按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the hilltops all the time； and any rashness on his part would probably have brought disaster upon him。 After his force had been withdrawn； the Indians again attacked and burned Gnadenhutten。
The chain of forts； at first seventeen； afterwards increased to fifty； built by the Assembly on the Pennsylvania frontier was a good plan so far as it went； but it was merely defensive and by no means completely defensive； since Indian raiding parties could pass between the forts。 They served chiefly as refuges for neighboring settlers。 The colonial troops or militia； after manning the fifty forts and sending their quota to the operations against Canada by way of New England and New York； were not numerous enough to attack the Indians。 They could only act on the defensive as Franklin's command had done。 As for the rangers； as the small bands of frontiersmen acting without any authority of either governor or legislature were called； they were very efficient as individuals but they accomplished very little because they acted at widely isolated spots。 What was needed was a well organized force which could pursue the Indians on their own ground so far westward that the settlers on the frontier would be safe。 The only troops which could do this were the British regulars with the assistance of the colonial militia。
Two energetic efforts to end the war without aid from abroad were made； however； one by the pacific Quakers and the other by the combatant portion of the people。 Both of these were successful so far as they went； but had little effect on the general situation。 In the summer of 1756； the Quakers made a very earnest effort to persuade the two principal Pennsylvania tribes； the Delawares and Shawanoes； to withdraw from the French alliance and return to their old friends。 These two tribes possessed a knowledge of the country which enabled them greatly to assist the French designs on Pennsylvania。 Chiefs of these tribes were brought under safe conducts to Philadelphia； where they were entertained as equals in the Quaker homes。 Such progress； indeed； was made that by the end of July a treaty of peace was concluded at Easton eliminating those two tribes from the war。 This has sometimes been sneered at as mere Quaker pacifism； but it was certainly successful in lessening the numbers and effectiveness of the enemy。
The other undertaking was a military one； the famous attack upon Kittanning conducted by Colonel John Armstrong； an Ulsterman from Carlisle； Pennsylvania； and the first really aggressive officer the province had produced。 The Indians had two headquarters for their raids into the province； one at Logstown on the Ohio a few miles below Fort Duquesne； and the other at Kittanning or； as the French called it； Attique； about forty miles northeast。 At these two points they assembled their forces； received ammunition and supplies from the French； and organized their expeditions。 As Kittanning was the nearer； Armstrong in a masterly maneuver took three hundred men through the mountains without being discovered and； by falling upon the village early in the morning； he effected a complete surprise。 The town was set on fire； the Indians were put to flight； and large quantities of their ammunition were destroyed。 But Armstrong could not follow up his success。 Threatened by overwhelming numbers； he hastened to withdraw。 The effect which the fighting and the Quaker treaty had on the frontier was good。 Incursions of the savages were； at least for the present； checked。 But the root of the evil had not yet been reached； and the Indians remained massed along the Ohio； ready to break in upon the people again at the first opportunity。
The following year； 1757； was the most depressing period of the war。 The proprietors of Pennsylvania took the opportunity to exempt their own estate from taxation and throw the burden of furnishing money for the war upon the colonists。 Under pressure of the increasing success of the French and Indians and because the dreadful massacres were coming nearer and nearer to Philadelphia； the Quaker Assembly yielded； voted the largest sum they had ever voted to the war； and exempted the proprietary estates。 The colony was soon boiling with excitement。 The Churchmen； as friends of the proprietors； were delighted to have the estates exempted； thought it a good opportunity to have the Quaker Assembly abolished； and sent petitions and letters and proofs of alleged Quaker incompetence to the British Government。 The Quakers and a large majority of the colonists； on the other hand； instead of consenting to their own destruction； struck at the root of the Churchmen's power by proposing to abolish the proprietors。 And in a letter to Isaac Norris； Benjamin Franklin； who had been sent to England to present the grievances of the colonists； even suggested that 〃tumults and insurrections that might prove the proprietary government unable to preserve order； or show the people to be ungovernable； would do the business immediately。〃
Turmoil and party strife rose to the most exciting heights； and the details of it might； under certain circumstances； be interesting to describe。 But the next year； 1758； the British Government； by sending a powerful force of regulars to Pennsylvania； at last adopted the only method for ending the war。 Confidence was at once restored。 The Pennsylvania Assembly now voted the sufficient and； indeed； immense sum of one hundred thousand pounds； and offered a bounty of five pounds to every recruit。 It was no longer a war of defense but now a war of aggression and conquest。 Fort Duquesne on the Ohio was taken； and the next autumn Fort Pitt was built on its ruins。 Then Canada fell； and the French empire in America came to an end。 Canada and the Great West passed into the possession of the Anglo…Saxon race。
Chapter VII。 The Decline Of Quaker Government
When the treaty of peace was signed in 1763； extinguishing France's title to Canada and turning over Canada and the Mississippi Valley to the English； the colonists were prepared to enjoy all the blessings of peace。 But the treaty of peace had been made with France； not with the red man。 A remarkable genius； Pontiac； appeared among the Indians； one of the few characters； like Tecumseh and Osceola； who are often cited as proof of latent powers almost equal to the strongest qualities of the white race。 Within a few months he had united all the tribes of the West in a discipline and control which； if it had been brought to the assistance of the French six years earlier； might have conquered the colonies to the Atlantic seaboard before the British regulars could have come to their assistance。 The tribes swept westward into Pennsylvania； burning； murdering； and leveling every habitation to the ground with a thoroughness beyond anything attempted under the French alliance。 The settlers and farmers fled eastward to the towns to live in cellars； camps； and sheds as best they could。* Fortunately the colonies retained a large part of the military organization； both men and officers； of the French War； and were soon able to handle the situation。 Detroit and Niagara were relieved by water； and an expedition commanded by Colonel Bouquet； who had distinguished himself under General Forties； saved Fort Pitt。
* For an account of Pontiac's conspiracy； see 〃The Old Northwest〃 by Frederic A。 Ogg （in 〃The Chronicles of America〃）。
At this time the Scotch…Irish frontiersmen suddenly became prominent。 They had been organizing for their own protection and were meeting with not a little success。 They refused to join the expedition of regular troops marching westward against Pontiac's warriors； because they wanted to protect their own homes and because they believed the regulars to be marching to sure destruction。 Many of the regular troops were invalided from the West Indies； and the Scotch…Irish never expected to see any of them again。 They believed that the salvation of Pennsylvania； or at least of their part of the province； depended entirely upon themselves。 Their increasing numbers and rugged independence were forming them also into an organized political party with decided tendencies； as it afterwards appeared； towards forming a separate state。
The extreme narrowness of the Scotch…Irish； however； misled them。 The only real safety for the province lay in regularly constituted and strong expeditions； like that of Bouquet； which would drive the main body of the savages far westward。 But the Scotch…Irish could not see this； and with that intensity of passion which marked all their actions they turned their energy and vengeance upon the Quakers and semicivilized Indians in the eastern end of the colony。 Their preachers； who were their principal leaders and organizers； encouraged them in denouncing Quaker doctrine as a wicked heresy from which only evil could result。 The Quakers had offended God from the beginning by making treaties of kindness with the heathen savages instead of exterminating them as the Scripture commanded： 〃And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee； thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them； thou shalt make no covenant with them； nor show mercy unto them。〃 The Scripture had not been obeyed； the heathen had not been destroyed； on the contr