Musket & Tomahawk: A Military History of the French & Indian War, 1753-1760 (Regiments & Campaigns)

Product Information

John Campbell, Earl of Loudoun, c.1753. During his tenure as commanderin-chief in North America during 1756 and 1757, General Loudoun formulated the master strategy that was followed by the British government for the conquest of New France. He is shown in the uniform of the 30th Regiment of Foot. (Collection and photo: Fort Ligonier, Pennsylvania) Brigadier-General John Forbes as colonel of the 17th Foot, c.1757. Colored sketch made at the beginning of the 20th century by the Reverend Percy Sumner of a portrait of the mid-18th century (whereabouts presently unknown). (Sumner notebooks. Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, Brown University Library, Providence, USA. Author’s photo.) Tomahawk and Musket – French and Indian Raids in the Ohio Valley 1758 edition. In any event, he later wrote to William Pitt that he had applied “the Generall principles upon which I have proceeded” from Turpin “regarding precautions by having posts along my route…” (CO 5/50). From late April, but especially during May, contingents gradually moved westward towards Raystown, 217 miles (349 km) from Philadelphia, where all units would regroup. Also heading there were up to 360 supply wagons as well the artillery. Forbes instructed Bouquet to go ahead to Raystown while he remained at Philadelphia with St. Clair to sort out various supply problems, then headed out in late June. Meanwhile, as he moved west, Bouquet found the existing road increasingly difficult and finally found it easier to built an entirely new one west of Fort Loudoun, and reached Fort Lyttleton (also spelled Littleton), which had been built by Pennsylvania

Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Bouquet, c.1755. He was the senior officer after General Forbes in his army during the 1758 campaign. (Print from an unsigned portrait. Author’s photo) Ammunition wagon, mid18th century. This type of wagon was drawn by four horses and had a capacity to carry up to 1,200 pounds. “Ammunition” at the time could include various types of military stores, tools and rations. (Reproduction. Fort Ligonier Museum, Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Author’s photo)A view of Fort Bedford’s northwest side, summer of 1758. As can be seen in this painting by Nat Youngblood, there is a lot of activity outside of the fort. (Fort Pitt Museum, Pittsburg. Author’s photo) Indians, most of whom are on the far bank of the Allegheny, cross the river and advance towards the hills. Montour, the “Enemy’s strength both as to Indians, French and Canadians and the present situation of their fort be infinitely stronger than any thing I ever could have imagined… [Croghan and Montour] sending me positive accounts that their numbers exceed greatly 4000, in and about the Fort…” By October 8, Croghan was still insisting that there were about 4,000 enemies, but Forbes now informed Abercromby that “This I cannot believe” and now thought that “their whole force are not more than 1200 men which is in their fort…” A week later, on October 15, Forbes wrote to Bouquet informing him that the Ohio Indians had told the participants at the meeting going on in Easton at the time that “the French will have in those parts near four thousand men French, Canadians, & Indians. That they have provisions in plenty as yet; That the Canadians are not at all in the Fort but that they as well as the western Indians were scattered about in the Indian villages where they help the inhabitants to build huts & houses and were ready at a Call” (Forbes: pp. 217, 227, 230). Thus plagued with obviously dubious information, General Forbes was rightly suspicious about American intelligence services. On the French side, everyone knew in Fort Duquesne that major reinforcements amounting to thousands of troops would not be coming to the Ohio Valley to face a large Anglo-American army. The defense resources of New France were already stretched to the limit and its few thousands of regular soldiers could be concentrated on only one front. In the summer of

Destruction of Fort de la Presqu’île, 1759. Following their evacuation and destruction of Fort Duquesne, forts Machault (or Venango), Le Boeuf, and de la Presqu’île were also set on fire by the retreating French and Canadians. (Anonymous 1930s painting. Erie County Historical Society, Erie, Pennsylvania. Author’s photo) A column of about 500 men under Captain Aubry heads toward the hills, edging the Monongahela River.Origins Colonel George Washington, Virginia Regiment. Although this 19th-century painting shows the regiment’s officer’s coat buttons and lace as being of gold, they were actually silver. (Unknown artist. Collection and photo: Fort Ligonier Museum, Ligonier, Pennsylvania) With Musket and Tomahawk is a vivid account of the American and British struggles in the sprawling wilderness region of the American northeast during the Revolutionary War. Combining strategic, tactical, and personal detail, historian Michael Logusz describes how the patriots of the newly organized Northern Army defeated England’s massive onslaught of 1777, all but ensuring America’s independence. Tomahawk and Musket – French and Indian Raids in the Ohio Valley 1758 shouts… The fight was brisk and stubborn…the loss of the English was 400 killed, a large number wounded and at least 100 made prisoners including the commander [Grant] and other officers. We lost 8 Canadians killed and 8 wounded… Mr. Aubry, captain of the troops of New Orleans as well as all officers of the detachment from the Illinois gave proof of great valor in this affair…1 Vaudreuil, Governor-General 53, 56, 59, 71, 72 Virginia 11, 13, 14, 15, 17 Ward, Capt Edward 39 warfare (Anglo-American forces) 13, 37–38, 70 warfare (French/New France forces) 7, 8, 10, 15, 46–47, 70, 72–73 Washington, Col George 13, 16, 75 conflict with Forbes 40, 42 Jumonville Glen 11–12 Lt. Corbière’s patrol 69 Virginia Provincials 29, 30, 31 weapons 7, 27–28, 30, 31, 34 Initial Strategy Brigadier-General John Forbes, c.1750. He is shown wearing the uniform of 2nd (Scots Greys) North British Dragoons. (Collection and photo: Fort Ligonier, Pennsylvania)