French & Indian War
In rummaging through an "old" box of books I came across the
book "Swinton's First Lessons in Out Country's History"
Revised Edition, copyright, 1872 by William Swinton, Copyright
1894 and 1899 by American Book Company. It appears as if this
book was possibly used as a history text for school. Chapter X,
pp 70-77 is about the Struggle with the French as taught in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While our country still belonged to England, it had to carry on
a severe struggle with the French in America. We must remember
that about the time the English were settling Virginia and New
England, the French were settling the northern country, — that
is, along the gulf and river of St. Lawrence. They founded
Quebec (1608) and Montreal. Gradually they spread westward along
the great lakes with their trading-posts and mission-stations.
Father Marquette, in company with a fur-trader named Joliet,
visited the Mississippi River near its source, ten years before
La Salle sailed down that great river to the Gulf of Mexico, in
1682. New Orleans was founded soon afterwards.
Finally the French claimed all the country watered by the
Mississippi and the rivers that flow into it. Then they began to
connect the New Orleans region (called Louisiana) with Canada by
a chain of forts. In this way they tried to confine the English
to the narrow strip of settlement along the Atlantic coast.
In the early times, there were several wars between the English
and the French settlers. The English invaded the French
territories, Canada and Acadia (Nova Scotia), and the French
swept down on New England and New York.
These contests arose out of quarrels between France and England,
that did not really have much to do with America.
But at length there came a great trial of strength. It is called
the French
and Indian War. It began in 1755, and ended in 1763.
This contest is of great importance because it decided that our
country should belong to the English, and not to the French.
The war began by some Virginians settling on the Ohio River,
where they had bought a large tract of land, and meant to trade
with the Indians.
The French claimed that this part of the country belonged to
them by right of discovery and settlement. Virginia said it was
her soil.
Suddenly French soldiers marched down from Canada to where the
English had settled on the Ohio, and carried off some of the
traders prisoners. This was in 1753.
When this was done, Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia determined to
send a messenger to the French commander, asking him what he
meant, and telling him to march his soldiers away.
The messenger chosen by Governor Dinwiddie was a young Virginian
named George Washington.
Washington was at that time only twenty-one years old; but he
was even then remarkable for his wisdom, dignity, and courage.
He had educated himself as a land-surveyor, and had acquired
skill and patience and self-reliance. He had also been an
officer in the Virginia militia.
Accompanied by two or three attendants, Washington made his way
through the unbroken wilderness, till at last he reached the
French headquarters and delivered to the commander a letter from
the governor of Virginia. The French officer refused to leave
the country, and with this answer Washington set out to return.
The horses which the party had brought with them had given out,
so there was no way for them but to return on foot. The day
after Christmas, Washington, wrapping himself up in an Indian
dress, with his gun in his hand and his pack on his back, set
out through the woods by the nearest way to the forks of the
Ohio. He had but one companion.
It was a perilous journey. In passing through the forest, an
Indian, lying in wait, shot at Washington, but missed his aim.
When they got to the Alleghany River they spent a whole day
making a raft, which they launched. Before they were half over
the stream, they were caught in the running ice, and could not
reach either shore. Putting out a pole to stop the raft,
Washington was jerked into the deep water, and saved himself
only by grasping at the raft-logs. Finally they managed to reach
an island, where they stayed all night, and in the morning the
river had frozen over; so they were able to cross it.
When Governor Dinwiddie received the message brought back by
Washington, he raised four hundred troops, and sent them under
Washington against the French on the Ohio.
The French had built a fort named Fort Duquesne at the spot
where Pittsburg now is. Washington's army made a long, wearisome
march towards this place. Before they reached it, they were met
by a party of French at a place called Great Meadows. Washington
defeated this party.
Afterwards the main body of the French came down on the little
force. Washington made a very gallant fight, but was forced to
surrender.
The English government now saw that it was necessary to come in
and help the colonists conquer the French. Accordingly the next
year (1755), General Braddock, with a force of British regulars,
was sent out to America.
The first thing Braddock did was to march against Fort Duquesne.
Braddock, though ignorant of Indian warfare, would not take
Washington's advice.
The result was that the British force was suddenly ambushed by
the Indians and French, who fired, unseen, from behind trees and
rocks. The British regulars, not being used to this kind of
warfare, were routed. Braddock was killed. It was only by
Washington's coolness that the troops were able to retreat and
reach Philadelphia.
The British now saw that it would require very hard fighting to
beat the French, so they sent over a large army. There was a
great deal of fighting for the next two or three years.
But the war was not well carried on till the great English
statesman, William Pitt, took charge of it. This was in 1759.
The most decisive event of the war was the capture of Quebec, on
the St. Lawrence River.
The French looked upon Quebec as one of the strongest places in
the world. The citadel was built upon a high rock, so steep that
no enemy could climb it. It was defended by a great many large
cannon, and by a powerful French garrison, commanded by General
Montcalm.
The force to take Quebec was put under a brave young English
general named Wolfe. It consisted of American and British
regulars, and sailed from Halifax to the St. Lawrence.
Wolfe began by trying various unsuccessful plans to take Quebec.
At last he hit upon a plan so bold that the French never dreamed
of it. He found that there was a place above Quebec where his
troops might climb up the steep to the plains back of the city.
Accordingly, he had the ships sail up the St. Lawrence; then at
night the troops dropped silently down stream in boats, to the
spot selected, and known ever since as Wolfe's Cove. In the dark
hours the soldiers secretly scaled the precipice. The morning
light revealed to Montcalm the whole British force drawn up in
battle array on the plain.
As quickly as possible, the French commander went out to meet
the English. The battle began at ten o'clock, September 13,
1759. It was fought with great bravery on both sides; but the
solid charges of the British grenadiers broke the ranks of the
French, who finally gave way.
General Wolfe was mortally wounded. While he lay on the ground
he heard some one say, "They fly." "Who fly?" asked the dying
hero. "The French," was the answer. "Then," said he, "I die in
peace." Montcalm also was fatally wounded.
The capture of Quebec showed the French that they could not
stand against the English in America. The was was closed by the
treaty of Paris, signed in 1763, and France surrendered to the
English all her American possessions.
Last
Updated: April 26, 2022
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