looking　for　favors　at　court。

The　two　armies　met　on　the　shores　of　Lake　George　early　in

September　and　there　was　an　all…day　fight。　Each　side　lost　some　two

hundred　men。　Among　those　who　perished　on　the　French　side　was

Legardeur　de　Saint…Pierre；　who　had　escaped　all　the　perils　of　the

western　wilderness　to　meet　his　fate　in　this　border　struggle。　The

honors　of　the　day　seem　to　have　been　with　Johnson；　for　the　French

were　driven　off　and　Dieskau　himself；　badly　wounded；　was　taken

prisoner。　That　Johnson　had　great　difficulty　in　keeping　his

savages　from　burning　alive　and　then　boiling　and　eating　Dieskau

and　smoking　his　flesh　in　their　pipes；　in　revenge　for　some　of

their　chiefs　killed　in　the　fight；　shows　what　an　alliance　with

Indians　meant。



There　was　small　gain　to　the　English　from　Johnson's　success。　He

was　too　cautious　to　advance　towards　Canada；　and；　as　winter　came

on；　he　broke　up　his　camp　and　sent　his　men　to　their　homes。　The

colonies　had　no　permanent　military　equipment。　Each　autumn　their

forces　were　dissolved　to　be　reorganized　again　in　the　following

spring；　a　lame　method　of　waging　war。



For　three　years　longer　in　the　valley　of　the　Ohio；　as　elsewhere；

the　star　of　France　remained　in　the　ascendant。　It　began　to　decline

only　when；　farther　east；　on　the　Atlantic；　superior　forces　sent

out　from　England　were　able　to　check　the　French。　During　the　summer

of　1758；　while　Wolfe　and　Boscawen　were　pounding　the　walls　of

Louisbourg；　seven　thousand　troops　led　by　General　Forbes；　Colonel

George　Washington；　and　Colonel　Henry　Bouquet；　pushed　their　way

through　the　wilds　beyond　the　Alleghanies　and　took　possession　of

the　Ohio。　The　French　destroyed　Fort　Duquesne　and　fled。　On　the

25th　of　November　the　English　occupied　the　place　and　named　it

〃Pitts…Bourgh〃　in　honor　of　their　great　war　minister。







CHAPTER　VII。　The　Expulsion　Of　The　Acadians



We　have　now　to　turn　back　over　a　number　of　years　to　see　what　has

been　happening　in　Acadia；　that　oldest　and　most　easterly　part　of

New　France　which　in　1710　fell　into　British　hands。　Since　the

Treaty　of　Utrecht　in　1713　the　Acadians　had　been　nominally　British

subjects。　But　the　Frenchman；　hardly　less　than　the　Jew；　is

difficult　of　absorption　by　other　racial　types。　We　have　already

noted　the　natural　aim　of　France　to　recover　what　she　had　lost　and

her　use　of　the　priests　to　hold　the　Acadians　to　her　interests。　The

Acadians　were　secure　in　the　free　exercise　of　their　religion。　They

had　no　secular　leaders　and　few；　if　any；　clergy　of　their　own。　They

were　led　chiefly　by　priests；　subjects　of　France；　who；　though

working　in　British　territory；　owned　no　allegiance　to　Great

Britain；　and　were　directed　by　the　Bishop　of　Quebec。



For　forty　years　the　question　of　the　Acadians　remained　unsettled。

Under　the　Treaty　of　1713　the　Acadians　mig