but the flag of France was kept flying, which decoyed into the harbour ships of the enemy, to the value of 600,000l. sterling. The weather during the siege was fine, but the day following, the rains began, which continued ten days, and must have proved fatal to the provincial troops, had not the capitulation prevented. This expedition was one of the most celebrated and remarkable events in the history of North America. It displayed, in a forcible manner, the enterprising spirit o. the New England people; and though it enabled Britain to purchase a peace, yet it excited her jealousy against the colonies by whose exertions it was acquired.

The news of this victory quickly passed through the country. Pious and considerate persons, with emotions of gratitude and admiration, remarked the coincidence of many events and circumstances, on which the success of the expedition essentially depended. While the enterprise, patriotism, and firmness, of the colonists were justly extolled for projecting and executing a great design, attended with hardships and dangers never before paralleled in America, it was also perceived that there was no small degree of temerity in the attempt, and that the propitious agency of divine providence throughout the whole was singularly manifest.*

40. D'Anville's Expedition.

The capture of Louisburg roused the French government to seek revenge. A very large fleet, in 1746, was sent from France, under the command of the Duke D'Anville, to America. This fleet consisted of about

*The celebrated Mr. Whitefield was preaching in Boston at the time the expedition was fitting out, and one of the officers told him that he must "favour the expedition," otherwise the serious people would be discouraged from enlisting; not only so, but insisted that he should give him a motto for his flag for the encouragement of his soldiers. After considerable hesitation, the officer taking no denial, he at last gave one nil desperandum Christo duce-"If Christ be captain, no fear of defeat." Upon this, great numbers enlisted; and at the request of the officers, he preached a discourse to the soldiers on the occasion.

forty ships of war, besides transports; and brought over between three and four thousand regular troops, with veteran officers, and all kinds of military stores; the most powerful armament that had ever been sent to North America. The object of this armament was supposed to be, to recover Louisburg; to take Annapolis; to break up the settlements on the eastern coast of Massachusetts; and to distress, if not attempt to conquer, the whole country of New England. The troops destined for Canada, had now sufficient employment at home; and the militia were collected to join them. The old forts on the sea coast were repaired; new forts were erected, and military guards appointed. The country was kept in a state of anxiety and fear six weeks, when it was relieved by intelligence of the disabled state of the enemy. The French fleet had sustained much damage by storms, and great loss by shipwreck. An expected junction of M. Conflans, with three ships of the line and a frigate from Hispaniola, had failed. A pestilential fever prevailed among the French troops. Intercepted letters, opened in a council of war, raising the expectation of the speedy arrival of an English fleet, caused a division the officers. Under the presamong sure of these adverse occurrences, D'Anville was either seized with an apoplectic fit, or took a poisonous draught, and suddenly expired. D'Estournelle, who succeeded him in the command of the fleet, proposed, in a council of officers, to abandon the expedition, and return to France. The rejection of this proposal, caused such extreme agitation as to bring on a fever, which threw him into delirium, and he fell on his sword. The French, thus disconcerted in their plan, resolved to make an attempt on Annapolis; but having sailed from Chebucto, they were overtaken by a violent tempest, off Cape Sable, and what ships escaped destruction, returned singly to France.

A more remarkable instance of preservation seldom occurs. Had the project of the enemy succeeded, it is impossible to determine to what extent the American colonies would have been distressed or desolated. When

man is made the instrument of averting public calamity, the divine agency ought still to be acknowledged; but this was averted without human power. If philosophers would ascribe this event to blind chance, or fatal necessity, Christians will assuredly ascribe it to the operation of that Being who, in ancient times, caused the stars in their courses to fight against Sisera.*

41. Tumult in Boston.

In the year 1747, a great tumult was raised in the town of Boston. Commodore Knowles, while lying at Nantucket with a number of men of war, losing some of his sailors by desertion, thought it reasonable that Boston should supply him with as many men as he had lost. He therefore sent his boats up to town early in the morning, and surprised not only as many seamen as could be found on board any of the ships, outward bound as well as others, but swept the wharves, taking some ship-carpenters' apprentices, and labouring landmen. This conduct was universally resented as outrageous. A mob was soon collected. As soon as it was dusk, several thousand people assembled in King's-street, below the town-house, where the general court was sitting. Stones and brickbats were thrown into the council chamber through the windows. A judicious speech of the governor from the balcony, greatly disapproving of the impress, promising his utmost endeavours to obtain the discharge of the persons impressed, and gently reprehending the irregular proceedings of the people, had no effect. Equally effectual were the attempts of other gentlemen to persuade them to disperse. The seizure and restraint of the commanders and other officers who were in town were insisted on as the only ef fectual method to procure the release of the inhabitants on board the ships. The militia of Boston was sum. moned the next day to the aid of the government, but re

* Holmes' Annals.

fused to appear. The governor, judging it inexpedient to remain in town another night, withdrew to Castle William. Letters, in the mean time, were continually passing between him and the commodore. The council and house of representatives now passed some vigorous resolutions; and the tumultuous spirit began to subside. The inhabitants assembled in town meeting, while they expressed their sense of the great insult and injury by the impress, condemned the riotous transactions. The militia of the town the next day promptly made their appearance, and conducted the governor with great pomp to his house. The commodore dismissed most, if not all, of the inhabitants who had been impressed; and the squadron sailed, to the joy and repose of the town.*

42. Braddock's Defeat.

The encroachments of the French, and the erection by them of a chain of forts on the back settlements of the colonies, occasioned the British ministry to take measures to possess themselves of these forts, and drive the French from the country.

In the spring of 1755, General Braddock arrived in Virginia, with two regiments, and was soon joined by Colonel Washington, (afterwards General Washington,) with a body of colonial troops; the whole force, twc thousand men, took up their march for the French fort on the Ohio. General Braddock, on the 9th July, with twelve hundred of his troops, was within seven miles of Du Quesne, a French fortress, which stood where Pittsburg is now built. Here Colonel Washington, who understood the Indian mode of warfare better than his general, requested him to reconnoitre with his Virginia riflemen. But General Braddock, who held the American officers in contempt, rejected Washington's counsel, and swelling with rage, replied with an oath, “High

* Holmes' Annals.

times! high times! when a young buckskin can teach a British General how to fight!" The troops advanced in heavy columns, and passing a narrow defile they fell into an ambush of French and Indians, who opened a deadly fire upon the English and American troops, who were obliged to fire at random, as they could not see their foe.

The slaughter at this crisis was dreadful; particularly among the officers; and Washington was the only one on horseback, who was not either killed or wounded.* He had two horses shot under him, and four bullets passed through his coat. Braddock, if deficient in other military virtues, was not destitute of courage. Amidst a shower of bullets he encouraged his men to stand their ground by his countenance and example. But valour and discipline in this mode of warfare were useless the action lasted three hours, and seven hundred men were killed on the spot. Braddock, after having three horses killed under him, received a mortal wound; and his troops fled in extreme dismay and confusion. The Virginians, who were the last to leave the field, formed after the action by the prudent valour of Washington, covered the retreat of the regulars, and

saved them from entire destruction.

43. Massacre at Fort William Henry.

In the year 1757, Mons. Montcalm, with a body of 11,000 regular French troops and Canadians, with two thousand Indians, laid siege to Fort William Henry. This fort was defended by a garrison of but 2,300 men, British and Provincials, under the command of Colonel Monro. The garrison made a brave resistance, and would have probably preserved the fort, had they been

* A noted Indian warrior, who acted a leading part in this bloody action, was often heard to swear, that "Washington was never born to be killed by a bullet! For," continued he, I had seventeen fair fires at him with my rifle, and after all could not bring him to the ground."