Halifax with this force, he was there reinforced by MajorGenerals Hopson, Lord Charles Hay, Colonels Lord Howe and Forbes, with Fraser's and Montgomerie's Highlanders, 43d, 46th, and 55th regiments, lately arrived from England, The united force amounted to 10,500 men.

The fleet and army were on the eve of departing from Halifax, when information was received that the Brest fleet, consisting of 17 sail of the line, besides frigates, had arrived in the harbour of Louisburg. This intelligence suspended the preparations, and several councils of war were held. Opinions differed widely, and were maintained with considerable warmth. However, it was at length resolved that, as the place was so powerfully reinforced, and the season so far advanced, the enterprise should be deferred till a more favourable opportunity. Lord Loudon returned soon after to New York, taking with him the Highlanders and four other regiments. During his absence, the enemy had been most active. Montcalm, as soon as he heard of the expedition intended for Louisburg, collected all his disposable forces, including the Indians, and a large train of artillery, amounting in all to more than 8000 men, and laid siege to Fort William Henry, garrisoned by 3000 men, under the command of Colonel Munro. General Webb, with 4000 men, was stationed in Fort Edward, at the distance of six miles. The siege was conducted with vigour, and in six days after its commencement Colonel Munro surrendered, on condition that his garrison should not serve for eighteen months. The garrison were allowed to march out with their arms and two field pieces. As soon as they were without the gate, they were attacked by the Indians, who 'com

• At one of those councils, Lord Charles Hay, son of the Marquis of Tweeddale, a gallant and enterprising officer, so far lost his temper, as to accuse openly the commander-in-chief of designedly wasting, by his delay and inert movements, the great force placed by his country under his command; movements, as he said, dictated by timidity, and leading to the certain disgrace of our arms.

Lord Charles was put under arrest, and ordered home to be tried; but his death, occasioned, as was supposed, by anxiety of mind, prevented the intended court-martial.

mitted all sorts of outrages and barbarities; the French, as they said, being unable to restrain them.

Thus terminated this campaign in America, undistinguished by the acquisition of any object, or the performance of a single action which might compensate the loss of territory and the sacrifice of lives. With an inferior force, the enemy had been successful at every point, and, by the acquisition of Fort William Henry, had obtained complete command of the Lakes George and Champlain. The destruction of Oswego gave the dominion of those lakes which connect the St Lawrence with the Mississippi, and opened a direct communication from Canada; while, by the possession of Fort du Quesne, they obtained an ascendancy, which enabled them to preserve their alliance with the Indians. The misfortunes attending our arms in America were, in a great measure, to be ascribed to the state of the government at home, distracted by contending factions, and enfeebled by frequent revolutions of councils and parties. So rapid and so great were frequently the changes of men and measures, that officers knew not how their services would be appreciated, and thus lost one of the most powerful incentives to action, in the apprehension, that the services performed agreeably to the instructions of one minister, might be disapproved of by his successor. Few opportunities of distinguishing themselves were thus offered to the troops, and, excepting the abortive expedition designed against Louisburg, the 42d regiment had no particular duty assigned them during this year.

By the addition of three new companies and the junction of 700 recruits, the corps was now augmented to upwards of 1300 men, all Highlanders, for at that period none else were admitted into the regiment. To the three additional companies the following officers were appointed; James Murray, son of Lord George Murray, James Stewart of Urrard, and Thomas Stirling, son of Sir Henry Stirling of Ardoch, to be captains; Simon Blair, David Barklay, Archibald Campbell, Alexander Mackay, Alexander Menzies, and David Mills, to be lieutenants;

Duncan Stewart, George Rattray, and Alexander Farquharson, to be ensigns: and the Reverend James Stewart to be assistant chaplain.

In the autumn of this year the command of the army again devolved on Lieutenant-General Abercromby, Lord Loudon having been recalled.

The campaign of 1758 opened with brighter prospects. By a change in the Cabinet of the mother country, new spirit was infused into her councils, and the stimulus of popular favour imparted energy and alacrity to the schemes of the new ministers. The command was transferred to new officers, in whom confidence was reposed, and who, relying on the due appreciation of their conduct, undertook, with energy, every enterprise which was proposed to them. A great naval armament, and a military force of 52,000 men, of whom 22,200 were regulars, perfectly fitted for action, afforded the best hopes of a vigorous and successful campaign, and, in the present more favourable expectations, people were willing to forget the delays, disappointments, and disasters, to which they had, for the last three years, been accustomed.

Admiral Boscawen was appointed to command the fleet, and Major-General Amherst, and Brigadier-Generals Wolfe, Townsend, and Murray, were added to the military staff. Three expeditions were proposed for this year. The first was designed to renew the attempt upon Louisburg; the second was to be directed against Ticonderoga and Crown Point; and the third against Fort du Quesne, a position from which the French, in conjunction with their Indian allies, had been in the habit of making incursions into the neighbouring state.

The expedition against Ticonderoga was undertaken by General Abercromby, the Commander-in-Chief. The force allotted for the purpose amounted to 15,390 men, consisting of the 27th, 44th, 46th, 55th, Lord John Murray's Highlanders, and the 1st and 4th battalions of the 60th, in all 6337 of the line, with 9024 provincials, and a respectable

train of artillery. Ticonderoga, situated on a point of land between Lake Champlain and Lake George, is surrounded on three sides with water, and on one half of the fourth by a morass. The remaining part was strongly fortified with high entrenchments, supported and flanked by three batteries, and the whole front of that part which was accessible intersected by deep traverses, and blocked up with felled trees, with their branches turned outwards, and their points first sharpened, and then hardened by fire; forming altogether a most formidable defence. The troops were embarked in boats on Lake George, and landing without opposition, were formed into two parallel columns. In this order they marched, on the 6th of July, to the enemy's advanced post, which was abandoned without a shot. The march was continued in the same order, but the ground not having been previously examined, and the guides proving extremely ignorant, the columns came in contact, and were thrown into confusion. A detachment of the enemy, which had got bewildered in the wood, fell in with the right column, at the head of which was Lord Howe. A smart skirmish ensued, in which the enemy were driven back and scattered, with considerable loss. This petty advantage was dearly purchased by the death of Lord Howe, who was killed in the beginning of the skirmish, and who was deeply and universally regretted, as a young nobleman of the most promising talents." He had distinguished himself in a peculiar manner by his courage, activity, and rigid observance of military discipline, and had acquired the esteem and affection of the soldiery by his generosity, sweetness of manners, and engaging address." He was indeed the life and soul of the expelition, and his death threw a damp over all.

General Abercromby, perceiving that the men were fatigued, ordered them to march back to the landing-place, which they reached about eight o'clock in the morning. Next morning he again advanced to the attack, his operations being hastened by information obtained from the pri soners, that General Levi, with 3000 men, was advancing to succour Ticonderoga. The garrison already consisted

of 5000 men, of whom, according to the French account, 2800 were French troops of the line, stationed behind the traverses and felled trees in front of the fort. Alarmed at the report of this unexpected reinforcement, the General determined to strike a decisive blow before a junction could be effected. He, therefore, ordered the engineer to reconnoitre the state of the entrenchments. Report being made that these were still unfinished, and might be attempted with a prospect of success, the necessary dispositions for the attack were immediately formed. The picquets were to commence the assault, and to be followed by the grenadiers, supported by the battalions and reserve. The reserve was composed of the Highlanders, and the 55th regiment, which had been Lord Howe's. When the troops marched up to the entrenchments, they were surprised to find a regularly fortified breast-work, which, with its formidable chevaux de frieze, (defended by so strong a force in its rear,) could not be approached without the greatest exertions, particularly as the artillery had not yet been brought up. Unexpected and disheartening as these obstructions were, the troops displayed the greatest resolution, though exposed to a most destructive fire, from an enemy well covered, and enabled to take deliberate ain, with little danger to themselves. The Highlanders, impatient at being left in the rear, could not be restrained, and rushing forward from the reserve, were soon in the front, endeavouring to cut their way through the trees with their broadswords. These weapons were here particularly useful; indeed, without them, no man could have pierced through this species of defence. Much time was lost in this preliminary operation, and many men had fallen from the fire of the strong body who manned the trenches in rear of the trees, and who retreated within the fort when the assailants penetrated the exterior defences. This destructive fire from the fort was continued with great effect. No ladders had been provided for scaling the breast-work. The soldiers were obliged to climb up on each other's shoulders, and, by fixing their feet in the holes