[Footnote: Johnson, the English commander, received word of the approach of the enemy, and sent out Colonel Williams with twelve hundred men to stop them. In the skirmish Williams was killed. He was the real founder of Williams College, having by his will, made while on his way to battle, bequeathed a sum to found a free school for Western Massachusetts.]
Fortunately, General Johnson, being slightly wounded, early in the action retired to his tent, whereupon General Lyman, with his provincial troops, regained the battle then nearly lost. This victory following closely on the heels of Braddock's disaster, excited great joy. Johnson was voted knighthood and $25,000; Lyman, the real victor, received nothing. This battle ended the attempt to take Crown Point. Johnson loitered away the summer in building a fort near by, which he called William Henry.
[Footnote: Two years after, Montcalm, the new French general, swept down from Canada and captured this fort with its garrison, although Webb was at Fort Edward, fourteen miles below, with six thousand men lying idly in camp. The victory is noted for an illustration of savage treachery. The English had been guaranteed a safe escort to Fort Edward. But they had scarcely left the fort when the Indians fell upon them to plunder and to slaughter. In vain did the French officers peril their lives to save their captives from the lawless tomahawk. "Kill me," cried Montcalm, in desperation, "but spare the English, who are under my protection." The Indian fury, however, was implacable, and the march of the prisoners to Fort Edward became a flight for life.]
In the fall he returned to Albany and disbanded his troops.
2. Attack on Ticonderoga.—On a calm Sunday morning, about four months before the fall of Fort du Quesne, a thousand boats full of soldiers, with waving flags and strains of martial music, swept down Lake George to attack Ticonderoga. General Abercrombie ordered an assault before his artillery came up, and while the battle raged lay hid away in the rear. A disastrous repulse was the result.
[Footnote: While the main army was delaying after this failure, Colonel Bradstreet obtained permission to go against Fort Frontenac, on the present site of Kingston. Crossing the lake, he captured the fort and a large quantity of stores intended for Fort Du Quesne. The loss disheartened the garrison of the latter place, frightened off their Indian allies, and did much to cause its evacuation on the approach of the English.]
3. Capture of both Forts.—The next year (1759), at the approach of General Amherst with a large army, both Ticonderoga and Crown Point were evacuated.
4. NIAGARA.
1. About the time of Braddock's expedition, General Shirley marched to capture Niagara. But reaching Oswego and learning of that disastrous defeat, he was discouraged. He simply built a fort and came home.
[Footnote: The next year that indefatigable general, Montcalm, crossed the lake from Canada and captured this fort with its garrison and a large amount of public stores.]