The New Hampshire Gazette

N E W - L O N D O N. Sept. 29.

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in the Army, to his Friend in this Place ; Dated, Camp at Lake George. Sept. 16. 1758.

It is with great Concern I observe, by repeated Accounts, that there is a general Uneasiness and Murmuring in the Governments, occasioned by our unsuccessful Attempt upon Ticonderoga.

I am informed, by good Authority. that it is asked. (and I confess it is a plausible Question) Why do the Army remain in an inactive Encampment at the Lake, are our Armies never to effect any Thing ? &c.--I am extremely sorry so little Notice is taken of the wise Hand of GOD. and the Rebuke of Heaven, in that Disappointment, and think till God's People are brought to a more submissive, humble and patient Disposition of Mind under the afflicting Dispensation of Providence, they are not qualified to receive special Instances of the divine Favours, nor have they any Reason to expect them.-But have the Army indeed been doing nothing, or rather have they not done much, and been succeeded by the divine Providence ?. For though the Disappointment at Ticonderoga, was indeed an humbling Rebuke, yet God hath in Judgment remembered of his Mercy for us, and for Substance granted the very Mercy desired, sought and prayed for, only in another Way, which is thought by very good Judges, to be in its Consequences, more for his Majesty's Service, and the united Interest of the Governments, than the Reduction of Ticonderoga would have been, and they have great Reason on their Side who think so. For by this Acquisition, we have taken 60 Pieces of Cannon. 12 Pounders, half of which were mounted, and 16 Small Mortars, with a great Quantity of Provision designed for the Troops at the Ohio. 7 Vessels in the Harbour unrigged, and two fine Vessels at Anchor full rigged, with a Treasure in Furs and European Goods said to amount to near 50,000l. Sterling : By this propitious Event, Oswego is again recovered into our Hands, the Enemy by the Loss of the Vessels, have lost the Sovereignty of the Lake, and their Communication with the Ohio is cut off. and their Troops there must be in the most distressing Circumstances for want of the Provision taken at Cataraqui, which was the grand Store House for all their Southern & Western Settlements. And if we improve this valuable Acquisition, as we ought, by rebuilding Oswego, we recover the Fur Trade, and shall be able to maintain our undisputed Right to the Lake. and the Ohio Country, in Consequences of which there will be a great Changing of Sides with the Indians, and particularly the Six Nations will be our fast Friends. because it gives us singular Advantages to protect them. Now all this can't fail of disconcerting the French Schemes, and breaking their Measures for carrying on the War, and finally prevent their long wished for Sovereignty of this Continent. And, what a vast Advantage have we by this Success, and how much are the Enemy perplexed and distressed by it ? And can you call this doing nothing for his Majesty's Service, are not the Advantages, of this Event, to the general Interest of the Governments quite obvious ? Even Envy itself would be ashamed to deny it. But by whom have these Advantages been gained? Why ! by the whole. and not merely by any single Part of the Army alone, for the unsuccessful Attempt on Ticonderoga, by the over ruling Hand of divine Providence, gave Occasion for, and opened the Way to great Success against our Enemies. Our Attack upon Ticonderoga, obliged them to recall one Levey, a great Partisan, with a Body of Troops actually on their March for Cataraqui, to the Defence of their Fort at Ticonderoga. The great Loss we sustained in the Attack, and the certain Intelligence of a Reinforcement, made our Retreat advisable, and I think, without Flattery. it was wise Conduct in his Excellency General Abercromby with so much Secrecy and Dispatch to send a Detachment of the Army to Cataraqui, and at the same time to keep the main Body of his Troops encamped at the Head of Lake George, by which Means all their Force was collected at Ticonderoga, and all their Attention turned that Way. Had the whole Army marched that Way, it would have given the Enemy a prodigious Advantage to have disappointed the whole Scheme by turning their whole Force that Way, which by the Means of their Shipping they must have had it in their Power to effect. But just such a Situation of the Army, and such a Conduct in the whole Affair as was natural, and had an apparent Tendency to Success, was taken, and succeeded accordingly, and even our Enemies own great Policy in it, whether our Friends will or no. And will not a righteous God have just Cause to be offended at the Ingratitude and sinful Murmurings of his People, at a Time- when he has so gloriously appeared for the Defence of the Protestant Cause in Europe, and has granted such signal Success to his Majesty's Arms at Louisbourg, and to the Detachment of this Army sent to Cataraqui. We are conscious we did our best. and that the Army, both Regular and Irregular, give sufficient Proofs of true Bravery. Will not God, I say therefore, be as much offended at such Murmurings and Complaints against the Conduct of this Army, (whose Loyalty to the best of Kings, and Affection to their Country, is not to be doubted) and the Reason of those Conduct they know nothing of, as he was with the Children of Israel of old, who thereby made it even necessary for God to continue his Frowns and Punishments on them for forty Years in the Wilderness.

Yours, &c.

E. H.