History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1757.] FOURTH FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 289
men in the northerly part of Greenfield ; one was killed,
and two escaped. During the same month, Lieut. Grant
and thirteen men were surprised on Hoosack river some
miles below Fort Massachusetts, eight were killed and the
rest made prisoners. No casualties are noted in any of the
valley towns, but several of them were called upon to
mourn the death of some of their prominent citizens.
Slow Progress of The Campaign of the following year was
the War. '
evcu less successful than that of its predecessor.
The incompetency of the com-
mander-in-chief was equalled only by that of some of his
subordinates, and the enemy were still victorious. Lord
Loudon attempted the capture of Louisburg, but the expe-
dition returned without making a demonstration upon the
city. Thomas Pownal, appointed to succeed Gov. Shirley,
assumed office in August. In March, a body of fifteen
hundred French and Indians commanded by M. de Rigaud
Marquis de Vaudreuil, brother of the Governor of Canada,
and M. de Longeuil, had attacked Fort William Henry,
erected by Sir William Johnson, at the lower end of Lake
George. The garrison, commanded by Major Eyers. refused
to surrender, and gallantly defended the fort. Five times
the enemy attempted to carry the works by assault without
success. After burning the vessels of the English, and
all the buildings outside of the fortifications, the assailants
abandoned the enterprise, and returned to Canada. The
fort was immediately reinforced, and placed under the command
of Col. George Monroe.
The Fort is Finally Determined to dismantle this important
Captured. fortification, which was a standing menace
against all their attempts to invade the
colonies by way of the Lakes, another and more successful
demonstration was made upon it during the summer.
While Lord Loudon was conducting the expedition against
Louisburg, Montcalm, who had succeeded to the command
in Canada, early in the month of August, suddenly projected
a force of between five and six thousand men upon
Fort William Henry, called Fort George by the French.
Gen. Webb, who had been left in command with a force of