enemy was threatening the frontier with a large body of troops.

The quarrel between the Americans and their royal governors over the prerogative of the crown and the rights of the people had become so bitter that the general determined to punish the Americans by quartering regular troops upon them. He cast a firebrand into the army at Albany composed of regular and provincial troops, about ten thousand strong, by compelling the officers of the latter to obey the commands of those of the former of equal rank. He and Mayor Sybrant Van Schaick had many stormy interviews about the billeting of regulars upon the people. On one occasion, there was an open quarrel between the lean Scotchman and the burly Dutchman, when the mayor, terribly excited, shook his fist at the general and exclaimed: "Go back again with your troops! We can defend our frontiers ourselves."

The general triumphed, however, and was so elated over the victory that he sent to his superiors the encouraging words:

"In spite of every subterfuge, the soldiers are at last billeted on the town." This victory cheered the hearts of the Lords of Trade, who now believed that the absolute submission of the colonies

was near at hand. Abercrombie had no message of the capture of Crown Point, Niagara or Du

Quesne, but only that he had his heel on the colonists whom he had been sent to protect.

He loitered at Albany, awaiting the arrival of Loudon, when he predicted that mighty things would be done. The arrival of Colonel Bradstreet, with the alarming intelligence that the French and Indians were threatening Oswego, did not move Abercrombie. He loved ease and took too much pleasure in billeting his regulars on the town of Albany to care about the slaughter of men, women and children on the frontier.

Bradstreet, in descending the Oswego River, observed that he was watched by French and Indian scouts. He advanced nine miles up the stream when he was attacked by a strong party of French regulars, Canadians and savages. The provincials drove some of them from an island in the river, and there Bradstreet made a defensive stand. One of the Canadians, too badly wounded to fly with his companions, remained, and a boatman was about to dispatch him, when young Schuyler saved his life. When Bradstreet abandoned the island in only one bateau, there being no room for the wounded Canadian, Schuyler swam ashore with him. While Bradstreet was trying to raise a force to go to the relief of Oswego, Montcalm landed a large force and proceeded to lay siege to the post. Colonel Mercer, in command, was forced to sur

render it to the enemy. One hundred and twenty pieces of artillery, six vessels of war, three chests of coin and a large quantity of ammunition and stores were captured, while the royal Abercrombie was billeting his soldiers on the people of Albany that he might humiliate the Americans.

Loudon arrived just in time to hear of the loss of Oswego and congratulated the country because of its escape from greater disaster.

"If the attack had been made on provincials alone," he thought, "it would have been followed with fatal consequences.

When Mr. Elmer Stevens, living in Virginia, heard this foolish remark he said:

66

Always harping on the provincials.

Those British Lords must believe they are of superior clay to Americans. Loudon will not allow any merit in the character of a provincial soldier. For them he has nothing but contemptuous words. Notwithstanding the provincials saved the remnant of Braddock's army, in spite of cowardice of the regulars and the obstinacy of their general, conquered Acadia, defeated Dieskau, and have performed all the effective military service against the French and Indians, yet the obstinate, blind folly of the royalists see no merit in them, and have only praise for the cowardly regulars.'

Noah Stevens overheard two of his soldiers dis

cussing the question with all the bitterness of vincials.

pro

"Egad! they see no merit in Americans and have only praise for British regulars. I would that our rifles were once brought against their muskets. Zounds! but we would then try the merits of both."

"It will come, Matthew," the second soldier answered. "By my soul, when we have whipped the French and Indians and driven 'em from our shores we will give our attention to driving out the king's soldiers."

"That is treason, Sol. utterance to such speeches. shot for such remarks."

Beware how you give

Egad! you may be

Loudon, like his lieutenant, thought more of humiliating the colonists in America than of fighting the French and Indians. He demanded of the city of New York, free quarters for himself, his officers and a thousand men.

"Your demand is contrary to the laws of England and the liberties of America," replied the mayor of the city. The haughty earl responded:

"Free quarters are everywhere usual. I assert it on my honor which is the highest evidence you can require."

The mayor was firm, and Loudon determined to make New York an example for all the rest of the continent. With a vulgar oath, he declared:

"If you don't billet my officers upon free quarters this day, I'll order here all the troops under my command and billet them myself upon your city."

A subscription for the purpose was raised; the officers were billeted on the city, and Loudon won what to him was a greater victory than if he had defeated Montcalm.

The only brilliant event which relieved the dull monotony of continued defeat was a substantial victory on the Alleghany River in Pennsylvania. Dr. Franklin after superintending the construction of small posts along the Pennsylvania frontier, from the Delaware to the borders of Maryland as a defence against hostile Indians, retired from military life.

The Indians continued to harass the frontier, and Colonel John Armstrong, with three hundred Virginians and Pennsylvania militia, proceeded on the night of the 7th of September, 1756, to chastise the Delawares at Kittanning, one of the principal towns (now in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania), within thirty-five miles of Fort Du Quesne. Stealthily crossing the Alleghany Mountains, they fell upon the Indian town at early dawn and killed many savages before they were fully awake. The slaughter of Indians was great, and the village was wholly destroyed. It had the effect of completely