Nevertheless, General Johnson failed to follow up his advantage, and interested himself with building a fort on the bank of the lake. This fort he named "Fort William Henry,"* and, at the same time, he caused the name of the lake to be changed to Lake George,† in honor of the reigning sovereign of England.

Having finished the fort, General Johnson retired, leaving a small garrison to hold the place. Quite a number of old powder-horns are still in existence, which show, in their rude carvings (the work of soldiers during idle hours), the plan and appearance of the fort, which, in the official reports, is depicted with scientific accuracy.

From the inquiry into the military conduct of General Shirley, then having the general command of the British forces in America, we learn that, on Nov. 4, 1755, he was at Albany, devising a winter expedition against Ticonderoga and Crown Point; but nothing was done, for the reason, it is averred, that the ice was too thin. ("Inquiry," p. 53). On On following year, the weak' and inefficient Earl of Loudon assumed the military command in North America, but nothing was eventually done, and the time was filled up with inconclusive skirmishes around the lake between the French and English scouts. In the same way the winter was passed; yet, in the spring of 1757, the French became more demonstrative, and, on the night of March 18th, led by Rigaud, they attempted to surprise the fort, but failed. With the advent of summer, however, the gallant Montcalm was afield, and, by August 3d, he had invested Fort William Henry, which was surrendered by the commander, Colonel Monroe, after a siege of six days, an event that might have been averted but for the dastardly conduct of Webb, the commander of Fort Edward. At this time occurred the well-known massacre of the English, the details of which event, though sufficiently shocking of themselves, have, nevertheless, been made the subject of will exaggeration by prejudiced historical writers.

When Montcalm once more retired to the North, he left Fort William Henry a heap of smoldering ruins, which were never afterwards disturbed, as the site possessed no real advantages.

The French had now fully revenged the defeat of 1755, and were in confident possession of Ticonderoga. Accordingly, the next summer, the English moved again to dispossess them. Led by the ill-starred Abercrombie, they embarked on the lake in beautiful order, from the docks near the charred remains of Fort William Henry, and, sixteen thou

* The remains of this fort may still be seen in front of the well-known "Fort William Henry Hotel," Caldwell. In the "Paris Documen's," the French speak of this Fort as "Fort George," though it never was so called by the English. See "N. Y. Coll. Doc.," Vol. x, p. 596.

† Cooper, in one of his novels, teaches that the Indian name of the lake was "Horicon,”Silvery Water-which, of course, is not the case. Parkman says: "I have seen an old Latin map on which the name 'Horicini' is set down as belonging to a neighboring tribe. This appears to be only a misprint for 'Horoconi,' that is 'Iroconi,' or 'Iroquois. In an old English map, prefixed to the rare work, 'A Treatise of New England,' the 'Lake of the Hierocoyes

is laid down.' "—" Jesuits in America," p. 219%. I may add, that an old Dutch map puts the country of the "Horikons" near Cape Cod.

sand strong, confidently moved to assault the French. But, after the display of a peerless valor before the walls of Ticonderoga, on July 7th the army was forced to retreat in haste to the south end of the lake, leaving behind a large number of dead and wounded. On Sunday evening, July 9th, the troops landed at Fort William Henry, broken and disheartened.

On his return to the head of the lake, Abercrombie began to send cannon and ammunition to Albany, and, at the same time, occupied his troops in the construction of intrenchments, as stated by the French and other authorities; but the extent and character of these works do not appear to be known.*

The following year a new English army was raised, and placed under the direction of General Amherst. This commander resolved, at all hazard, to retrieve the disaster of Abercrombie. He accordingly made every preparation to drive the French from Ticonderoga, and recover the free use of the lakes.

It was in June 21, 1759, that Amherst reached Lake George with the bulk of the army designed to operate against Ticonderoga. Mante, in his account of the campaign, says:

"In the evening he encamped on the banks of Lake George, and the next day, with the assistance of Colonel Montressor, the chief engineer, traced out the ground for the erection of a fort." ("History of the War in America," p. 207.)

* August 1, 1758. The French report that the English "occupy two islands on the lake, in each of which they have a guard of four hundred men; that Captain Rogers is out every day scouting; sometimes north, at other times, south; that they have intrenched themselves with trees; that there isn't any cannon in their intrenchments, but in the little fort." ("Coll. Doc.," Vol. x, p. 850.) The French commander also says that the "English were intending to amuse us only by seizing the islands in Lake St. Sacrament." Where was the "little fort"?

Montcalm says, in a memoir on the situation: "The enemy will remain in force at Chouaguen until winter; in eight days they will have constructed there, as at the head of Lake St. Sacrament, an intrenchment impregnable to an assault of five thousand men, of whatever description. (Ibid, p. 871.) Possibly one of the places fortified at this time was Recluse Island, where there are still to be seen the remains of earth-works.

He

Jeffrey Amherst was of Kentish descent, born at Riverhead, England, Jan. 20, 1717. was an ensign at fourteen, and, at twenty-five, aid-de-camp to Lord Ligonier. In 1756 he commanded a regiment, and in 1758 he was appointed to service in America, with the rank of majorgeneral. He commanded at the capture of Louisburg, and afterwards succeeded Abercrombie as commander in America. After the peace he returned to London. In 1763 he became Governor of Guernsey, and afterward took a seat in the Privy Council. Advanced to the peerage, he served as commander-in-chief of the British forces. In 1795 he was superseded in his command by the Duke of York, for which he was compensated by an earldom, and the title of field-marshal. He died August 3, 1797, aged eighty-one years.

"James Montresor became Director of Engineers and Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army 4th January, 1758, in which year he was at the head of the Engineer Department, in the expedition against Ticonderoga, under Abercrombie. He drew the plan of Fort Stanwix and the surrounding country in the summer of the same year New-York Documentary History, 8vo, IV, 425. He was Chief Engineer also to Amherst's Expedition, and superintended the construction of the Fort at the head of Lake George, in July, 1759. Knox's Journal, 1, 403. He obtained in 1771 a grant of 10,000 acres of land at the Forks of the Pagk itagkan or Otter Creek, in the present town of Panton, Vt., and in May, 1772, became Colonel in the army. He died in December, 1775. Army Lists; New-York Land Papers." ("N. Y. Coll. Doc.," Vol. x, p. 911.)

The fort thus planned was Fort George, which, though never finished, has always maintained a prominent place in the recollections of the people, and often figured in connection with important historical events from that time down to the close of the Revolution. Since that period it has been the subject of neglect and decay.

The fort was laid out on the brow of a low rocky hill, and was situated about five or six hundred yards from the border of the lake. The situation was one of no strength, being easily commanded from all the neighboring heights; yet, perhaps, with the means and men at command, they could hardly have done much better at that time.

For the best published plan of the work, we are indebted to a woman, Mary Ann Rocque, "Topographer to His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester," who, in 1765, published at London "A Set of Plans and Forts in America, reduced from Actual Surveys." Sketch fourteen of this work shows the general plan of Fort George, and indicates the portion actually finished, which consisted of the south-west bastion. Its ruins may be seen to-day.

In this plan a temporary stockade, with two guns, is shown at the north, a little more than half way to the lake; while the quarters of the officers and men, together with the magazine and storehouse, are also delineated. The author of the sketch states that, at this time, there was a saw-mill in the swamp or low land to the south-west of the fort. On the north-east an octagonal space appears to have been devoted to a kitchen-garden, while a rude stone wall extended from the stockade in a curved line running north-east and south-west to the vicinity of the fort. The remains of this wall, which appears to have covered the front of the encampment, may still be traced for a considerable distance.* The left wing of the troops appears to have rested on the lake.

In the journal of a Massachusetts soldier connected with Amherst's army, the eminence upon which the fort is situated is called "Element Hill," though the name does not occur elsewhere. The situation is one of great beauty, and commands a fine view of the lake.

The march of Amherst to the lake is best described by Samuel Warner, one of the volunteers from Wilbraham, Massachusetts. As will be perceived, his sketch is very rude in its orthography, and could be bettered in other respects, yet he nevertheless gives a vivid idea of the fatigues endured on the day in question. Warner writes in his journal:

"Thursday 21st this Day we marcht from fort Edward with about ten Regiments we struck our tents about brake of Day slong our packs about Run Rise and stood ym on a full ouer then marcht forword Nor onloaded Nor Rested till we got within five miles of Lake gorge there Rested about one ouer and half varey hot men allmost Beet ou: By

I.

* The description is limited to the following: "A. Fort showing what was finished. Officer's Barracks. 2. Soldier's Barracks. 3. Powder Magazine. B. Stockaded Fort erected to serve while the other was building. Guard Room. The Kitchen. 66. Store Houses. 7. Saw Mill in swamp southwest."

going without vittuals in the morning about 500 teems and wagins the officers had no packs the general and other big officers had horsis and Servens they did not consider the poore Solders Had they Had any Compashoon upon poore Solders they wood not a dun as they Did one man Dyed By Reason of such Hard traveling and Drinking of Warter this was a Conectucut man and two or three more it was said they ware a Dying the armey was marcht of in the moring on a sudden and had not time to git any Refreshment to Carey with them But God in His providence has spared men's Lives & Carried them hather to we shall not Dey Before our time." ("Wilbraham Centennial," p. 210.)

So scanty are the records of these movements, that it is necessary to resort for information to the crude, but truthful, journals of the soldiers of the day.

Under the date of July 1st and 2d, Knox says:

"Wet weather: the troops are employed in constructing a stone fortress fit to contain a garrison of six hundred men; it is of an irregular form, situated on a rock, has one front to the lake, and a large tract of morass surrounds the other faces of it; a casement is to be built in the fort, spacious enough to receive four hundred men at least; and there is a plenty of good limestone, and excellent brick and clay on the spot.” ("Historical Journal," Vol. 1, p. 379.) At this time, he says, there was also "a redoubt which covers our left flank at a distance of about five hundred yards." This is probably the temporary stockade delineated in the sketch by Mary Ann Rocque;* though, by referring to the scale of this female topographer, it will appear that the distances do not agree. Mary Ann Rocque's distances are evidently miscalculated, being too small.

Quoting, again, from the journal of Warner, whose meaning, notwithstanding the style of his composition, is tolerably clear, we read, under date of Tuesday, July 3d:

"There was four Brase 18 pounders or 22 Brought in to Day Sum Small pesses the 2d Recruits from Boston and harford came in to Day-Capt Jacob with 30 Men went out to day to find the inemy if could find any 24 more was dug up out of one hole whare we did Build the fort four Iron guns 22 pounders came in and afterwards two more Brase guns in the Hole making 10 22 or 24 pounder and 12 twelve pounders." ("Wilbraham Centennial.")

Some distance south-east of Fort George, and on the south side of the old military road, are the scarcely distinguishable remains of an earth-work, or redoubt, known as "Fort George." The author, with the most careful inquiry, has never been able to ascertain its origin, though it figured in a colonial story, published in the "Knickerbocker Magazine." It is evidently of about the same age as Fort George. In 1812, there was still some portion of the woodwork remaining, though it has now disappeared. It is quite curious, on the whole, that the residents in this vicinity are able to give no clear tradition in connection with the fort, while they furnish so many stories on every other antiquarian topic.

The guns thus unearthed were buried by Abercrombie the previous year. Perhaps that general transported fewer guns to Albany than the French supposed.

While these operations were going on, the French ascended the lake from Ticonderoga, took possession of the adjacent islands,* and boldly attacked parties of English who were at work near the forts chopping fire-wood, the Indians even scalping a number of the "Jersey Blues,' and flourishing their bloody trophies in sight of the English lines.† July 4th, Knox writes:

"Our engineers make great progress in erecting the new fort, and have got a fresh supply of bricklayers and masons.' And, again:

"A number of men are employed in making brick and lime; others in works of various kinds, relating to further operations of the campaign, particularly at the new fort, the sloop, batteaus, &c." ("Historical Journal," p. 381-2.)

Next, for information regarding the state of affairs, we turn to the journal of Warner, which, unfortunately, is too brief:

"Thursday 5th. *** alarum At Night By Ye Reson of an indians fiering on one of the Senterey and he Riturned a Shoot again and wonded him by the Sine of Blood there is a fort a Reacted the North end of Element Hill."

Again, we read :

"Saturday 7th I went about the Element Hill on the North End of it there is a fort of 14 squares or turns in it made with wood and Stoane the Length of about 8 Roods, the wedth about Eighteen feet from outside to outside the thickness of the Wall two feet and the hith about five feet."

But Warner appears to refer to the temporary stockade, already mentioned on page 5, unless, indeed, by "Element Hill" he meant the hill on which was situated the fort now called Fort Gage, spoken of

* "Early this morning [July 12] a detachment of grenadiers and rangers, with a few Indians, in all about four hundred, commanded by Major Campbell, imbarked in batteaus, and proceeded to the islands on the lake to drive the enemy from thence; they were convoyed by a floatingbattery of one gun, with a Sargeant and six artillery men; and the rangers and the Indians were advanced in whale-boats. About eight, the van with the light troops were fired upon, whereby a Sergeant was killed and an Indian wounded, which brought on a smart firing on both sides, until the Major ordered to cease and retire, that the Proe might come into action; accordingly she worked up and gave them a fire, which obliged the enemy to abandon their posts, and return to their canoes; the Major then endeavored to come up with them, but found it impossible, their canoes, which were made of birch bark, being lighter and easier worked than our boats, &c. We fired several shots at them, but are uncertain as to any execution. After chacing for some time, the Major went back to the islands, burnt and destroyed all their works and huts, and returned with his detachment to the camp." ("Knox's Journal.") The reference to the "Proe" is explained under date of July 7, where Knox says: "An iron eighteen pounder was mounted to-day, in the stern of a new-built proe, and was afterwards loaded and discharged for trial; she rolled considerably, which is imputed to her being too narrow for her length. + See "N. Y. Mercury," July 9, 1759.