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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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CHAPTER XXIV.1745-1748.FORT MASSACHUSETTS.Frontier Defence. — <strong>North</strong>field <strong>and</strong> its M<strong>in</strong>ister. — MilitaryCriticisms <strong>of</strong> Rev. Benjam<strong>in</strong> Doolittle. — RioaudDE Vaudreuil : HIS Great War-<strong>Part</strong>y ; he attacksFort Massachusetts. — Sergeant Hawks <strong>and</strong> his Garrison.— A Gallant Defence. — Capitulation. — Humanity<strong>of</strong> the French. — Ravages. — Return to Crown Po<strong>in</strong>t. —Peace <strong>of</strong> Aix-la-Chapelle.S<strong>in</strong>ce the last war, the settlements <strong>of</strong> Massachusettshad pushed westward <strong>and</strong> begun to <strong>in</strong>vade the beautifulregion <strong>of</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong>s <strong>and</strong> valleys that now formsBerkshire. Villages, or rudiments <strong>of</strong> villages, hadgrown up on theHousatonic, <strong>and</strong> an establishmenthad been attempted at Pontoosuc, now Pittsfield, onthe extreme western limits <strong>of</strong> the prov<strong>in</strong>ce. Theposition <strong>of</strong> these new settlements was critical,enemy could reach them with littlefor thedifficulty by way<strong>of</strong> Lake Champla<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong> Wood Creek. The Massachusettsgovernment was not unm<strong>in</strong>dful <strong>of</strong> them,<strong>and</strong> when war aga<strong>in</strong> broke out, three wooden fortswere built for their protection, form<strong>in</strong>g a l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong>defence westward from <strong>North</strong>field on the northernfrontier <strong>of</strong> the prov<strong>in</strong>ce. One <strong>of</strong> these forts was <strong>in</strong>

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