“The orders which were published in their colonies for the levying and upkeep of this army, announces the general invasion of Canada and the same statements are made in all the commissions of their officers and militia. We must do them justice in saying that they attacked us with the most ardent tenacity. It is not ordinary that trenches have stood seven hours’ attack at a stretch and almost without respite.
“We owe this victory to good manœuvres of our generals before and during the action and to the extraordinary, unbelievable gallantry of our troops. All the officers of the army behaved in a way that each one of them deserves special praise. We have had about 350 men killed and wounded, 38 of which were officers.”
A British account of the fight from “An Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North America,” London, 1759, is as follows:
“A schooner arrived, from Boston, this morning; by this vessel we had the satisfaction to receive a bag of letters, some from Europe, and others from the southward, but none from the eastward; among those which I got was the following one, from my friend in the Commander in Chief’s army, dated Albany, July the 29th, 1758.
‘I scratched a few lines to you, on the 11th instant, from Fort Edward, and, as I wrote in great pain, I think it was scarce legible;—such, as it was, shall be glad to hear it reached you safe: in a few days after I dispatched it to you, my fever abated, and I was judged to be out of danger; for some time, however, it was apprehended I should lose my arm; as all my baggage remained here since last winter, I obtained leave to remove to this place, knowing I could be better accommodated here, than in my confined situation at Fort Edward: in my last, I promised you a particular account of our unhappy storm of the 8th instant; it is a mortifying talk, but you shall be indulged, as I know you are curious after every occurrence. It will be needless to have retrospect to any events preceding the 4th of this month, as there was not any thing remarkable, except preparing for the expedition, and embarking our provisions, stores, and artillery; the latter were mounted on floats or rafts, for the protection of our armament upon the lake, and to cover us at our landing. On the 5th, the whole army, amounting to about sixteen thousand men, embarked likewise; our transports were bateaux and whaleboats, and in such numbers as to cover the lake for a considerable length of way, as may well be supposed; we proceeded soon after in great order, and, as I was in one of the foremost divisions, as soon as we were put in motion, I think I never beheld so delightful a prospect. On the 6th, we arrived early in the morning at the cove, where we were to land: here we expected some opposition; but a party of light troops having got on shore, and finding all clear, the whole army landed without loss of time, formed into columns and marched immediately; upon our approach, an advanced guard of the enemy, consisting of several hundred regulars and savages, who were posted in a strong intrenched camp, retired very precipitately, after setting fire to their camp, and destroying almost every thing they had with them; we continued our march through dark woods and swamps that were almost impassable, till at length, having lost our way, the army being obliged to break their order of march, we were perplexed, thrown into confusion, and fell in upon one another, in a most disorderly manner: it was at this time that Brigadier Lord Howe, being advanced a considerable way ahead of us, with all the light infantry, and one of our columns, came up with the before-mentioned advanced guard of the enemy, who we also suppose to have lost themselves in their retreat, when a smart skirmish ensued, in which we were victors, though with some loss; trifling, however, in comparison to that which the army sustained by his Lordship’s fall, who was killed at the first charge, and is universally regretted both by officers and soldiers; the enemy suffered much in this encounter, being very roughly handled; and we made many men and several officers prisoners. On the morning of the 7th we marched back to the landing-place, in order to give the troops time to rest and refresh themselves, being by this time not a little harrassed, as may well be conceived: here we incamped, got a fresh supply of provisions, and boiled our kettles; we had not been there many hours, when a detachment of the army (to which I belonged) were sent off under Colonel Bradstreet, to dispossess the enemy of a post they had at a saw-mill, about two miles from Ticonderoga; but they did not wait for us; for, upon receiving intelligence, by their scouts of our approach, they destroyed the mill, and a bridge that lay across the river; the latter we soon replaced, and lay, upon our arms until the evening, when we were joined by the remainder of the army. I wish I could throw a veil over what is to follow; for I confess I am at a loss how to proceed:—our army was numerous, we were in good spirits, and, if I may give you my own private opinion, I believe we were one and all infatuated with a notion of carrying every obstacle, with so great a force we had, by a mere Coup de Musqueterie; to such chimerical and romantic ideas I entirely attribute our great disaster on the 8th, in which we were confirmed by the report of our chief engineer, who had reconnoitred the enemy’s works, and determined our fate, by declaring it as his opinion, that it was very practical to carry them by a general storm; accordingly, the army being formed, and every thing in readiness, we proceeded to the attack, which was as well conducted and supported as any bold undertaking ever was;—but alas! we soon found ourselves grossly deceived;—the intrenchments were different from what we had expected, and were made to believe, their breast-works were uncommonly high, and the ground in their front, for a great length of way, was covered with an Abatis de Bois, laid so close and thick, that their works were really rendered impregnable. The troops, by the cool and spirited example of the General, made many eager efforts to no purpose; for we were so intangled in the branches of the felled trees, that we could not possibly advance; the enemy were sensible of this, and remained steady at their breast-works, repeating their fire, which, from their numbers, was very weighty, and, from a conviction of their own safety, was served with great composure. Such was our situation for almost five hours, when, at length, finding our loss considerable, and no prospect of carrying our point, we were ordered to desist, and retire;—the army retreated to the ground we had occupied on the preceding night at the sawmill, and the wounded were sent off to the bateaux without delay, where the remains of our shattered forces joined us early on the ninth, and the whole re-embarked, and continued our retreat to Lake George; there we arrived the same evening and encamped. That place is computed to be about thirty miles from Ticonderoga (though I believe it is more) and fourteen from Fort Edward, whither, as also to this town (from which I now write) all the wounded were sent the next day. Our loss is indeed very considerable, as you will see by the inclosed return. The valiant Colonels Donaldson, Bever, and Major Proby, with many other of our friends, I am heartily sorry to acquaint you, are among the slain. So that what we find so feelingly expressed by the poet is here fatally verified,
‘For, How many mothers shall bewail their sons!
How many widows weep their husbands slain!’
Replica of the Cross Erected by General Montcalm, Commemorating the French Victory at Carillon
What loss the enemy sustained, or if any, it is impossible for us to be able to give the least account of; they did not attempt to pursue us in our retreat.—Let me hear from you upon receipt of this packet, and, if anything should occur in the farther course of this campaign, you shall hear from me again; but, I presume the French general will cut out such work for us, as will oblige our forces to act on the defensive.’”