the French, they espoused the cause of the English. But having been treated with coolness and neglect, and the murder of 12 or 15 of their warriors in the back parts of Virginia, together with the imprudent and perfidious conduct of Gov. Littleton of Carolina, who seized a number of their chiefs as prisoners, while treating for peace, the Cherokees were highly exasperated, and fell upon the frontier settlements, and perpetrated many cruel ravages and murders. Gov. Littleton, with a body of troops, entered the country, and obliged the Indians to sue for peace, which was granted. "But the savages violated the treaty, and attempted to surprise a fort on the frontiers of Carolina. General Amherst, on appli cation, sent Colonel Montgomery, with twelve hundred troops, to protect the southern colonies. This officer penetrated into the heart of the Cherokee country, plundering and destroying all the villages and magazines of corn. In revenge, the savages besieged Fort Loudon, on the confines of Virginia; the garrison, after being reduced to extreme distress, capitulated; but on their march towards Carolina, a body of savages fell upon the party, and murdered five and twenty of them, with all the officers, except Captain Stuart. Colonel Montgomery being obliged by his orders to return to Canada, the Carolinians were alarmed for the safety of the colony, and prevailed with him to leave four companies of men for their defence. Canada being entirely subdued, General Amherst sent Colonel Grant, with a body of troops, who landed at Charleston early in 1761. These troops, being joined by a regiment of colonial forces, under Colonel Middleton, undertook an expedition into the Cherokee country.

"In May, the army, consisting of two thousand and six hundred men, advanced to Fort Prince George. Here Attakullakulla, having heard of the army's advancing against his nation, met Colonel Grant, and repeatedly entreated him, by his friendship, and the many good services he had performed for the English, that he would proceed no farther, until he had once more used his influence with his nation to bring them to an

accommodation; but Colonel Grant would not listen to his solicitations. He immediately began his march for the middle settlements. A party of ninety Indians and thirty woodmen, painted like Indians, marched in front of the army, and scoured the woods. After them followed the light infantry, and about fifty rangers, consisting of about two hundred men. By the vigilance and activity of these, the colonel designed to secure the main army from annoyance and surprise. During three days, he made forced marches, with a view to pass a number of dangerous defiles, which might cost him dear, should the enemy first get the possession, and warmly dispute the passage. These he passed safely. But the next day, advancing into suspicious grounds, on all sides, orders were given to prepare for action; and that the guards should advance slowly, doubling their circumspection. While the army was advancing in this cautious manner, about eight o'clock in the morning, the enemy were discovered by the advanced guard, nearly in the same ground where they had attacked Colonel Montgomery the preceding year. Rushing down from the high grounds, they furiously attacked the advanced guard. This was supported, and the action became general. A party of the enemy, driven from the low grounds, immediately ascended the hills, under which the whole line was obliged to pass. On the left was a river, from the opposite bank of which, they received a heavy fire as they advanced. While the line faced and gave their whole fire to the Indians on the bank of the river, a party was ordered to ascend the hills and drive the enemy from their heights. No sooner were they driven from the heights, than they returned with redoubled fury to the charge in the low grounds. These it appeared to be their resolution obstinately to dispute. The situation of the troops soon became critical and distressing. They had been greatly fatigued by forced marches in rainy weather. They were galled oy the fire of the enemy, and so compassed with woods, that they neither could discern nor approach them, but with great difficulty and danger. When they were

pressed they always kept at a distance; but, rallying, returned again to the charge with the same fierceness and resolution. No sooner were they driven from one place, than they sprung up like furies in another. While the attention of the colonel was directed to the enemy on the banks of the river, and he was employed in driving them from their lurking places on that side, they made so furious an attack on his rear guard, that he was obliged to order a detachment back to its relief, to save his cattle, provisions, and baggage. From nine. in the morning to eleven o'clock, did the enemy maintain the fight. Every where did the woods resound with the roar of arms, and with the shouts and hideous yellings of the savages. At length they gave way, but as they were pursued, they kept up a scattering fire until two o'clock; after that they entirely disappeared.

66

What loss the enemy suffered, was not known. The loss of Colonel Grant was about sixty men killed and wounded. The army advanced as soon as possible, and about midnight arrived at Etchoe, a large Indian town. The next morning, it was reduced to ashes. There were fourteen towns in the middle settlements, which soon shared the same fate. The enemy's magazines and even their cornfields, which are reported to have amounted to fourteen hundred acres, were utterly destroyed. The miserable inhabitants stood the silent spectators of this general and merciless destruction. They were obliged to retire to starve in the thickets, swamps, and mountains. Nearly the same barbarities were committed against them, by a civilized and Christian people, of which we so much complain when they are perpetrated against us.'

After destroying the Indian towns, the army repaired to Fort Prince George, for rest and refreshment. A short time after, a number of Indian chiefs arrived with proposals of peace, which were gladly received, and peace concluded.

Dr. Trumbull.

47. Expeditions against the Spanish Settlements in the West Indies.

In 1740, war having been declared by Great Britain against Spain, expeditions were undertaken against the Spanish West Indies, Porto Bello, Carthagena, and Cuba. Requisitions were made on the colonies to assist in these enterprises. Four regiments were raised from the American colonies, for these expeditions; and the several colonies were at the charge of levy money, provisions, and transports, for their several quotas. An armament from Great Britain, under the command of Lord Cathcart, sailed from the West Indies, and formed a junction with Vice Admiral Vernon's fleet at Jamaica. Lord Cathcart having died in the West Indies before the complete junction of the fleets, Admiral Vernon found himself at the head of the most formidable fleet and army ever sent into those seas. The whole fleet consisted of twenty-nine ships of the line, with nearly the same number of frigates, besides fire-ships and bomb-ketches. The number of seamen amounted to 15,000; the land forces, including the four regiments from the colonies, were not less than 12,000. Vernon having taken and plundered Porto Bello, now proceeded with his fleet, and land forces, under General Wentworth, to attack Carthagena. After demolishing the strong forts and castles in the harbour, an attack was made by Wentworth upon the town; but he was obliged to retire, with the loss of four or five hundred men. In July the combined forces made an attempt on the Island of Cuba. They possessed themselves of a fine harbour, but by reason of an extraordinary sickness and mortality, they were not able to effect any thing of consequence. According to the accounts given of the sickness, it was nearly as mortal as the plague. More than a thousand men died in a day, for several days. Of nearly 1000 men from New England, not 100 returned; of 500 men from Massachusetts, 50 only returned."*

46

* Dr. Trumbull.

283513

In 1762, Admiral Pocock, with a fleet of thirty-seven ships of war, and about one hundred and fifty transports, with a land force of about 15,000 men, under the command of Lord Albemarle, arrived before Havana on the 5th of June. On the 17th the troops landed, and after a siege of more than two months, in which the besieging army showed the most invincible courage, patience, and perseverance, this important place capitulated to his Britannic majesty.

In this siege, before the middle of July, the army in this unwholesome and burning region, was reduced to half its original number. Many of the soldiers dropped down dead under the pressure of heat, thirst, and fatigue. A considerable number of colonial troops enlisted under their own officers, and served in this arduous enterprise.

Of the troops from New England, scarcely any of the private soldiers, and but few of the officers, ever returned. Such as were not killed in the service, were generally swept away by the great mortality which prevailed in army and navy.

the

48. Dr. Franklin's Experiment in Electricity.

In the summer of 1752, Dr. Franklin was enabled to make a grand and unparalleled discovery respecting electricity, by an experiment.

At this time the subject of electricity was a new science, and the philosophers of Europe were busy with it. Dr. Franklin, in his studies and reasonings on the subject, took up the idea that the thunder and lightning of the heavens were caused by electricity, and conceived the bold idea, that the electric fluid might be conducted, by sharp pointed iron rods, raised upon houses, ships, &c., to the ground or water, and thus preserve them from injury.

66

The plan which he had originally proposed, was, to erect on some high tower, or other elevated place, a