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to the prosperous cause of France。 Vaudreuil gave them what they
hardly requiredencouragement to wage war in their own way。 The
more brutal and ruthless the war on the English； he said； the
more quickly would their enemies desire the kind of peace that
France must have。 The result was that the western frontiers of
the English colonies became a hell of ruthless massacre。 The
savages attacked English settlements whenever they found them
undefended。 A pioneer might go forth in the morning to his labor
and return in the evening to find his house in ashes and his wife
and children lying dead with the scalps torn from their heads as
trophies of savage prowess。
For years； until the English gained the upper hand over the
French； this awful massacre went on。 Hundreds of women and
children perished。 Vaudreuil reported with pride to the French
court the number of scalps taken； and in his annals such
incidents were written down as victories； He warned Montcalm that
he must not be too strict with the savages or some day they would
take themselves off and possibly go over to the English and leave
the French without indispensable allies。 He complained of the
lofty tone of the French regular officers towards both Indians
and Canadians； and assured the French court that it was only his
own tact which prevented an open breach。
Canada lay exposed to attack by three routes by Lake Ontario； by
Lake Champlain； and by the St。 Lawrence and the sea。 It was vital
to control the route to the West by Lake Ontario； vital to keep
the English from invading Canada by way of Lake Champlain； vital
to guard the St。 Lawrence and keep open communications with
France。 Montcalm first directed his attention to Lake Ontario。
Oswego； lying on the south shore； was a fort much prized by the
English as a base from which they could attack the French Fort
Frontenac on the north side of the lake and cut off Canada from
the West。 If the English could do this； they would redeem the
failure of Braddock and possibly turn the Indians from a French
to an English alliance。
The French； in turn； were resolved to capture and destroy Oswego。
In the summer of 1756； they were busy drawing up papers and
instructions for the attack。 Montcalm wrote to his wife that he
had never before worked so hard。 He kept every one busy； his
aide…de…camp； his staff； and his secretaries。 No detail was too
minute for his observation。 He regulated the changes of clothes
which the officers might carry with them。 He inspected hospitals；
stores； and food； and he even ordered an alteration in the method
of making bread。 He reorganized the Canadian battalions and in
every quarter stirred up new activity。 He was strict about
granting leave of absence。 Sometimes his working day endured for
twenty hoursto bed at midnight and up again at four o'clock in
the morning。 He went with Levis to Lake Champlain to see with his
own eyes what was going on there。 Then he turned back to
Montreal。 The discipline among the Canadian troops was poor and
he stiffened it； thereby naturally causing great offense to those
who liked slack ways and hated to take trouble about sanitation
and equipment。 He held interminable conferences with his Indian
allies。 They were astonished to find that the great soldier of
whom they had heard so much was so small in stature； but they
noted the fire in his eye。 He despised their methods of warfare
and notes with a touch of irony that； while every other barbarity
continues； the burning of prisoners at the stake has rather gone
out of fashion； though the savages recently burned an English
woman and her son merely to keep in practice。
Montcalm made his plans secretly and struck suddenly。 In the
middle of August； 1756； he surprised and captured Oswego and took
more than sixteen hundred prisoners。 Of these； in spite of all
that he could do； his Indians murdered some。 The blow was deadly。
The English lost vast stores； and now the French controlled the
whole region of the Great Lakes。 The Indians were on the side of
the rising power more heartily than ever； and the unhappy
frontier of the English colonies was so harried that murderous
savages ventured almost to the outskirts of Philadelphia。
Montcalm caused a Te Deum to be sung on the scene of his victory
at Oswego。 In August he was back in Montreal where again was sung
another joyous Te Deum。 He wrote letters in high praise of some
of his officers； especially of Bourlamaque； Malartic； and La
Pause； the last 〃un homme divin。〃 Some of the Canadian officers；
praised by Vaudreuil； he had tried and found wanting。 〃Don't
forget；〃 he wrote to Levis； 〃that Mercier is a feeble ignoramus；
Saint Luc a prattling boaster； Montigny excellent but a drunkard。
The others are not worth speaking of； including my first
lieutenant…general Rigaud。〃 This Rigaud was the brother of
Vaudreuil。 When the Governor wrote to the minister； he； for his
part； said that the success of the expedition was wholly due to
his own vigilance and firmness； aided chiefly by this brother；
〃mon frere；〃 and Le Mercier； both of whom Montcalm describes as
inept。 Vaudreuil adds that only his own tact kept the Indian
allies from going home because Montcalm would not let them have
the plunder which they desired。
Montcalm struck his next blow at the English on Lake Champlain。
In July； 1757； he had eight thousand men at Ticonderoga； at the
northern end of Lake George。 Two thousand of these were savages
drawn from more than forty different tribesa lawless horde whom
the French could not control。 A Jesuit priest saw a party of them
squatting round a fire in the French camp roasting meat on the
end of sticks and found that the meat was the flesh of an
Englishman。 English prisoners； sick with horror； were forced to
watch this feast。 The priest's protest was dismissed with anger：
the savages would follow their own customs； let the French follow
theirs。 The truth is that the French had been only too successful
in drawing the savages to them as allies。 They formed now one…
quarter of the whole French army。 They were of little use as
fighters and probably； in the long run； the French would have
been better off without them。 If； however； Montcalm had caused
them to go； Vaudreuil would have made frantic protests； so that
Montcalm accepted the necessity of such allies。
Each success； however； brought some new horrors at the hands of
the Indians。 Montcalm captured Fort William Henry； at the
southern end of Lake George； in August； a year after the taking
of Oswego。 Fort William Henry was the most advanced English post
in the direction of Canada。 The place had been left weak； for the
Earl of Loudoun； Commander…in…Chief of the British forces in
America； was using his resources for an expedition against
Louisbourg； which wholly failed。 Colonel Monro； the brave officer
in command at Fort William Henry； made a strong defense； but was
forced to surrender。 The terms were that he should march out with
his soldiers and the civilians of the place； and should be
escorted in safety to Fort Edward； about eighteen miles to the
south。 This time the savages surpassed themselves in treachery
and savagery。 They had formally approved of the terms of
surrender； but they attacked the long line of defeated English as
they set out on the march； butchered some of their wounded； and
seized hundreds of others as prisoners。 Montcalm did what he
could and even risked his life to check the savages。 But some
fifty English lay dead and the whole savage horde decamped for
Montreal carrying with them two hundred prisoners。
Montcalm burned Fort William Henry and withdrew to Ticonderoga at
the north end of the lake。 Why； asked Vaudreuil； had he not
advanced further south into English territory； taken Fort
Edwardweak； because the English were in a panicmenaced Albany
itself； and advanced even to New York？ Montcalm's answer was that
Fort Edward was still strong； that he had no transport except the
backs of his men to take cannon eighteen miles by land in order
to batter its walls； and that his Indians had left him。 Moreover；
he had been instructed to hasten his operations and allow his
Canadians to go home to gather the ripening harvest so that
Canada might not starve during the coming winter。 Vaudreuil
pressed at the French court his charges against Montcalm and
without doubt produced some effect。 French tact was never
exhibited with more grace than in the letters which Montcalm
received from his superiors in France； urging upon him with suave
courtesy the need of considering the sensitive pride of the
colonial forces and of guiding with a light rein the barbaric
might of the Indian allies。 It is hard to imagine an English
Secretary of State administering a rebuke so gently and yet so
unmistakably。 Montcalm well understood what was meant。 He knew
that some intrigue had been working at court but he did not
suspect that