CHAPTER XII

THE CLIMAX: THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN ENGLISH AND FRENCH COLONISTS

The colonial share in the capture of Canada--The internal jealousies of the colonies--French aggression in the Ohio valley--George Washington--Results of the campaign of 1754-- Character of General Braddock--Schemes for 1755--Braddock's disaster--The work of Dinwiddie and Johnson--The deportation of the Acadians--The results of the campaign of 1755--The Seven Years' War--The character of the Marquis de Montcalm-- Webb, Abercromby, and Loudoun--Unsuccessful attack upon Louisburg--Montcalm at Fort William Henry--The rise of William Pitt--The plan of campaign of 1758--The character of General Wolfe--The capture of Louisburg--Abercromby's disaster at Ticonderoga--The character of Lord Howe--Capture of Forts Frontenac and Duquesne--The campaigns of 1759--Amherst's delay--The siege of Quebec--English despair--The discovery of the path--Death of Wolfe--Wolfe and Montcalm--The climax--The collapse of the French Empire in the West--The rise of a new nation 254

CHRONOLOGY 285

BIBLIOGRAPHY 296

INDEX 299

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

GEORGE WASHINGTON _Frontispiece_

_From the painting attributed to Gilbert Stuart in the National Portrait Gallery._

_To face page_

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 14

_From an engraving by J. Honbraken in the British Museum._

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 30

_From an engraving in his "Generall Historie of Virginia."_

MAP OF NORTH AMERICA, 1755 144

WILLIAM PITT, LORD CHATHAM 166

_From the painting by W. Hoare in the National Portrait Gallery._

QUEBEC FROM POINT LEVY IN 1761 200

_From an engraving by R. Short._

THE MARQUIS DE MONTCALM 246

_From a painting by J. B. Massé._

GENERAL JAMES WOLFE 270

_From the picture by Schaak in the National Portrait Gallery._

THE DEATH OF WOLFE 278

_After the painting by B. West._

THE HISTORY OF THE THIRTEEN COLONIES