England, the policy and character of whose statesmen he taxes his utmost
ingenuity and researches to depreciate and traduce, while he admits they
are engaged in the noblest struggle recorded in history.

From 1748 to 1754, the contests in America were chiefly between the
colonists and the French and their Indian allies (except at sea), and
were for the most part unsuccessful on the part of the colonists, who
lost their forts at Oswego and Niagara, and suffered other defeats and
losses. "But in the year 1755," says Dr. Minot, "the war in America
being now no longer left to colonial efforts alone, the plan of
operations consisted of three parts. The first was an attack on Fort du
Quesne, conducted by troops from England under General Braddock; the
second was upon the fort at Niagara, which was carried on by American
regulars and Indians (of the Six Nations); and the third was an
expedition against Crown Point, which was supported by militia from the
northern colonies, enlisted merely for that service."[230]

The expedition against Fort du Quesne ended in the disgraceful defeat
and death of Braddock and one-third of his men, hundreds of whom were
shot down by ambushed foes whom they never saw. The contemplated attack
upon Niagara was never prosecuted; the expedition against Crown Point
was a failure, and exhaustive of the resources of Massachusetts; but,
as a compensation, Colonel Johnson defeated and took prisoner the French
general, Baron Dieskau, for which the King made him a baronet, and the
House of Commons voted him a grant of L5,000 sterling.[231]

The most was made in England as well as the colonies of this decisive
victory over a famous French general and his troops, as the year
otherwise was disastrous to the English, and "the French, with the
assistance of their Indian allies, continued their murders, scalping,
capturing, and laying waste the western frontiers of Virginia and
Pennsylvania during the whole winter."[232]

Nor were the years 1756 and 1757 more successful on the part of the
English than the year 1755. Some of the principal events are as follows:
War was formally declared by England against France in May, and declared
by France against England in August. The expenses incurred by
Massachusetts and other colonies in the unfortunate Crown Point
expedition were compensated by a parliamentary grant of L115,000
sterling.[233]

The Earl of Loudoun arrived from England as Governor of Virginia, to
take c