en on the eve of his
departure for an attack on Louisburg, information was received that the
Brest fleet, consisting of seventeen sail of the line, besides frigates,
had arrived in the harbor of that fortress. Letters, which had been
captured in a vessel bound from Louisburg to France, revealed that the
force was too great to be encountered. Lord Loudon abandoned the
enterprise and soon after returned to New York taking with him the
Highlanders and four other regiments.

By the addition of three new companies and the junction of seven hundred
recruits "The Black Watch" or 42nd, was now augmented to upwards of
thirteen hundred men, all Highlanders, for at that period, none others
were admitted.

During the absence of lord Loudon, Montcalm, the French commander, was
very active, and collecting all his disposable forces, including
Indians, and a large train of artillery, amounting in all to more than
eight thousand men, laid siege to Fort William Henry, under the command
of Colonel Munro. Some six miles distant was Fort Edward, garrisoned by
four thousand men under General Webb. The siege was conducted with great
vigor and within six days Colonel Munro surrendered, conditioned on not
serving again for eighteen months, and allowed to march out of the fort
with their arms and two field pieces. As soon as they were without the
gate the Indians fell upon them and committed all sorts of outrages and
barbarities,--the French being unable to restrain them.

Thus terminated the campaign of 1757 in America, undistinguished by any
act which might compensate for the loss of territory or the sacrifice of
lives. With an inferior force the French had been successful at every
point, and besides having obtained complete control of Lakes George and
Champlain, the destruction of Oswego gave the dominion of those lakes,
which are connected with the St. Lawrence, to the Mississippi, thus
opening a direct communication between Canada and the southwest.

Lord Loudon having been recalled, the command of the army again devolved
on General James Abercromby. Determined to wipe off the disgrace of
former campaigns, the new ministry, which had just come into power,
fitted out, in 1758, a great naval and military force consisting of
fifty-two thousand men. To the military staff were added Major-General
Amherst, and Brigadier-General's Wolfe, Townsend and Murray. Three
expeditions were proposed: the first to renew the attempt on Louisburg;
the seco