The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-08

 period and the men were mostly em- ployed in the construction of Fort Will Ham Henry at the southern end of Lake George,
 My limited and I admit uneducated military vision could see no earthly reason for the erection of thls place of defense It was on low ground, easy of attack from the water, and sur rounded by high hllls commanding 1t on two sides. pr, Trumbul says 1t was built to guard the road 10 Albany. over which all army supplies had to be sent
 The North Haven men came home in November and December. Thus ended thu year 1755
 The muster rolls of the Connecticut forces for the year 1756 show that four (D more regiments were called for. In this year the king sent over twenty-three chests of silver and two chests of gold of value of $124,140 dollars, which he presented to the col onies "as a free gift and reward for past services and encouragement to defend his majesty's possessions in North America" He also sent 10000 muskets and ammunition and 6,000 men All this was heroic, and had he sent competent officials to spend the money, and able generals to lead the armies, he would have swept every Frenchman off the face of the earth from the northern border to the North Pole Dr. Trumbull says the British leaders did more injury to the cause of the colonies than all the French army.
 We had an army of 1000 provin- cials (volunteers) and 5000 regulars This force remained inactive. The French obtained control of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the country of the Five nations Qndian tribes). Winter came on-the provincial troops re- turned to their homes, and the regu- lars-except such as garrisoned the forts, went into quarters at Albany Thus ended the year l756. North Haven men took no part in this cam paign
 In the spring of 1757 the British government resolved upon the seige of Louisburg It sent over force of 5000 regulars, thirteen battleships and fifty transports. These gathered at Halifax The provincials protested this move, claiming that the conquest of Ticonderoga and the routing of the enemy at Grown Point would do more to relieve the situation than an ad- vance on Canada, but without avail Large numbers were withdrawn from | the border ard ordered northward. Colonel Montcalm of the French was quick to see the defenseless con. | dition this move uncovered, and gath. ering force of 5000 men floated down Lake George. assaulted and captured Fort William Henry while massacre by his Indian allies fol lowed. of men, women and children | too horrible to mention.
 When this was all over, New Eng land became exasperated as never be- | fore. Proclamation was made for men for the defense of Fort William Henry. If the volunteer had q gun powder horn, bullet pouch and blank ct. he was promised bounty of be- l tween sl0 and $l1. If he had served in the former campaigns and owned a blanket, he had promised him extra about ss bounty. and months pa, in advance. which pay had been raised to five dollars and one-half for twen. weight days.
 | The daily rations of the British sol. dier was sixteen ounces of bread 1 fourteen ounces of salt pork or six. teen ounces of beef. one gill of rum one-half pint of peas or beans ant two ounces of ginger-though foi what earthly purpose the latter wa, issued Is unknown, unless to be taker in the face of the enemy to inspire courage -- sugar. molasses, meal cheese, when possible. The civil wal ration was: l6 ounces hard bread. 1. ounces salf pork or 20 ounces of beef one-half gill of beans or l-2 ounce! of rice, 1 12 ounces of coffee. l.. ounces of sugar. vinegar, salt. soup tea, onions potatoes but no ginger.
 A day of fasting and prayer was tc be observed in Connecticut Contri buttons were taken in the churche. and lottery of $40,000 was drawr in Hartford under the rallylng CT, For the Defense of Fort William Henry" All this, let me remind you was done after the fort was captured
 The colonies instantly responded |, the alarm, Twenty of our men on rolled For the Defense of Fort VII liam Henry" This is the muster stephen Cooper, Seth Barnes. Thad deus Barnes, John Cooper, Timoth! Cooper Jared Hill, Isaac Crockett Gershom Barnes, Jesse Blakeslee James Hill, Isaac Stiles, Ithama Todd, Gorshom Todd, Aaron Day, Sal win Eaton, Moses Thorpe Oliver Todd Ebenezer Humaston, Jude Blakeslee Reuben Bachelor, Caleb Cooper.
 It is not impossible that other Nortl Haven men marched with this littl band either in this or other years There are names on the rolls tha have a familiar ring in connection with our families and our history, bu as the evidence Is circumstantial the. arc omitted in this mention
 These volunteers, and the others il onnecticut--about 5000 in all--d, not seem to have been consolidated il regiments. Probably the urgency 0 the Call prevented such assembling They were gone but seventeen day and It is uncertain how far the, marched; probably to Albany-possi bly, to Saratoga. Haste incompetence ---indecsion on the part of the leadini generals, characterized the who'll campaign The provincial troop were mustered out of service and tn regulars garrisoned Fort Edward an, the City of Albany, Thus ended tn campaign of 1757 to the eternal dis grace of those who directed the cOun