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in deceiving his ministers and working behind their backs。 While
events in America were making war between France and Britain
inevitable； France was being tied to an ally who could give her
little aid。 She must spend herself to fight Austria's battles on
the land； while her real interests required that she should build
up her fleet to fight on the sea the great adversary across the
English Channel。
The destiny of North America might； indeed； well have been other
than it is。 A France strong on the sea； able to bring across to
America great forces； might have held； at any rate； her place on
the St。 Lawrence and occupied the valleys of the Ohio and the
Mississippi。 We can hardly doubt that the English colonies；
united by a common deadly peril； could have held against France
most of the Atlantic coast。 But she might well have divided with
them North America； and today the lands north of the Ohio and
westward beyond the Ohio to the Pacific Ocean might have been
French。 The two nations on the brink of war in 1754 were playing
for mighty stakes； and victory was to the power which had control
of the sea。 France had a great army； Britain a great fleet。 In
this contrast lay wrapped the secret of the future of North
America。
As the crisis drew near the vital thought about the future of
America was found； not in America； but in Europe。 The English
colonies were so accustomed to distrust each other that； when
Virginia grew excited about French designs on the Ohio；
Pennsylvania or North Carolina was as likely as not to say that
it was the French who were in the right and a stupid； or
excitable； or conceited； colonial governor who was in the wrong。
In Paris and London； on the other hand； there were no illusions
about affairs in America。 In both capitals it was realized that a
grim fight was on。 During the winter of 1754…55 extensive
preparations were being made on both sides。 France equipped an
army under Baron Dieskau to go to Canada； Britain equipped one
under General Braddock to go to Virginia。 Each nation asked the
other why it was sending troops to America and each gave the
assurance of benevolent designs。 But in the spring of 1755 a
British fleet under Admiral Boscawen put to sea with instructions
to capture any French vessels bound for North America。 At the
same time the two armies were on the way across the Atlantic。
Dieskau went to Canada； Braddock to Virginia； each instructed to
attack the other side； while in the meantime ambassadors at the
two courts gave bland assurances that their only thought was to
preserve peace。
The English colonists showed a political blindness that amounted
to imbecility。 Albany was the central point from which the
dangers on all sides might best be surveyed。 Here came together
in the summer of 1754 delegates from seven of the colonies to
consider the common peril。 The French were busy in winning； as
they did； the support of the many Indian tribes of the West； and
the old allies of the English； the Iroquois； were nervous for
their own safety。 The delegates to Albany； tied and bound by
instructions from their Assemblies； had to listen to plain words
from the savages。 The one Englishman who； in dealing with the
Indians； had tact and skill equal to that of Frontenac of old；
was an Irishman； Sir William Johnson。 To him the Iroquois made
indignant protests that the English were as ready as the French
to rob them of their lands。 If we find a bear in a tree； they
said； some one will spring up to claim that the tree belongs to
him and keep us from shooting the bear。 The French； they added；
are at least men who are prepared to fight； you weak and
un…prepared English are like women and any day the French may
turn
you out。 Benjamin Franklin told the delegates that they must
unite to meet a common enemy。 Unite； however； they would not。 No
one of them would surrender to a central body any authority
through which the power of the King over them might be increased。
The Congressthe word is full of omen for the futurefailed to
bring about the much…needed union。
In February； 1755； Braddock arrived in Virginia with his army；
and early in May he was on his march across the mountains with
regulars； militia； and Indians； to the number of nearly fifteen
hundred men； to attack Fort Duquesne and to rid the Ohio Valley
of the French。 He knew little of forest warfare with its use of
Indian scouts； its ambushes； its fighting from the cover of
trees。 On the 9th of July； on the Monongahela River； near Fort
Duquesne； in a struggle in the forest against French and Indians
he was defeated and killed。 George Washington was in the fight
and had to report to Dinwiddie the dismal record of what had
happened。 The frontier was aflame； and nearly all the Indians of
the West； seeing the rising star； went over to the French。 The
power of France was； for the time； supreme in the heart of the
continent。 At that moment even far away in the lone land about
the Saskatchewan； the English trader； Hendry； had to admit that
the French knew better than the English how to attract the
support of the savage tribes。
Meanwhile Dieskau had arrived at Quebec。 In the colony of New
York Sir William Johnson； the rough and cheery Irishman； much
loved of the Iroquois； was gathering forces to attack Canada。
Early in July； 1755； Johnson had more than three thousand
provincial troops at Albany； a motley horde of embattled farmers；
most of them with no uniforms； dressed in their own homespun；
carrying their own muskets； electing their own officers； and
altogether； from the strict soldier's point of view； a rabble
rather than an army。 To meet this force and destroy it if he
could； Dieskau took to the French fort at Crown Point； on Lake
Champlain； and southward from there to Ticonderoga at the head of
this lake； some three thousand five hundred men； including his
French regulars； some Canadians and Indians。 Johnson's force lay
at Fort George； later Fort William Henry； the most southerly
point on Lake George。 The names； given by Johnson himself； show
how the dull Hanoverian kings and their offspring were held in
honor by the Irish diplomat who was looking for favors at court。
The two armies met on the shores of Lake George early in
September and there was an all…day fight。 Each side lost some two
hundred men。 Among those who perished on the French side was
Legardeur de Saint…Pierre； who had escaped all the perils of the
western wilderness to meet his fate in this border struggle。 The
honors of the day seem to have been with Johnson； for the French
were driven off and Dieskau himself； badly wounded； was taken
prisoner。 That Johnson had great difficulty in keeping his
savages from burning alive and then boiling and eating Dieskau
and smoking his flesh in their pipes； in revenge for some of
their chiefs killed in the fight； shows what an alliance with
Indians meant。
There was small gain to the English from Johnson's success。 He
was too cautious to advance towards Canada； and； as winter came
on； he broke up his camp and sent his men to their homes。 The
colonies had no permanent military equipment。 Each autumn their
forces were dissolved to be reorganized again in the following
spring； a lame method of waging war。
For three years longer in the valley of the Ohio； as elsewhere；
the star of France remained in the ascendant。 It began to decline
only when； farther east； on the Atlantic； superior forces sent
out from England were able to check the French。 During the summer
of 1758； while Wolfe and Boscawen were pounding the walls of
Louisbourg； seven thousand troops led by General Forbes； Colonel
George Washington； and Colonel Henry Bouquet； pushed their way
through the wilds beyond the Alleghanies and took possession of
the Ohio。 The French destroyed Fort Duquesne and fled。 On the
25th of November the English occupied the place and named it
〃Pitts…Bourgh〃 in honor of their great war minister。
CHAPTER VII。 The Expulsion Of The Acadians
We have now to turn back over a number of years to see what has
been happening in Acadia； that oldest and most easterly part of
New France which in 1710 fell into British hands。 Since the
Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 the Acadians had been nominally British
subjects。 But the Frenchman； hardly less than the Jew； is
difficult of absorption by other racial types。 We have already
noted the natural aim of France to recover what she had lost and
her use of the priests to hold the Acadians to her interests。 The
Acadians were secure in the free exercise of their religion。 They
had no secular leaders and few； if any； clergy of their own。 They
were led chiefly by priests； subjects of France； who； though
working in British territory； owned no allegiance to Great
Britain； and were directed by the Bishop of Quebec。
For forty years the question of the Acadians remained unsettled。
Under the Treaty of 171