Things came to a crisis by the June 10. taking of two French men of war by the admirals Boscawen and Mostyn. The operations by land were carried on with vigour; but whether conduced with equal judgment we stand too near the time to decide. However, June 16. the French fort at Beausejour was taken, and soon after those on St. John's river were abandoned; by which we remained masters of all Nova Scotia. The principal expedition was that against Fort du Quesne, under General Braddock. That general, abounding too much in his own sense for the degree of military knowledge he possessed, commanding in a country where he did not know, and carrying on a species of war in which he had no experience, suffered himself, when he had advanced within ten miles of Fort du Quesne, to be surprised by an ambuscade of French July 9. and Indians. His army was seized with a panic from the unusual appearance and horrid cries of the savages: they fled in confusion; they were totally defeated with a considerable slaughter, especially of their officers. The general himself, after having had five horses killed under him, was mortally wounded; wiping away all the errors of his conduct by an honourable death for his country.
The nation was something consoled for this loss in the signal advantage gained by General Johnson Sept. 7. who commanded the expedition designed against Crown Point. He was attacked in his retrenchments by the French General Dieskau; but the assailants wanting cannon, and firing from too great a distance, were totally defeated, and Dieskau himself was made prisoner. This victory, tho' very honourable for Mr. Johnson, and the provincial troops under his command, yet, as it was gained late in the season, and as the army was in no very good condition, it had no consequences. On the whole, we seemed, after allowing for this victory, and for the dislodgment of the French from Nova Scotia, to have had the worst part in the campaign; considering the sanguine expectations which had been formed, and the great superiority of strength which we exerted, or were able to have exerted, in that part of the world.
During this summer our court took a resolution not to wait the precarious operations of our arms in America, for redress of the grievances complained of, but to strike such a blow as would at once put a security into our hands, for the evacuating the places the enemy had fortified in our territories, and disable them in the two most material points, the resources of their trade and their seamen. Their merchant ships were every where attacked, as if war had been actually declared, and vast numbers brought into our ports. The French made all Europe resound with complaints of what they called a proceeding so unjust, and a violation of the law of nations, so flagrant and unprecedented. But, whether it was that they were really in no condition to act, or that they intended to influence the other courts in their favour, by a shew of extraordinary moderation, they contented themselves with this, and neither declared war nor made any sort of reprisal for 1756. several months after. At length they began to act; several bodies of troops moved to the coasts of Picardy, Normandy and Britanny; and all things threatened an invasion on some part of this kingdom. Under
