France and England in North America, Part Vii, Vol 1: a Half-Century of Conflict

Part Vii., "montcalm and Wolfe;" So That the Series Now Forms a

continuous history of the efforts of France to occupy and control this continent.

In the present volumes the nature of the subject does not permit an unbroken thread of narrative, and the unity of the book lies in its being throughout, in one form or another, an illustration of the singularly contrasted characters and methods of the rival claimants to North America.

Like the rest of the series, this work is founded on original documents. The statements of secondary writers have been accepted only when found to conform to the evidence of contemporaries, whose writings have been sifted and collated with the greatest care. As extremists on each side have charged me with favoring the other, I hope I have been unfair to neither.

The manuscript material collected for the preparation of the series now complete forms about seventy volumes, most of them folios. These have been given by me from time to time to the Massachusetts Historical Society, in whose library they now are, open to the examination of those interested in the subjects of which they treat. The collection was begun forty-five years ago, and its formation has been exceedingly slow, having been retarded by difficulties which seemed insurmountable, and for years were so in fact. Hence the completion of the series has required twice the time that would have sufficed under less unfavorable conditions.

Boston, March 26, 1892.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.. 1700-1713.

1700-1713.

EVE OF WAR.

The Spanish Succession.--Influence of Louis XIV. on History.--French Schemes of Conquest in America.--New York.--Unfitness of the Colonies for War.--The Five Nations.--Doubt and Vacillation.--The Western Indians.--Trade and Politics 3

CHAPTER II.. 1694-1704.

1694-1704.

DETROIT.

Michilimackinac.--La Mothe-Cadillac: his Disputes with the Jesuits.--Opposing Views.--Plans of Cadillac: his Memorial to the Court; his Opponents.--Detroit founded.--The New Company.--Detroit changes Hands.--Strange Act of the Five Nations 17

CHAPTER III.. 1703-1713.

1703-1713.

QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.

The Forest of Maine.--A Treacherous Peace.--A Frontier Village.--Wells and its People.--Attack upon it.--Border Ravages.--Beaubassin's War-party.--The "Woful Decade."--A Wedding Feast.--A Captive Bridegroom 34

CHAPTER IV.. 1704-1740.

1704-1740.

DEERFIELD.

Hertel de Rouville.--A Frontier Village.--Rev. John Williams.--The Surprise.--Defence of the Stebbins House.--Attempted Rescue.--The Meadow Fight.--The Captives.--The Northward March.--Mrs. Williams killed.--The Minister's Journey.--Kindness of Canadians.--A Stubborn Heretic.--Eunice Williams.--Converted Captives.--John Sheldon's Mission.--Exchange of Prisoners.--An English Squaw.--The Gill Family 55

CHAPTER V.. 1704-1713.

1704-1713.

THE TORMENTED FRONTIER.

Border Raids.--Haverhill.--Attack and Defence.--War to the Knife.--Motives of the French.--Proposed Neutrality.--Joseph Dudley.--Town and Country 94

CHAPTER VI.. 1700-1710.

1700-1710.

THE OLD REGIME IN ACADIA.

The Fishery Question.--Privateers and Pirates.--Port Royal.--Official Gossip.--Abuse of Brouillan.--Complaints of De Goutin.--Subercase and his Officers.--Church and State.--Paternal Government 110

CHAPTER VII.. 1704-1710.

1704-1710.

ACADIA CHANGES HANDS.

Reprisal for Deerfield.--Major Benjamin Church: his Ravages at Grand-Pre.--Port Royal Expedition.--Futile Proceedings.--A Discreditable Affair.--French Successes in Newfoundland.--Schemes of Samuel Vetch.--A Grand Enterprise.--Nicholson's Advance.--An Infected Camp.--Ministerial Promises broken.--A New Scheme.--Port Royal attacked.--Acadia conquered 120

CHAPTER VIII.. 1710, 1711.

1710, 1711.

WALKER'S EXPEDITION.

Scheme of La Ronde Denys.--Boston warned against British Designs.--Boston to be ruined.--Plans of the Ministry.--Canada doomed.--British Troops at Boston.--The Colonists denounced.--The Fleet sails for Quebec.--Forebodings of the Admiral.--Storm and Wreck.--Timid Commanders.--Retreat.--Joyful News for Canada.--Pious Exultation.--Fanciful Stories.--Walker disgraced 156

CHAPTER IX.. 1712-1749.

1712-1749.

LOUISBOURG AND ACADIA.

Peace of Utrecht.--Perilous Questions.--Louisbourg founded.--Annapolis attacked.--Position of the Acadians.--Weakness of the British Garrison.--Apathy of the Ministry.--French Intrigue.--Clerical Politicians.--The Oath of Allegiance.--Acadians refuse it: their Expulsion proposed; they take the Oath 183

CHAPTER X.. 1713-1724.

1713-1724.

SEBASTIEN RALE.

Boundary Disputes.--Outposts of Canada.--The Earlier and Later Jesuits.--Religion and Politics.--The Norridgewocks and their Missionary.--A Hollow Peace.--Disputed Land Claims.--Council at Georgetown.--Attitude of Rale.--Minister and Jesuit.--The Indians waver.--An Outbreak.--Covert War.--Indignation against Rale.--War declared.--Governor and Assembly.--Speech of Samuel Sewall.--Penobscots attack Fort St. George.--Reprisal.--Attack on Norridgewock.--Death of Rale 212

CHAPTER XI.. 1724, 1725.

1724, 1725.

LOVEWELL'S FIGHT.

Vaudreuil and Dummer.--Embassy to Canada.--Indians intractable.--Treaty of Peace.--The Pequawkets.--John Lovewell.--A Hunting Party.--Another Expedition.--The Ambuscade.--The Fight.--Chaplain Frye: his Fate.--The Survivors.--Susanna Rogers 250

CHAPTER XII.. 1712.

1712.

THE OUTAGAMIES AT DETROIT.

The West and the Fur-trade.--New York and Canada.--Indian Population.--The Firebrands of the West.--Detroit in 1712.--Dangerous Visitors.--Suspense.--Timely Succors.--The Outagamies attacked: their Desperate Position.--Overtures.--Wavering Allies.--Conduct of Dubuisson.--Escape of the Outagamies.--Pursuit and Attack.--Victory and Carnage 272

CHAPTER XIII.. 1697-1750.

1697-1750.

LOUISIANA.

The Mississippi to be occupied.--English Rivalry.--Iberville.--Bienville.--Huguenots.--Views of Louis XIV.--Wives for the Colony.--Slaves.--La Mothe-Cadillac.--Paternal Government.--Crozat's Monopoly.--Factions.--The Mississippi Company.--New Orleans.--The Bubble bursts.--Indian Wars.--The Colony firmly established.--The two Heads of New France 298

CHAPTER XIV.. 1700-1732.

1700-1732.

THE OUTAGAMIE WAR.

The Western Posts.--Detroit.--The Illinois.--Perils of the West.--The Outagamies.--Their Turbulence.--English Instigation.--Louvigny's Expedition.--Defeat of Outagamies.--Hostilities renewed.--Lignery's Expedition.--Outagamies attacked by Villiers; by Hurons and Iroquois.--La Butte des Morts.--The Sacs and Foxes 326

CHAPTER XV.. 1697-1741.

1697-1741.

FRANCE IN THE FAR WEST.

French Explorers.--Le Sueur on the St. Peter.--Canadians on the Missouri.--Juchereau de Saint-Denis.--Benard de la Harpe on Red River.--Adventures of Du Tisne.--Bourgmont visits the Comanches.--The Brothers Mallet in Colorado and New Mexico.--Fabry de la Bruyere 346

CHAPTER I.. 1700-1713.

1700-1713.

EVE OF WAR.

The Spanish Succession.--Influence of Louis XIV. on History.--French Schemes of Conquest in America.--New York.--Unfitness of the Colonies for War.--The Five Nations.--Doubt and Vacillation.--The Western Indians.--Trade and Politics.

The war which in the British colonies was called Queen Anne's War, and in England the War of the Spanish Succession, was the second of a series of four conflicts which ended in giving to Great Britain a maritime and colonial preponderance over France and Spain. So far as concerns the colonies and the sea, these several wars may be regarded as a single protracted one, broken by intervals of truce. The three earlier of them, it is true, were European contests, begun and waged on European disputes. Their American part was incidental and apparently subordinate, yet it involved questions of prime importance in the history of the world.

The War of the Spanish Succession sprang from the ambition of Louis XIV. We are apt to regard the story of that gorgeous monarch as a tale that is told; but his influence shapes the life of nations to this day. At the beginning of his reign two roads lay before him, and it was a momentous question for posterity, as for his own age, which one of them he would choose,--whether he would follow the wholesome policy of his great minister Colbert, or obey his own vanity and arrogance, and plunge France into exhausting wars; whether he would hold to the principle of tolerance embodied in the Edict of Nantes, or do the work of fanaticism and priestly ambition. The one course meant prosperity, progress, and the rise of a middle class; the other meant bankruptcy and the Dragonades,--and this was the King's choice. Crushing taxation, misery, and ruin followed, till France burst out at last in a frenzy, drunk with the wild dreams of Rousseau. Then came the Terror and the Napoleonic wars, and reaction on reaction, revolution on revolution, down to our own day.

Louis placed his grandson on the throne of Spain, and insulted England by acknowledging as her rightful King the son of James II., whom she had deposed. Then England declared war. Canada and the northern British colonies had had but a short breathing time since the Peace of Ryswick; both were tired of slaughtering each other, and both needed rest. Yet before the declaration of war, the Canadian officers of the Crown prepared, with their usual energy, to meet the expected crisis. One of them wrote: "If war be declared, it is certain that the King can very easily conquer and ruin New England." The French of Canada often use the name "New England" as applying to the British colonies in general. They are twice as populous as Canada, he goes on to say; but the people are great cowards, totally undisciplined, and ignorant of war, while the Canadians are brave, hardy, and well trained. We have, besides, twenty-eight companies of regulars, and could raise six thousand warriors from our Indian allies. Four thousand men could easily lay waste all the northern English colonies, to which end we must have five ships of war, with one thousand troops on board, who must land at Penobscot, where they must be joined by two thousand regulars, militia, and Indians, sent from Canada by way of the Chaudiere and the Kennebec. Then the whole force must go to Portsmouth, take it by assault, leave a garrison there, and march to Boston, laying waste all the towns and villages by the way; after destroying Boston, the army must march for New York, while the fleet follows along the coast. "Nothing could be easier," says the writer, "for the road is good, and there is plenty of horses and carriages. The troops would ruin everything as they advanced, and New York would quickly be destroyed and burned."

Another plan, scarcely less absurd, was proposed about the same time by the celebrated Le Moyne d'Iberville. The essential point, he says, is to get possession of Boston; but there are difficulties and risks in the way. Nothing, he adds, referring to the other plan, seems difficult to persons without experience; but unless we are prepared to raise a great and costly armament, our only hope is in surprise. We should make it in winter, when the seafaring population, which is the chief strength of the place, is absent on long voyages. A thousand Canadians, four hundred regulars, and as many Indians should leave Quebec in November, ascend the Chaudiere, then descend the Kennebec, approach Boston under cover of the forest, and carry it by a night attack. Apparently he did not know that but for its lean neck--then but a few yards wide--Boston was an island, and that all around for many leagues the forest that was to have covered his approach had already been devoured by numerous busy settlements. He offers to lead the expedition, and declares that if he is honored with the command, he will warrant that the New England capital will be forced to submit to King Louis, after which New York can be seized in its turn.

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