April 6.

CHAP. XI. against the neighbouring possessions of the 1745. French. From thence he wrote pressingly to the British ministry, to obtain their countenance to his plans, and strong re-enforcements of men and ships to enable him to execute them. His solicitations, enforced by the brilliant success at Louisbourg, had such weight, that in the 1746. following spring the duke of New Castle, then secretary of state, addressed a circular letter to the governors of the British colonies as far south as Virginia, requiring them to raise as many men as they could spare, and form them into companies of one hundred each, to be held in readiness to act according to the orders that should be afterwards received. These orders were given in consequence of the following plan of operations, which had been digested in the British cabinet. It was proposed to detach a squadron of ships of war, having on board a body of land forces commanded by sir John St. Clair, who should, as early as the season would admit of action, join at Louisbourg the troops to be raised in New England, from thence they were to proceed up the St. Lawrence against Quebec. The troops from New York and the more southern provinces were to be collected at Albany, and to march from thence against Crown Point and Montreal.

This plan, so far as it depended on the colonies, was executed with promptness and alacrity. The men were raised, and waited

1746.

with impatience for employment; but neither CHAP. XL. general, troops, nor orders arrived from England. The fleet, said to have been destined for this service, sailed seven times from Spithead and as often returned.

After the lateness of the season had induced the military commanders in America to despair of receiving the stipulated forces from England, it was determined, in a council held at Boston by Shirley, Pepperel and Warren, to assemble a body of provincials at Albany, and make an attempt on Crown Point.

While employed in the necessary preparations for the execution of this plan, accounts were received of the danger which threatened Annapolis from a body of French and Indians at Minas, who would be joined, it was feared, by the Acadians. Orders were issued for the troops of Massachussetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, to embark for Nova Scotia, and drive the enemy out of that province. Before these orders could be executed, intelligence was received, which, it was supposed, would furnish them with sufficient employment at home, and which excited throughout the country, the most serious alarm.

A large fleet and army under the command of the duke D'Anville, was reported to have arrived in Nova Scotia. The views of conquest, which had been formed by the northern colonies, were now converted into fears for their 3 A

VOL. I.

1746.

CHAP. XI. Own safety. To the troops which had been raised to act against Canada, the militia were added, and the fortified places of the country were enlarged and repaired. For six weeks, continual apprehensions of the enemy were entertained; and the most vigorous measures for their reception were taken. From this state of anxious solicitude, the colonies were at length relieved, by information received from some prisoners set at liberty by the French, of the extreme distress of the fleet they had so much dreaded.

Misfortunes of the

under the duke D'Anville.

This formidable armament consisted of near armament forty ships of war, of which seven were of the line; of two artillery ships; and of fifty-six transports laden with provisions and military stores, carrying three thousand five hundred land forces and forty thousand stand of small arms, for the use of the Canadians and Indians in the French interest, who were expected to co-operate with the regulars. This fleet sailed in June, but in its passage was attacked by The French such furious and repeated storms, that many dispersed by of the ships were wrecked, and others dis

fleet is

a storm.

persed. In addition to this, the troops on board those vessels which reached their place of destination, laboured under a dreadful mortality which carried them off in great numbers. While lying in Chebucto, under those circumstances, an express vessel, which had been dispatched by governor Shirley to admiral Townshend at Louisbourg, with a letter stating

his expectation that a British fleet would fol- CHAP. XI. low that of France to America, was intercepted 1746. by a cruiser and brought in to the French admiral. These dispatches were opened in a council of war, in which a considerable division respecting their future conduct took place. This circumstance, added to the calamities already sustained, so affected the commander in chief, that he suddenly died; the French say of an apoplexy, the English by his own hand. The vice admiral ran himself through the body, and the command devolved on monsieur le Jonquiere governor of Canada, who had been declared chef d'escadre, after the fleet sailed.

The original design of invading New England was now relinquished, but it was resolved to make an attempt on Annapolis. For this purpose the fleet sailed from Chebucto, but was overtaken off cape Sable by a violent tempest which scattered the vessels composing it; after which, those ships which had escaped being wrecked returned singly to France.

Never," says mr. Belknap, was the

hand of Divine Providence more visible than on this occasion. Never was a disappointment more severe, on the part of the enemy, nor a deliverance more complete, without human help, in favour of this country."

The project of dislodging the French and Indians, who had invaded Nova Scotia from Canada, and who were yet in the peninsula,

CHAP. XI. was now resumed. Governor Shirley detached 1746. on this service a part of the troops of MassaExpedition chussetts, and pressed the governors of Rhode Nova Scotia. Island and New Hampshire to co-operate with

against

him. The quotas furnished by these colonies were prevented by misfortune and accident from joining that of Massachussetts, which was, in consequence of this circumstance, inferior to the enemy in point of number. The Indians and French were also furnished with snow shoes, an advantage which enabled them to make very rapid marches, and to surprise the English in a snow storm at Minas, who, after an obstinate resistance, in which they lost upwards of one hundred men, were compelled to capitulate, and to engage not to bear arms against the French in Nova Scotia for one year. De Ramsay, who commanded the expedition, returned soon afterwards to Canada.

The ardent mind of Shirley had been so intently fixed on the expedition to Crown Point, that the severity of the winter formed, in his opinion, no objection to its being prosecuted. He had the address to prevail on the assembly of Massachussetts to concur in the plan, and the governor of New York was also induced to join in it. The more sober discretion of the legislature of Connecticut, who refused to furnish their quota of troops until the spring, prevented this rash attempt. No aids of any sort arriving from England, the troops con.