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the savages would follow their own customs； let the French follow
theirs。 The truth is that the French had been only too successful
in drawing the savages to them as allies。 They formed now one…
quarter of the whole French army。 They were of little use as
fighters and probably； in the long run； the French would have
been better off without them。 If； however； Montcalm had caused
them to go； Vaudreuil would have made frantic protests； so that
Montcalm accepted the necessity of such allies。
Each success； however； brought some new horrors at the hands of
the Indians。 Montcalm captured Fort William Henry； at the
southern end of Lake George； in August； a year after the taking
of Oswego。 Fort William Henry was the most advanced English post
in the direction of Canada。 The place had been left weak； for the
Earl of Loudoun； Commander…in…Chief of the British forces in
America； was using his resources for an expedition against
Louisbourg； which wholly failed。 Colonel Monro； the brave officer
in command at Fort William Henry； made a strong defense； but was
forced to surrender。 The terms were that he should march out with
his soldiers and the civilians of the place； and should be
escorted in safety to Fort Edward； about eighteen miles to the
south。 This time the savages surpassed themselves in treachery
and savagery。 They had formally approved of the terms of
surrender； but they attacked the long line of defeated English as
they set out on the march； butchered some of their wounded； and
seized hundreds of others as prisoners。 Montcalm did what he
could and even risked his life to check the savages。 But some
fifty English lay dead and the whole savage horde decamped for
Montreal carrying with them two hundred prisoners。
Montcalm burned Fort William Henry and withdrew to Ticonderoga at
the north end of the lake。 Why； asked Vaudreuil； had he not
advanced further south into English territory； taken Fort
Edwardweak； because the English were in a panicmenaced Albany
itself； and advanced even to New York？ Montcalm's answer was that
Fort Edward was still strong； that he had no transport except the
backs of his men to take cannon eighteen miles by land in order
to batter its walls； and that his Indians had left him。 Moreover；
he had been instructed to hasten his operations and allow his
Canadians to go home to gather the ripening harvest so that
Canada might not starve during the coming winter。 Vaudreuil
pressed at the French court his charges against Montcalm and
without doubt produced some effect。 French tact was never
exhibited with more grace than in the letters which Montcalm
received from his superiors in France； urging upon him with suave
courtesy the need of considering the sensitive pride of the
colonial forces and of guiding with a light rein the barbaric
might of the Indian allies。 It is hard to imagine an English
Secretary of State administering a rebuke so gently and yet so
unmistakably。 Montcalm well understood what was meant。 He knew
that some intrigue had been working at court but he did not
suspect that the Governor himself； all blandness and compliments
to his face； was writing to Paris voluminous attacks on his
character and conduct。
In the next summer （1758） Montcalm won another great success。 He
lay with his forces at Ticonderoga。 The English were determined
to press into the heart of Canada by way of Lake Champlain。 All
through the winter； after the fall of Fort William Henry； they
had been making preparations on a great scale at Albany。 By this
time Amherst and Wolfe were on the scene in America； and they
spent this summer in an attack on Louisbourg which resulted in
the fall of the fortress。 On the old fighting ground of Lake
Champlain and Lake George； the English were this year making
military efforts such as the Canadian frontier had never before
seen。 William Pitt； who now directed the war from London； had
demanded that the colonies should raise twenty thousand men； a
number well fitted to dismay the timid legislators of New York
and Pennsylvania。 At Albany fifteen thousand men came marching in
by detachmentsa few of them regulars； but most of them colonial
militia who； as soon as winter came on； would scatter to their
homes。 The leader was General Abercrombya leader； needless to
say； with good connections in England； but with no other
qualification for high command。
On July 5； 1758； there was a sight on Lake George likely to cause
a flutter of anxiety in the heart of Montcalm at Ticonderoga。 In
a line of boats； six miles long； the great English host came down
the lake and； early on the morning of the sixth； landed before
the fort which Montcalm was to defend。 The soul of the army had
been a brilliant young officer； Lord Howe； who shared the
hardships of the men； washed his own linen at the brook； and was
the real leader trusted by the inept Abercromby。 It was a tragic
disaster for the British that at the outset of the fight Howe was
killed in a chance skirmish。 Montcalm's chief defense of
Ticonderoga consisted in a felled forest。 He had cut down
hundreds of trees and； on high ground in front of the fort； made
a formidable abbatis across which the English must advance。
Abercromby had four men to one of Montcalm。 Artillery would have
knocked a passage through the trunks of the trees which formed
the abbatis。 Abercromby； however； did not wait to bring up
artillery。 He was confident that his huge force could beat down
opposition by a rapid attack； and he made the attack with all
courage and persistence。 But the troops could not work through
the thicket of fallen trunks and； as night came on； they had to
withdraw baffled。 Next day Lake George saw another strange
spectaclea British army of thirteen thousand men； the finest
ever seen hitherto in America； retreating in a panic； with no
enemy in pursuit。 Nearly two thousand English had fallen； while
Montcalm's loss was less than four hundred。 He planted a great
cross on the scene of the fight with an inscription in Latin that
it was God who had wrought the victory。 All Canada had a brief
period of rejoicing before the gloom of final defeat settled down
upon the country。
CHAPTER IX。 Montcalm At Quebec
The rejoicing in Canada was brief。 Before the end of the year the
British were victorious at both the eastern and western ends of
the long battle…line。 Louisbourg had fallen in July； Fort
Duquesne； in November。 Fort Frontenacgiving command of Lake
Ontario and； with it； the Westhad surrendered to Bradstreet in
August just after Montcalm's victory at Ticonderoga。 The Ohio was
gone。 The great fortress guarding the gateway to the Gulf was
gone。 The next English attack would fall on Quebec。 Montcalm had
told Vaudreuil in the autumn； with vigorous precision； that the
period of petty warfare； for taking scalps and burning houses；
was past。 It was time now to defend the main trunk of the tree
and not the outer branches。 The best Can