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This volume is a historical narrative, in French, of the French and Indian War and Britain's annexation of Canada to its territorial possessions in America. The volume also holds a copy of the Articles of the Capitulation of Montreal.

The Histoire Abregée de la Conquête du Canada is a contemporary account of the events between 1753 and 1760 describing Britain's annexation of Canada to its territorial possessions in America. The narrative moves chronologically and focuses on the year 1759, when French Quebec fell to the English. In 1753, the Canadian, English, and American governments were in conflict over trade along the Ohio River. In 1755 the French routed the army of General Braddock, who died in battle, and by 1757 had control over all vital marine passages to Canada from the Ohio Valley and Western New York. The British lost an attack on the French fort at Niagara but took Crown Point under the leadership of Colonel William Johnson. Chalon relates the movements of Generals Amherst, John Prideaux, Montcalm, and Wolfe and describes the ships, frigates, troops, and munitions for both sides, while giving a full account of the important engagements throughout the war. General James Wolfe, who successfully led British troops to victory over Quebec, receives a particularly heroic description from Chalon. The author next describes the harsh winter of 1760, the French attempt to re-take the city, and the British victory at Montreal under General Amherst, completing the conquest of Canada.

The volume ends with two transcriptions. The first is the thirty-four Articles of the Capitulation of Montreal, which concerns the transfer of military control from the French to the English. Of interest are Article 30, which provides for the protection of Indians, and Article 33, which declared that blacks having the status of slaves were to remain so, in the hands of their French masters. Second is The Fourth Article of the Peace Treaty of 1763, which guaranteed religious tolerance of French Canadian Catholics and the liberty of those subjects now under English rule.

Throughout the narrative, Chalon discusses the roles that the "Indian Nations" played in the conflict as both instigators of conflicts and, at times, as pawns of the two European powers.

The John Louis Ligonier letter books (containing 842 letters) are made up of the outgoing letters of the field marshal, master general of the ordnance, and commander-in-chief of the British army during the Seven Years' War. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a recipient index, which may be accessed here: John Louis Ligonier Letter Books Recipient Index.

The John Louis Ligonier letter books (1758-1760, 237 pages; and 1760-1761, 279 pages) contain outgoing letters of the field marshal, master general of the ordnance, and commander-in-chief of the British army during the Seven Years War.

The 1758-1760 volume contains copies of 298 letters, most of which are outgoing items signed by Ligonier with 30 signed by his secretary Richard Cox. Ligonier communicated frequently with various officers and officials in the British military, including Secretary of War William Barrington, Major General Jeffery Amherst, Lord George Beauclerk, Judge Advocate Charles Gould Morgan, Marquis of Granby, Major General Napier, William Pitt, Duke of Richmond, Lord George Sackville, Earl of Shaftesbury, Prince Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, and James Wolfe. Ligonier's letters deal primarily with personnel and regimental matters, including troop provisioning and payment of troops, problems with recruitment, appointments and promotions, troop movements, troop health, desertions and mutinies, prisoners of war, and orders for officers. While his focus was on the war in America, Ligonier also commanded armies in Scotland and England, and British invasions into France. In addition to the letters, this volume also contains a report on the court martial of George Sackville for failure to follow orders (April 23, 1760), and a document concerning ordnance management, containing instructions for military recordkeeping (pages 85-90). See additional descriptive data for a complete list of the letters.

The second letter book, 1760-1761, contains 544 outgoing letters from John Louis Ligonier (442 items) and his secretary Richard Cox (102 items). Ligonier communicated most frequently with Secretary of War William Barrington, Lord George Beauclerk, the Marquis of Granby, Marquis Townshend, the Mayor of Bath Ralph Allen, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Napier, Lieutenant General Alexander Duroure, and Major General Studholme Hodgson. Ligonier discussed financial matters, recruitment issues, troop movements, the succession of officers, and the selling and purchasing of commissions. The most pressing matters that Ligonier wrote about were depleted financial resources, inadequate numbers of soldiers, and the lack of new recruits. The volume also includes congratulatory letters to officers returning from campaigns and correspondence pertinent to William Barrington's transfer to become Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ligonier's letters to Jeffery Amherst contain remarks on the Siege of Quebec (July 25, 1760) and the capture of Belle Isle (October 28, 1761).

In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a recipient index, which may be accessed here: John Louis Ligonier Letter Books Recipient Index.

• March 17, 1752: A bill for accounts of land and sea services, spanning 1746-1752, addressed to Mr. Gashry
• July 12, 1758: A copied letter from Ligonier to Louis de Brunswick (in French)
• November 25, 1758: A copied letter from Ligonier to Monsieur La Houliere at Bath, England (in French)
• Undated: A copied letter from Ligonier (in French)