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1758] Failure of the attack. 135 no easy matter. Montcalm, who had de Levis and Bourlamaque with him, knew well that against artillery he was powerless, and that a mere blockade without even firing a shot would soon reduce him. His only hope lay in some blundering on the part of the English commander ; and a Frenchman of that day had fair cause to regard it as no forlorn one. Montcalm's risk was justified by the sequel. Abercrombie came on without artillery or a competent engineer, and Lord Howe was killed in a skirmish that took place as the troops were advancing through the woods from the landing-place. The French entrenchment, defended by 3500 good troops, was impervious to musketry or the bayonet. Abercrombie believed the defenders to be in greater force even than this, but nevertheless proceeded at once to launch the flower of his army upon the hopeless task. A lamentable scene ensued. The abatis of branches lining the ramparts was immovable and almost impenetrable. Behind it was a log wall, eight feet high, from which poured a continuous stream of lead. For four hours the troops came on, regiment after regiment struggling wildly and vainly, amid the labyrinth of branches, to reach the defences behind. Rarely have British soldiers exhibited more dauntless though futile heroism. Abercrombie blundered again in failing to see that he was sacrificing the lives of brave men in vain. Human endurance at length gave out : nearly 2000 men, of whom 1600 were regulars, had fallen in this short quarter of a summer day. The 42nd Highlanders in round numbers had lost 500 out of 1000 men. The mortality speaks for the valour of the troops, for there was no pursuit or outside fighting. Every man was shot, deliberately rushing on that hopeless wall of flame. The victorious French, whose losses were small, as they had fought under cover, were, as was natural enough, elated to ecstacy, but, dreading a second attack of Abercrombie's still formidable army, conducted probably with judgment and artillery, they made every effort to reinforce Ticonderoga. In no long time, instead of 3000, 12,000 men were there ; and for that season the path to Canada was unconquerable. Abercrombie, in the meantime, had conveyed his dispirited army back to its old camp, where Amherst joined him with the Louisbourg troops in October. One enterprise saved Abercrombie's immediate command from the blame of unrelieved failure. This was the work of an able provincial officer, Bradstreet, who, with 3000 provincial troops, made a bold dash through the northern wilderness to Lake Ontario, and destroyed Frontenac, one of the great fortified trading-posts of the French. He captured its small garrison, together with a large quantity of stores and guns, burnt their fleet on Lake Ontario, and destroyed, as it turned out for ever, this ancient base of French attack. A few words too must be said of the third great expedition which signalised this busy year, namely that of Forbes against Fort Duquesne, the key of the Ohio. Joseph Forbes was an able and devoted