The Marquis de Montcalm
(From a Pastel in the Museum.)
To Mr. Calcraft, dated Camp at Lake George, 11th July, 1758:
“Sir:
“It is with the utmost concern, I write you of the death of Lord Howe. On the 6th the whole army landed without opposition, at the carrying place, about seven miles from Ticonderoga. About two o’clock, they march’d in four columns, to invest the breast work, where the enemy was encamp’d, near the Fort. The Rangers were before the army and the light infantry and marksmen at the heads of the columns. We expected, and met with some opposition near a small river, which we had to cross. When the firing began on the part of the left column, Lord Howe thinking it would be of the greatest consequence, to beat the enemy with the light troops, so as not to stop the march of the main body, went up with them, and had just gained the top of the hill, where the firing was, when he was killed. Never ball had a more deadly direction. It entered his breast on the left side, and (as the surgeans say) pierced his lungs, and heart, and shattered his back bone. I was about six yards from him, he fell on his back and never moved, only his hands quivered an instant.
“The French party was about 400 men, ’tis computed 200 of them were killed, 160, whereof five are officers, are prisoners; their commanding officer, and the partizan who conducted them were killed, by the prisoner’s account, in short, very few, if any, got back.
“The loss our country has sustained in His Lordship is inexpressible, and I’m afraid irreparable. The spirit he inspired in the troops, indefatigable pains he took in forwarding the publick service, the pattern he show’d of every military virtue, can only be believed by those, who were eye witnesses of it. The confidence the army, both regular and provincial, had in his abilities as a general officer, the readiness with which every order of his, or ev’n intimation of what would be agreeable to him, was comply’d with, is almost incredible. When his body was brought into camp scarce an eye was free from tears.
“As his Lordship had chose me to act as an aide de camp to him, when he was to have commanded on the winter expedition, which did not take place, and afterwards on his being made a brigadier general, had got me appointed Brigade Major, and I had constantly lived with him since that time....”
“(Signed) Al. Monypenny.”
Brig. General Lord Howe