It was resolved
to scatter them among the Atlantic settlements. The act was savage, and
became doubly so through the unmeant cruelties attending its execution.
The poor wretches were huddled on the shore weeks too soon for their
transports. Families were broken up, children forcibly separated from
parents. The largest company was carried to Massachusetts, many to
Pennsylvania, some to the extreme South. Not a few, crushed in spirit,
became paupers. A number found their way to France, a number to
Louisiana, a handful back to Nova Scotia.

Braddock was succeeded by the fussy and incompetent Earl of Loudon,
1756-57, whom Franklin likened to Saint George on the sign-posts,
"always galloping but never advancing." He gathered twelve thousand men
for the recapture of Louisburg, but exaggerated reports of the French
strength frightened him from the attempt. Similar inaction lost him Fort
William Henry on Lake George. The end of the year 1757 saw the English
cause on this side at low ebb, Montcalm, the tried and brilliant French
commander, having outwitted or frightened the English officers at every
point.

[Illustration: Montcalm.]

From this moment all changes. William Pitt, subsequently Lord Chatham,
now became the soul of the British ministry. George III. had dismissed
him therefrom in 1757, but Newcastle found it impossible to get on
without him. The great commoner had to be recalled, this time to take
entire direction of the war.

[Illustration: William Pitt.]

[1758]

Pitt had set his mind on the conquest of Canada. He superseded Loudon
early in 1758 by General Amherst, who was seconded by Wolfe and by
Admiral Boscawen, both with large re-enforcements. They were to reduce
Louisburg. It was an innovation to assign important commands like these
to men with so little fame and influence, but Pitt did not care. He
believed his appointees to be brave, energetic, skilful, and the event
proved his wisdom. Louisburg fell, and with it the whole of Cape Breton
Island and also Prince Edward.

Unfortunately General Abercrombie had not been recalled with Loudon. The
same year, 1758, he signally failed to capture Ticonderoga, leaving the
way to Montreal worse blocked than before. Fort Du Quesne, however,
General Forbes took this year at little cost, rechristening it
Pittsburgh in honor of the heroic minister who had ordered the
enterprise.

[1759]

In the year 1759 occurred a grand triple movement upon Canada. Amherst,
now