Search

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)

The Samuel Morris journal contains the daily accounts of a Connecticut private and clerk serving under Captain Andrew Dalrymple and Colonel Eleazer Fitch during the French and Indian War. From 1758 to 1759, Morris' regiment was stationed at Fort Edward, Crown Point, and nearby camps around Lake George. On July 26, 1759, Morris witnessed the Battle of Ticonderoga (Fort Carillon) lead by Jeffery Amherst.

The Samuel Morris journal (187 pages) contains the daily accounts of a Connecticut private and clerk serving in Captain Andrew Dalrymple’s Massachusetts Regiment and Colonel Eleazer Fitch's 4th Connecticut Regiment during the French and Indian War. From 1758 to 1759, Morris' regiment was stationed at Fort Edward, Crown Point, and nearby camps around Lake George. On July 26, 1759, Morris witnessed the Battle of Ticonderoga (Fort Carillon) lead by Jeffery Amherst.

• Part I: May 25 to October 16, 1758 (pages 1-43)
• Part II: April 6-December 14, 1759 (pages 44-117)
• Part III: Accounts and memoranda (pages 118-187)

The first section (pages 1-43) records the activities of a Massachusetts regiment commanded by Captain Andrew Dalrymple during their march from Woodstock to Fort Edward in May 1758, and the British military encampment near Lake George (June to November 1758). Described are the march north, camp and weather conditions, various small expeditions around Lake George, news of skirmishes with the enemy, and details on deaths and burials.

• Page 10: A report of a soldier accidentally getting shot by a fellow soldier
• Pages 13, 23, 31, 32: Remarks about Major Robert Rogers and his skirmishes with the Indians
• Page 34: Colonel John Bradstreet's success in the taking of "Cattorogway"

The second section (pages 44-117) details Morris' experiences as a sergeant under David Holmes in the 4th Connecticut Regiment, stationed near Lake George. He described the journey to Albany with stops in Massachusetts and Fort Miller Falls, New York, and the activities of the British/colonial army preparing for a conflict with the French and their Indian allies. Included is an account of the fall of Fort Ticonderoga (July 26, 1759), and a description of sickness and hardship experienced at Crown Point from August to November 1759. Entries from this section also contain remarks about going to church, hearing sermons, and prayer (or lack thereof) on Sundays.

• Page 50: Morris is married on May 3, 1759
• Page 67: British are alarmed by French and Indians on Lake George and Major Rogers skirmishes with the enemy
• Page 77: Colonel Townshend killed by a cannon ball
• Page 78: British troops are in position outside Fort Ticonderoga
• Page 82: Generals James Wolfe and Jeffery Amherst issue construction and wood chopping instructions
• Page 85: Punishments issued for two men in Thomas Gage's light infantry
• Page 102: Quebec taken by the British
• Page 117: After his army service, Morris begins teaching at a school in Sturbridge, Massachusetts

The remainder of the volume is comprised of accounts and memoranda primarily written from Dudley, Massachusetts (pages 118-187). Included is an entry stating that Morris had moved his family to Sturbridge, Massachusetts (April 6, 1760). Morris also documented accounts from 1761-1762 for food, goods, and services, including paying workers for construction, fieldwork, chopping wood, transporting goods to a mill, and charges for the use of his oxen and horse. Page 132 contains a receipt for goods bought and sold in Boston, and page 142 briefly documents Henry Morris's three-month travels to Lake Erie and back. Also of note is a list of sergeants for the 2nd guard (page 162), a list of men serving under Andrew Dalrymple (pages 180-183), and an account of the dying words of Captain Bartman at Albany, age 27, in 1758 (page 179).

The William Henry Lyttelton papers document Lyttelton's career as governor of South Carolina and governor of Jamaica. These items primarily relate to colonial administration of South Carolina and Jamaica, and military engagements with Native Americans on the South Carolina frontier and against the French in the West Indies.

The William Henry Lyttelton papers (1217 items) document Lyttelton's service as governor of South Carolina and governor of Jamaica. The collection consists of 864 letters (including 26 letters from Lyttelton), 316 documents, 37 financial records, four letter books, and one personal account book. These items primarily relate to colonial administration of South Carolina and Jamaica, and military engagements with Native Americans on the frontier and against the French in the West Indies. Document types include intelligence reports, orders, treaties, drafts of acts, pardons, and speeches; financial documents consist of disbursements, payment and supply receipts, and government and military expenses.

The bulk of the collection documents Lyttelton's governorship in South Carolina. Lyttelton received communications and reports from officials in London, southern governors, the Superintendent for Indian Affairs in the Southern Colonies John Stuart, Indian Agent Edmond Atkin, military commanders, and members of the South Carolina Commons House of Assembly, the Council, and courts. Some of the most important items are 37 letters, reports, and enclosures from Agent Edmond Atkin on Indian relations, and 21 letters from Jeffery Amherst that describe his activities against the French at Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) and Crown Point.

• Construction of new forts and reports on the condition of forts and other defense efforts
• Taxes, trade, tariffs, and embargoes concerning South Carolina
• Relations and conflicts with various tribes, including the Catawba, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Coweta, Creek, Shawnee, and Savannah tribes
• The escalating Anglo-Cherokee war (Cherokee Rebellion) and French efforts to ally with the Cherokee during the French and Indian War
• The postage system connecting the southern provinces
• Smallpox and diseases among settlers, troops, and Native American populations
• Intelligence on French military activities, including many intercepted French letters

In addition to communications between colonial officials regarding trade policies, peace treaties, boundary agreements, and military conflicts, the collection also contains letters and speeches from various Native American leaders including: Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter), Black Dog, King Hagler, Long Dog, Ohatchie [Wohatchee], Oconostota [Ouconnostotah], Old Hop, Standing Turkey, Tistoe of Keowee, Usteneka (Judge's friend), Willinawa, The Wolf, and Young Warrior of Estatoe. (See Additional Descriptive Data for a list of items written by Native Americans.)

• September 7, 1730: Copy of "Articles of Friendship & Commerce proposed by the Lords Commissioners for trade and plantations to the Deputies of the Cherokee Nation in South Carolina"
• July 18, 1755-April 23, 1756: Jerome Courtonne's journal of his time with the Chickasaw Nation in Georgia
• August 3-September 1755: Lyttelton's account of his capture by the French on his way to South Carolina, his imprisonment in France, and his return to England
• July 5, 1756: Instructions to end communications with the French in South Carolina and to stop supplying them with provisions or arms
• September 15, 1756: Conflicts between the Upper Creek and the colonial settlements at Ogeechee
• November 8 and 12, 1756: Directions from William De Brahm to Raymond Demere concerning the operations of Fort Septentrional on the Tennessee River
• [1756]: Daniel Pepper to Lyttelton with remarks on the Creek Nation
• [1756]: "Short observations upon several points relative to the present constitution of the province of South Carolina"
• March 4, 1757: Proposal to improve fortifications at Charleston and Fort Johnson
• April 24, 1757: Minutes of a meeting of governors from Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia concerning southern defenses
• May 1757: Proposed Asylum Act for the settlement of Georgia
• September 12, 1757: Letter from Thomas Wigg to Lyttelton concerning the construction of Fort Lyttelton
• [1757]: Catawba leader King Hagler to Cherokee leader Old Hop concerning the Catawba joining the British against the French and their Indian allies
• June 24, 1758: Intelligence from three French deserters from forts in French Louisiana
• July 27, 1758: Copy of article of capitulation between Generals Amherst, Admiral Boscowen, and Drucour at Louisbourg
• September 8, 1758: Joseph Wright’s journal of negotiations with the Lower Creeks (July 20-August 7, 1758)
• December 23, 1758: Letter from John Murray to Lyttelton which includes a list of acts to be reviewed by the South Carolina Assembly
• May 5, 1759: Intelligence from Samuel Wyly on a Cherokee attack on colonial settlers
• May 17, 1759: Advertisement warning against illegal trading with Native Americans
• July 27, 1759: Letter from Jeffrey Amherst to Lyttelton describing the taking Ticonderoga and Crown Point from the French
• August 1, 1759: Intelligence from Cherokee Indian Buffalo Skin to Paul Demere
• August 18, 1759: Copy of a treaty between Great Britain and the Choctaw Nation with a list of Choctaw towns and prices for trade goods
• September 4, 1759: Letter from James Wright to Lyttelton enclosing copies of two letters from Benjamin Franklin concerning the postal system
• October 12, 1759: South Carolina Assembly to Lyttelton regarding resolutions on the Cherokee Expedition
• October 19, 1759: List of Cherokee living in Charleston
• [October 1759]: A letter from King Hagler and other Catawba leaders voicing their friendship with the colonists and describing an outbreak of smallpox in their community (with signatures from chiefs)
• November 30, 1759: Edmond Atkin letter with enclosures regarding negotiations with Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee tribes, as well as intelligence
• [1759]: Lyttelton's declaration of war against the Cherokee
• January 29, February 12, 1760: Extracts of letters concerning murders and outrages committed by Cherokees
• February 7, 1760: Journal kept at Fort Prince George during an attack by the Cherokee signed by R. Coytmer, Alexander Miln, and John Bell (January 13-February 7, 1760)

The collection contains 162 items that document Lyttelton's service in Jamaica (1761-1766). These consist primarily of letters from various naval officers, army officers, and British agents serving in the West Indies. Lyttelton also received letters from the Jamaica Committee of Correspondence, and local planters. Of note is material on the Coromantee slave rebellion (Tacky's Rebellion), a violent slave insurrection at St. Mary Parish in Jamaica in 1765.

• Relations with other European properties in the West Indies and conflicts with Spain and France
• The British capture of the Morro Fortress in Havana
• The losses suffered by the Boston merchant ship John Gally after the French capture of Turks Islands
• Slave labor in Jamaica and the practice of raising regiments of slaves and black men to fight for Britain
• Sickness among the British troops and African slaves
• Danger of wide scale slave disturbances and escapes in November-December 1765
• Disagreements between Sir James Douglas and Lyttelton after Douglas was not saluted when he arrived on the island
• News that Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, the secretary of state of the Southern Department, had died
• British Acts of Navigation and laws passed in Jamaica
• Differences of opinion on taxes between continental proprietors and island proprietors and on the implementation and repeal of the Stamp Act
• Issues surrounding smuggling brandy and levying duties on spirits
• Inspections of the fortifications in Jamaica in preparation for war
• The Jamaica assembly's efforts to remove Lyttelton from office for alleged misconduct

Also of note is a letter from Mary Fearon regarding Lyttelton's purchase of a slave for his children in England (March 21, 1766). The collection contains one letter from Lyttelton's retirement in England, a June 8, 1796, item addressed to Mortimer Street concerning poetry.

Volume 1 (446 pages) and Volume 2 (76 pages) are a copy books containing letters from Lyttelton to British government and military officials, covering August 1757 to March 1760, while Lyttelton was governor of South Carolina. These provide answers to many of the incoming letters from the Correspondence and Documents series. Both volumes have alphabetical indices of letter recipients.

Volume 3 (125 pages) is a copybook containing two sets of letters. In the first group (pages 1-99) are secret and private dispatches between Lyttelton and British military leadership related to coordinating attacks on French forts in Alabama, Mobile, and Florida (1758-1759). The second group (pages 1a-26a) consists of miscellaneous letters labeled "Omitted in the Former Books," (1756-1759).

Volume 4 (30 pages) is Lyttelton's personal copybook covering his outgoing letters from April 15, 1762 to September 11, 1765, while stationed in Jamaica. Recipients include Governor General Philippe-François of Saint-Domingue, Marquis de Lambertye, Governor de St. Louis, Comte de Choiseul, Colonel John Irwin, Captain Kafflin, Monieur de Chambette de St. Louis a Paris, Captain Geofry, Comte do Ricla, and Comte d'Elva. Several of the letters concern prisoners of war. All letters are in French.

Volume 5 (167 pages) is Lyttelton's accounts book covering 1755 to 1806. The accounts detail Lyttelton's income, expenditures, and investments throughout his career, including his posts in South Carolina, Jamaica, Portugal, and England. Entries occasionally include brief mentions of his and his family's whereabouts.