The game looks like it is very finely balanced with a lot of emphasis on manouver at least to my untrained eye. Very enjoyable keep it up!
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Every time it seems one side has gained a clear advantage, there's a reverse that completely unsettles matters again. Intriguing... I have no idea who is getting ahead, if indeed anyone is at this time. Makes for an AAR that really grabs my attention.
This war is the French and Indians war, not the English and Indians war!
April 1756
Iroquois Confederacy's assembly in Geneseo
Sangarecha, Grand Chief of the Iroquois and the chiefs of the Seneca tribe was standing in the sacred circle of the confederacy meeting ground. Before him standed envoys from Onontio and from the 13 colonies. The two delegations were there to try to gain the Iroquois's support in their war, or at least their neutrality. Or it was what the french thought. For Sangarecha had already made up his mind. The english were richer, gave him more gift and had many more guns and soldiers to offer him. Their general, William Johnson had even promised to defend his villages and garantee Sangarecha his title of Grand Chief. Sure, he knew that the colonists wanted his people's lands, but he hoped that by taking arms with them, they would leave him alone and take the lands of the others indians tribes, allied to the frenchs.
But the Iroquois were not all confident in the english alliance. "The redcoat can never be trusted" was the motto of many chiefs while many canadiens coureurs des bois were considered as part of the various tribes of the confederacy.A show of english force would be necessary to compel them to obey Sangachera. General Sir William Johnson and his army had thus begun to march to Geneseo and show the Iroquois they had nothing to fear from the french.
Sangachera decided to go even farther in his treason of the "great peace of Montréal" his people signed with the french in 1701 and the oath of never again take arms against the children of Onontio.He ordered his men to capture every french present in the villages and to torture and kill them. He even captured the official french diplomatic delegation that was coming to great him each year in the spring headed by Claude Pécaudy de Contrecoeur, the hero of Fort Cumberland. Dozens of french were killed but many escaped, helped by Iroquois's friend and relatives. One of the coureurs, Emile Grenier, thus warned Montréal and Fort Niagara of the Iroquois treachery and the capture and torture of Contrecoeur. The Iroquois kept him alive so they could give him to the english for exchange of General Braddock, who was still in detention in Québec.
Iroquois warriors escorting their french hostages, including Contrecoeur
The shock this news would cause the destruction of the Iroquois confederacy but Sangarecha could not know it. He stood in the sacred circle, vowing alliance to the english and death to the french. He took up his tomahawk and proclamed a sacred war. The iroquois would throw their full might against New-France...But for now, he would be content of watching Contrecoeur being tortured. As the Grand Chief approched, Contrecoeur looked at him. "You have something to say, white face?" said Sangarecha in his tongue. He was surprised when Contrecoeur spat blood in his face and told him that his King would take revenge against the oathbreakers.
Contrecoeur being tortured as he watched catholic missionaries being put to death
The main french goal for year 1756 was the destruction of the main indian ally of Great-Britain. As scouts were reporting important redcoats movements in the confederacy territory and the coureurs des bois were reporting that more and more chief were being convinced to side against the french, Vaudreuil had decided to show them what Onontio was still powerful enough to force them to honor their perpetual peace oath of Montréal. He planned a mere show of force until the news reached him of Contrecoeur capture and the murder of dozens of Canadiens and Frenchs. He was enraged and ordered his brother, the Chevalier de Rigaud, to reinforce the garrison of Fort Niagara and to destroy the Iroquois menace once and for all! While Rigaud and his colonials made their way toward the front in boats, De Beaujeu would take command of all irregulars and natives New France could muster and attack Geneseo, to free Contrecoeur and avenge the murders of King Louis's subjects.
An Outaouais scout during the destruction of the Iroquois Confederacy
July 17th, the 5000 men of Beaujeu fell upon Geneseo like a thunderbolt. The attack commenced at night, destroying 4 entire tribes in a matters of hours, as the french's natives allies settled their own tribal scores with the Iroquois. The english army tried to react and took up defensives positions around the main village of Geneseo area, protecting the Iroquois chiefs and fought an entire day. At the height of the attack, De Beaujeu himself broke the ennemy line when he killed the Iroquois Grand Chief in single combat, provoking panic in the Iroquois warriors that were still holding. In the ensuing chaos, Beaujeu and the young coureur des bois who escaped the village, Emile Grenier, were able to find a bloodied Contrecoeur and bring him out of the village before the army retreated, having killed nearly 2000 enemy warriors and much more indians civilians.
Daniel Liénard, Sieur de Beaujeu, killing the Iroquois Grand Chief in single combat
As the English were tending to their wounded and celebrated their "victory" over the French and Indians, they received alarming news: a fleet of bateaux was near the shores, full of french and colonial infantry. Johnson situation was now hopeless: his indians allies were spent, his own force lacked ammunitions and no reinforcement could be hoped for. He swiftly ordered a retreat, toward Fort Bull while the forces of the chevalier de Rigaud burned Geneseo. After a month of march and skirmish, his forces reached Fort Bull to resuply and reorganise with the reinforcement sent by Albany. The news were dire, villages after villages were destroyed by the vengeful Frenchs, tribes after tribes were slautered. Something needed to be done. He sent forces to each remaining village and prepared to bring the fight to the ennemy when the alarm bell of Fort Bull began to ring. The French and Indians were here!
Indians skimishing outside of Fort Bull
Beaujeu had done a masterstroke: he had an entire army trapped and with not much supplies. If he could force this army to surrender, Albany would be vulnerable to a quick offensive from Montcalm and the war could be won in one quick operation. But after some days, it was clear that the redcoats were not ready to surrender just yet. They were too strong to be vanquished in an all-out assault and each days, a relief force could appear in the back of his lines and crush his forces. Contrecoeur, still wounded but wanting revenge, proposed to lift the hopeless siege and go south, to crush the littles forces that the english sent to the rescue of the last Iroquois villages. The Onondagas tribes were one of the last fighting forces of the Confederacy and the main french-haters behind the treason of the Iroquois.
September 1756
Colonel Dunbar was feeling the excitation of battle growing. A messenger from General Abercromby just breached the enemy "siege", if the feable armies of the frenchies could hope to achieve a real one...He was ordered to organise a sortie, coordonating his offensive with the attack of the General. Thousands of soldiers, canons, rangers...the French and Indians didn't stand a chance with their poor organisation and cowardly tactics...The attack was planned for the sunrise tomorow...Dunbar gave his orders and the men prepared all night for a fierce battle.
At sunset, the doors opened and Dunbar charged with his men toward the tree line. "We surprised them" he thought. "They are asleep, they don't even shoot"! He finally some movement, a full line of infantry aiming for volley fire "Take aim" he shouted while his troop dispersed to take cover. "HOLD YOUR FIRE LADS!" Dunbar recognised General Abercromby's voice. He finally understood why the enemy hadn't fired upon his men...They escaped. And nearly caused a battle between two british's armies. Clevers bastards.
Abercromby's soldiers nearly caused a carnage in Dunbar's army
Beaujeau's forces arrive in the Onondaga's territory at the beginning of October and proceded to destroy everything they saw. They soon discovered that the enemy was stronger they thought: the english had sent elements from 4 regiments, a whole ranger batalion and supplies and helped the Onondaga to entrench. For a whole month, Beaujeu's force and the young american commander, Phineas Lyman's soldiers fighted each other at each occasion, patrol ambushing patrol, ranger fighting indians while Canadien's coureurs des bois burned village and sniped against Lyman's officers. Beaujeu finaly ordered his men to retreat to Fort Niagara when his scouts reported that massive reinforcement were trying to cut them off. In the end, the two sides suffered massives losses. The redcoats lost three whole compagnies of regulars and one of rangers. Not one of their unit was intact. Beaujeu's forces were thinned too, especially since Langlade's column was butchered in an ambush by the Onondagas. Langlade was one of the few survivors but his feared force was no more.
The last phase of the 1756 battle of the Mohawk valley
French and Indian warband escaping the pursuing forces and heading back to Fort Niagara.
At the first snow, Chevalier de Rigaud, the commander in chief of the theater was satisfied by the operation so far: more than half of the Iroquois Conferacy was destroyed, the villages burnt and the tribes were weakened. Thousands of prisoners were sent to the allied tribes, reinforcing them. His forces prevented the building of any english post on the banks of Lake Ontario. Next spring would see the last villages destroyed.
Historian's corner: Amerindians and the war for America
The history of the natives peoples of North America is a sad one. One that is still sad now and an eternal stain upon the histories of Canada and USA. It is a very delicate matter and I will beg your forgiveness for this update. I will try to be short and straight to the point to give you a small overview.
When New France was discovered by Jacques Cartier, the initial relations between Natives and French were quite good. Amerindians helped the French survive the first winter, showing them remedy against scorbut, how to move in the abundant snow, how to make maple syrup...Since this time, New-France evolved with the natives. Mixed mariage were commun and Montcalm even remarqued that the Canadiens were more Indians than French.
Jacques Cartier making France first contact with the Amerindians
So, why were the majority of Indians tribes on the French side for the FaIw? Why did the Indians revolted to bring the French back in 1763? French and British settlers took differents way to deal with the tribes. English viewed them as ennemies or auxilliaries, depending on the situation. French saw them as allies and their main protection against the overwhelming force of the 13 Colonies. Diplomaticly, it could be resumed as divide to conquer for the English. For the French, it was another history.
I just finished many books on the great peace of Montreal and the relation between New France and the natives. The main objective of the French were to pacify the fighting tribes. They developped the relation between each chiefs and "Onontio". Onontio was the name the native gave to the Gouverneur Général of New France and they called the King their "Father over the sea". It meant "the great mountain", a litteral traduction of the name of one of the first Gouverneur, Montmagny. Onontio presented himself as the great mediator of the Indians, judging the conflicts and stopping wars. The "sauvages" were protected by the law, considered as subjects of the King and equals of the white men. Village of "domicilated" indian were installed near the cities of Montréal and Québec with christianised natives. Coureurs des bois were visiting each tribes, trading and giving gifts in the name of Onontio. In return, the tribes were sending military help to the French when they were menaced. Especially when it was against the english, who were mercilessly chasing them from their lands and killing everyone that resisted the numerous colonists who founded new villages each years.
Catholic missionary in mission in the wild lands. They were the most efficient ambassador of the King of France in new France.
Now I can already hear you: but what of the Iroquois? Of course, natives were not French. The tribes negociated and acted in Realpolitik, going from side to side. Even in the French and Indian War, tribes fought on the two sides, Iroquois could have deserted the english camp (the game represent this by the switching side of the Iroquois if Albany falls). Cherokee would leave the english alliance and wage their own war against the 13 Colonies. And as New France was falling, tribes were deserting her one after the other, after each defeats, trying to save their positions until France returned after the peace. When the news of the cession of New-France, the indians were so shocked and fearful of their future in an english dominated america that they organised their last massive revolt: the Pontiac War. And the Iroquois...The Iroquois litteraly hated French, for a simple reason: when Jacques Cartier leaved for France, 80 years before the permanent foundation of Québec, he left with the sons of Chief Donaconna, of the Iroquois. The sons died from illness in Paris and Donnaconna never heard from them again, Cartier being forbided to come back to North America while France descended in the war of religions. This became a blood feud that consolidated when Champlain and his forces helped the Algonquins against the Iroquois a century later. Peace would finally be signed in Montréal in 1701, but tensions would often explodes.
The Great Peace of Montréal, in 1701, heralded the golden age of New France
April 1756
Iroquois Confederacy's assembly in Geneseo
Sangarecha, Grand Chief of the Iroquois and the chiefs of the Seneca tribe was standing in the sacred circle of the confederacy meeting ground. Before him standed envoys from Onontio and from the 13 colonies. The two delegations were there to try to gain the Iroquois's support in their war, or at least their neutrality. Or it was what the french thought. For Sangarecha had already made up his mind. The english were richer, gave him more gift and had many more guns and soldiers to offer him. Their general, William Johnson had even promised to defend his villages and garantee Sangarecha his title of Grand Chief. Sure, he knew that the colonists wanted his people's lands, but he hoped that by taking arms with them, they would leave him alone and take the lands of the others indians tribes, allied to the frenchs.
But the Iroquois were not all confident in the english alliance. "The redcoat can never be trusted" was the motto of many chiefs while many canadiens coureurs des bois were considered as part of the various tribes of the confederacy.A show of english force would be necessary to compel them to obey Sangachera. General Sir William Johnson and his army had thus begun to march to Geneseo and show the Iroquois they had nothing to fear from the french.
Sangachera decided to go even farther in his treason of the "great peace of Montréal" his people signed with the french in 1701 and the oath of never again take arms against the children of Onontio.He ordered his men to capture every french present in the villages and to torture and kill them. He even captured the official french diplomatic delegation that was coming to great him each year in the spring headed by Claude Pécaudy de Contrecoeur, the hero of Fort Cumberland. Dozens of french were killed but many escaped, helped by Iroquois's friend and relatives. One of the coureurs, Emile Grenier, thus warned Montréal and Fort Niagara of the Iroquois treachery and the capture and torture of Contrecoeur. The Iroquois kept him alive so they could give him to the english for exchange of General Braddock, who was still in detention in Québec.
Iroquois warriors escorting their french hostages, including Contrecoeur
The shock this news would cause the destruction of the Iroquois confederacy but Sangarecha could not know it. He stood in the sacred circle, vowing alliance to the english and death to the french. He took up his tomahawk and proclamed a sacred war. The iroquois would throw their full might against New-France...But for now, he would be content of watching Contrecoeur being tortured. As the Grand Chief approched, Contrecoeur looked at him. "You have something to say, white face?" said Sangarecha in his tongue. He was surprised when Contrecoeur spat blood in his face and told him that his King would take revenge against the oathbreakers.
Contrecoeur being tortured as he watched catholic missionaries being put to death
The main french goal for year 1756 was the destruction of the main indian ally of Great-Britain. As scouts were reporting important redcoats movements in the confederacy territory and the coureurs des bois were reporting that more and more chief were being convinced to side against the french, Vaudreuil had decided to show them what Onontio was still powerful enough to force them to honor their perpetual peace oath of Montréal. He planned a mere show of force until the news reached him of Contrecoeur capture and the murder of dozens of Canadiens and Frenchs. He was enraged and ordered his brother, the Chevalier de Rigaud, to reinforce the garrison of Fort Niagara and to destroy the Iroquois menace once and for all! While Rigaud and his colonials made their way toward the front in boats, De Beaujeu would take command of all irregulars and natives New France could muster and attack Geneseo, to free Contrecoeur and avenge the murders of King Louis's subjects.
An Outaouais scout during the destruction of the Iroquois Confederacy
July 17th, the 5000 men of Beaujeu fell upon Geneseo like a thunderbolt. The attack commenced at night, destroying 4 entire tribes in a matters of hours, as the french's natives allies settled their own tribal scores with the Iroquois. The english army tried to react and took up defensives positions around the main village of Geneseo area, protecting the Iroquois chiefs and fought an entire day. At the height of the attack, De Beaujeu himself broke the ennemy line when he killed the Iroquois Grand Chief in single combat, provoking panic in the Iroquois warriors that were still holding. In the ensuing chaos, Beaujeu and the young coureur des bois who escaped the village, Emile Grenier, were able to find a bloodied Contrecoeur and bring him out of the village before the army retreated, having killed nearly 2000 enemy warriors and much more indians civilians.
Daniel Liénard, Sieur de Beaujeu, killing the Iroquois Grand Chief in single combat
As the English were tending to their wounded and celebrated their "victory" over the French and Indians, they received alarming news: a fleet of bateaux was near the shores, full of french and colonial infantry. Johnson situation was now hopeless: his indians allies were spent, his own force lacked ammunitions and no reinforcement could be hoped for. He swiftly ordered a retreat, toward Fort Bull while the forces of the chevalier de Rigaud burned Geneseo. After a month of march and skirmish, his forces reached Fort Bull to resuply and reorganise with the reinforcement sent by Albany. The news were dire, villages after villages were destroyed by the vengeful Frenchs, tribes after tribes were slautered. Something needed to be done. He sent forces to each remaining village and prepared to bring the fight to the ennemy when the alarm bell of Fort Bull began to ring. The French and Indians were here!
Indians skimishing outside of Fort Bull
Beaujeu had done a masterstroke: he had an entire army trapped and with not much supplies. If he could force this army to surrender, Albany would be vulnerable to a quick offensive from Montcalm and the war could be won in one quick operation. But after some days, it was clear that the redcoats were not ready to surrender just yet. They were too strong to be vanquished in an all-out assault and each days, a relief force could appear in the back of his lines and crush his forces. Contrecoeur, still wounded but wanting revenge, proposed to lift the hopeless siege and go south, to crush the littles forces that the english sent to the rescue of the last Iroquois villages. The Onondagas tribes were one of the last fighting forces of the Confederacy and the main french-haters behind the treason of the Iroquois.
September 1756
Colonel Dunbar was feeling the excitation of battle growing. A messenger from General Abercromby just breached the enemy "siege", if the feable armies of the frenchies could hope to achieve a real one...He was ordered to organise a sortie, coordonating his offensive with the attack of the General. Thousands of soldiers, canons, rangers...the French and Indians didn't stand a chance with their poor organisation and cowardly tactics...The attack was planned for the sunrise tomorow...Dunbar gave his orders and the men prepared all night for a fierce battle.
At sunset, the doors opened and Dunbar charged with his men toward the tree line. "We surprised them" he thought. "They are asleep, they don't even shoot"! He finally some movement, a full line of infantry aiming for volley fire "Take aim" he shouted while his troop dispersed to take cover. "HOLD YOUR FIRE LADS!" Dunbar recognised General Abercromby's voice. He finally understood why the enemy hadn't fired upon his men...They escaped. And nearly caused a battle between two british's armies. Clevers bastards.
Abercromby's soldiers nearly caused a carnage in Dunbar's army
Beaujeau's forces arrive in the Onondaga's territory at the beginning of October and proceded to destroy everything they saw. They soon discovered that the enemy was stronger they thought: the english had sent elements from 4 regiments, a whole ranger batalion and supplies and helped the Onondaga to entrench. For a whole month, Beaujeu's force and the young american commander, Phineas Lyman's soldiers fighted each other at each occasion, patrol ambushing patrol, ranger fighting indians while Canadien's coureurs des bois burned village and sniped against Lyman's officers. Beaujeu finaly ordered his men to retreat to Fort Niagara when his scouts reported that massive reinforcement were trying to cut them off. In the end, the two sides suffered massives losses. The redcoats lost three whole compagnies of regulars and one of rangers. Not one of their unit was intact. Beaujeu's forces were thinned too, especially since Langlade's column was butchered in an ambush by the Onondagas. Langlade was one of the few survivors but his feared force was no more.
The last phase of the 1756 battle of the Mohawk valley
French and Indian warband escaping the pursuing forces and heading back to Fort Niagara.
At the first snow, Chevalier de Rigaud, the commander in chief of the theater was satisfied by the operation so far: more than half of the Iroquois Conferacy was destroyed, the villages burnt and the tribes were weakened. Thousands of prisoners were sent to the allied tribes, reinforcing them. His forces prevented the building of any english post on the banks of Lake Ontario. Next spring would see the last villages destroyed.
Historian's corner: Amerindians and the war for America
The history of the natives peoples of North America is a sad one. One that is still sad now and an eternal stain upon the histories of Canada and USA. It is a very delicate matter and I will beg your forgiveness for this update. I will try to be short and straight to the point to give you a small overview.
When New France was discovered by Jacques Cartier, the initial relations between Natives and French were quite good. Amerindians helped the French survive the first winter, showing them remedy against scorbut, how to move in the abundant snow, how to make maple syrup...Since this time, New-France evolved with the natives. Mixed mariage were commun and Montcalm even remarqued that the Canadiens were more Indians than French.
Jacques Cartier making France first contact with the Amerindians
So, why were the majority of Indians tribes on the French side for the FaIw? Why did the Indians revolted to bring the French back in 1763? French and British settlers took differents way to deal with the tribes. English viewed them as ennemies or auxilliaries, depending on the situation. French saw them as allies and their main protection against the overwhelming force of the 13 Colonies. Diplomaticly, it could be resumed as divide to conquer for the English. For the French, it was another history.
I just finished many books on the great peace of Montreal and the relation between New France and the natives. The main objective of the French were to pacify the fighting tribes. They developped the relation between each chiefs and "Onontio". Onontio was the name the native gave to the Gouverneur Général of New France and they called the King their "Father over the sea". It meant "the great mountain", a litteral traduction of the name of one of the first Gouverneur, Montmagny. Onontio presented himself as the great mediator of the Indians, judging the conflicts and stopping wars. The "sauvages" were protected by the law, considered as subjects of the King and equals of the white men. Village of "domicilated" indian were installed near the cities of Montréal and Québec with christianised natives. Coureurs des bois were visiting each tribes, trading and giving gifts in the name of Onontio. In return, the tribes were sending military help to the French when they were menaced. Especially when it was against the english, who were mercilessly chasing them from their lands and killing everyone that resisted the numerous colonists who founded new villages each years.
Catholic missionary in mission in the wild lands. They were the most efficient ambassador of the King of France in new France.
Now I can already hear you: but what of the Iroquois? Of course, natives were not French. The tribes negociated and acted in Realpolitik, going from side to side. Even in the French and Indian War, tribes fought on the two sides, Iroquois could have deserted the english camp (the game represent this by the switching side of the Iroquois if Albany falls). Cherokee would leave the english alliance and wage their own war against the 13 Colonies. And as New France was falling, tribes were deserting her one after the other, after each defeats, trying to save their positions until France returned after the peace. When the news of the cession of New-France, the indians were so shocked and fearful of their future in an english dominated america that they organised their last massive revolt: the Pontiac War. And the Iroquois...The Iroquois litteraly hated French, for a simple reason: when Jacques Cartier leaved for France, 80 years before the permanent foundation of Québec, he left with the sons of Chief Donaconna, of the Iroquois. The sons died from illness in Paris and Donnaconna never heard from them again, Cartier being forbided to come back to North America while France descended in the war of religions. This became a blood feud that consolidated when Champlain and his forces helped the Algonquins against the Iroquois a century later. Peace would finally be signed in Montréal in 1701, but tensions would often explodes.
The Great Peace of Montréal, in 1701, heralded the golden age of New France
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Keep calm and call Montcalm
Summer, 1756, Lake Champlain front
The marquis de Montcalm was really angry. He, the commander-in-chief of France's forces in America, was supervising the construction of a small wooden fort in some backwater part on France's vast empire while the reals battles were miles away south, in the Mohawks Valley, where those rustics and arrogants Canadien's officers were taking all the glory. The Gouverneur Général gave him orders to build a logistical base and a stronghold to seal the most direct invasion route toward Canada, but it was an engineer's job, not a great general one. Had Vaudreuil listened to him, he would be in Acadia right now, besieging Halifax. Looking at his troops cutting trees and building the foundation of what would become Fort Carillon (warning bell in french). The little natural port for the Lake Champlain flottilla of armed boats was already protected by a battery while another protected the Fort himself. But Montcalm found it highly comical to see the colonials of the 2 sides insisting on those wooden forts...As a european veteran, the Marquis fully knew that no wooden fort could withstand a real siege. He could convince the Marquis de Vaudreuil of this neither...Deep in his thoughts, he decided that if he needed to defend this position, he would do it away from the Fort, in trenches, protected by quick fortification...He could already imagine the waves of red coats breaking their noses on the fire line of his regulars.Then, his aide-de-camp, the young De Bougainville approched from his general, asking him if he could receive Indians scouts that had an interessant report.
Huron's scouts reports proved invaluable in Montcalm's raids in 1756.
The Hurons were quick in their report: "We want to inform our french father Montcalm of our respect and give him news. The redcoats are leaving in masse the area in front of us to go to the rescue of the murderous Iroquois. Fort Edward and the Mohicans villages are nearly undefended. We cannot bring the war to them alone, but with our father and his long muskets (Long Fusil, canons for the natives), we could give them the justice of our Great Father, the King beyond the sea".
The Marquis de Montcalm was not a man to let pass such an occasion. This operation had many advantages. First of all, action on his front would force the British to bring back some forces in the area, thus diminishing the pressure on Rigaud's forces. It would be a good training of the North America warfare for his newly arrived forces and a show of force toward the Gouverneur Vaudreuil, showing him Montcalm was not a man to ignore. He rapidly mobilised his forces, leaving the Canadiens militias to finish the building of Fort Carillon while the King's soldiers would bring glory to His arms. Two batalions would form the core of his force. The vanguard would consist of two of the colonials Free Compagnies of Marines. They would bring 19 canons with them. The operation went smoothly. Leaving at the end of June, Montcalm reached Fort Edward a month later. His troop would fall upon the Mohican's village Fort Edward was supposed to protect, trying to lure the garrison outside. The village surrendered one after another, as the warriors guarding them had fled to the Fort, leaving the children and women alone. Montcalm decided to protect them and send them to the domicilated natives communities in Canada, to be adopted by the loyal allies of France.
Montcalm's forces falling upon the unsuspecting Mohicans
The Marquis then turned his eyes on Fort Edward. Built in 1755 to protect the most loyal natives allies of the British Crown, he was supposed to serve as the foward defense line of Albany. A strong garrison was affected to it's defense, 2 full compagnies of elite redcoats. Those 300 men with the help of the locals mohicans troops should have been reinforced by thousands of colonials regulars and rangers. But those troops were then fighting over some Iroquois village in the west while Albany was too afraid of being attacked to send what remained of his garrison to the help of Fort Edward. In fact, Montcalm had counted on that, sending his few Hurons warriors to raid the region and provoque panic in the city. And par Dieu, Huron knew how to cause fear.
Hurons warriors destroying villages near Albany. Remnants of the mighty nation the Iroquois and Mohicans tried to genocide 50 years ago, they were rebuilding their strengh in villages just north of Québec City and were the most loyals allies of the French. They still speak french to this day.
So, the 300 redcoats of Fort Edward and 300 Mohicans prepared to withstand alone the assault of the French. The fortification were strong and they thought they had a chance to hold until reinforcement could be send from Boston or New-York. But Montcalm was not willing to play his cards like that. He spent 3 days making his men work on siege lines, trenches and installing batteries in protected bastions. Mohicans warrior laughted at those efforts, mocking "the white cowards too afraid of the Mohicans Braves that they had to hide in mud hole". The major who commanded the fort was less tempted to joke. He was a veteran of the battle of Fontenoy, in 1745, and knew fully well what european siege work could do to his defenses. But never before had the French used nothing bigger than man portable canons, who had neither the power nor the range to breach his defenses. Nevertheless, he didn't think that the French were just showing off and ordered his own canon to spend what little munition they had to distrupt the siege work while he tried to find what Montcalm was about. He had his answers on August 23th, when Montcalm revealed his powerful canons.
Montcalm directing the siege work during the siege of Fort Edward
2 hours suffised to completly decimate the garrison. 19 heavy guns firing didn't even let the english officers time to organise a surrender, the garrison did it from his own accord. 300 battered and shellshocked survivors became prisonners of war and would be sent to Québec. Montcalm ordered the fort to be looted, burned and began his trip back to Carillon. He sent a letter to Gouverneur Vaudreuil to justify his actions and give report of his victory, making copy to the Versaille's court, hoping to gain the favor of the King. At his return to Fort Carillon, he saw that the engineer had nearly finished their work. Mission accomplished, time to think of the winter quarter.
Fort carillon's batteries protecting the riverside. They would force any attacker to try to attack by land, directly on the elaborate fortification builded by the Frenchs.
HISTORIAN'S CORNER: INDIAN WARFARE
Ageod game have a bit of a hard time to modelise adequatly indian warfare. I will try to give you some insight on their real role in this war.
Indians warriors were not operating like a professionnal army. They were convoqued by Onontio, the indian title of the Gouverneur Général de Nouvelle-France, who sent them gifts to ask them to bring war to his ennemies. They would send small band on raids or to help French and Canadiens forces leaving after a battle while other warriors arrived to take their places. They didn't fought in large battle, prefering to skirmish around it, harrass enemy forces and raid the frontiers.
Contrary to legend, they were not bloodthirsty. In fact, the scalping of ennemy was not common until the europeans began to pay them for the scalps of their ennemies. When fighting each other, Amerindians prefered to capture the "civilians" and "adopt" them in their own tribes. Most of the time, they became loyal member of their new nation. When they captured european civilians, they prefered to gain a ransom than just blindly murdering them, unless they had caused some disaster on any Indian tribes.
Illinois's braves ambushing yet another English patrol during one of the 1756 raids. A constant scene in the French and Indian wars.
Summer, 1756, Lake Champlain front
The marquis de Montcalm was really angry. He, the commander-in-chief of France's forces in America, was supervising the construction of a small wooden fort in some backwater part on France's vast empire while the reals battles were miles away south, in the Mohawks Valley, where those rustics and arrogants Canadien's officers were taking all the glory. The Gouverneur Général gave him orders to build a logistical base and a stronghold to seal the most direct invasion route toward Canada, but it was an engineer's job, not a great general one. Had Vaudreuil listened to him, he would be in Acadia right now, besieging Halifax. Looking at his troops cutting trees and building the foundation of what would become Fort Carillon (warning bell in french). The little natural port for the Lake Champlain flottilla of armed boats was already protected by a battery while another protected the Fort himself. But Montcalm found it highly comical to see the colonials of the 2 sides insisting on those wooden forts...As a european veteran, the Marquis fully knew that no wooden fort could withstand a real siege. He could convince the Marquis de Vaudreuil of this neither...Deep in his thoughts, he decided that if he needed to defend this position, he would do it away from the Fort, in trenches, protected by quick fortification...He could already imagine the waves of red coats breaking their noses on the fire line of his regulars.Then, his aide-de-camp, the young De Bougainville approched from his general, asking him if he could receive Indians scouts that had an interessant report.
Huron's scouts reports proved invaluable in Montcalm's raids in 1756.
The Hurons were quick in their report: "We want to inform our french father Montcalm of our respect and give him news. The redcoats are leaving in masse the area in front of us to go to the rescue of the murderous Iroquois. Fort Edward and the Mohicans villages are nearly undefended. We cannot bring the war to them alone, but with our father and his long muskets (Long Fusil, canons for the natives), we could give them the justice of our Great Father, the King beyond the sea".
The Marquis de Montcalm was not a man to let pass such an occasion. This operation had many advantages. First of all, action on his front would force the British to bring back some forces in the area, thus diminishing the pressure on Rigaud's forces. It would be a good training of the North America warfare for his newly arrived forces and a show of force toward the Gouverneur Vaudreuil, showing him Montcalm was not a man to ignore. He rapidly mobilised his forces, leaving the Canadiens militias to finish the building of Fort Carillon while the King's soldiers would bring glory to His arms. Two batalions would form the core of his force. The vanguard would consist of two of the colonials Free Compagnies of Marines. They would bring 19 canons with them. The operation went smoothly. Leaving at the end of June, Montcalm reached Fort Edward a month later. His troop would fall upon the Mohican's village Fort Edward was supposed to protect, trying to lure the garrison outside. The village surrendered one after another, as the warriors guarding them had fled to the Fort, leaving the children and women alone. Montcalm decided to protect them and send them to the domicilated natives communities in Canada, to be adopted by the loyal allies of France.
Montcalm's forces falling upon the unsuspecting Mohicans
The Marquis then turned his eyes on Fort Edward. Built in 1755 to protect the most loyal natives allies of the British Crown, he was supposed to serve as the foward defense line of Albany. A strong garrison was affected to it's defense, 2 full compagnies of elite redcoats. Those 300 men with the help of the locals mohicans troops should have been reinforced by thousands of colonials regulars and rangers. But those troops were then fighting over some Iroquois village in the west while Albany was too afraid of being attacked to send what remained of his garrison to the help of Fort Edward. In fact, Montcalm had counted on that, sending his few Hurons warriors to raid the region and provoque panic in the city. And par Dieu, Huron knew how to cause fear.
Hurons warriors destroying villages near Albany. Remnants of the mighty nation the Iroquois and Mohicans tried to genocide 50 years ago, they were rebuilding their strengh in villages just north of Québec City and were the most loyals allies of the French. They still speak french to this day.
So, the 300 redcoats of Fort Edward and 300 Mohicans prepared to withstand alone the assault of the French. The fortification were strong and they thought they had a chance to hold until reinforcement could be send from Boston or New-York. But Montcalm was not willing to play his cards like that. He spent 3 days making his men work on siege lines, trenches and installing batteries in protected bastions. Mohicans warrior laughted at those efforts, mocking "the white cowards too afraid of the Mohicans Braves that they had to hide in mud hole". The major who commanded the fort was less tempted to joke. He was a veteran of the battle of Fontenoy, in 1745, and knew fully well what european siege work could do to his defenses. But never before had the French used nothing bigger than man portable canons, who had neither the power nor the range to breach his defenses. Nevertheless, he didn't think that the French were just showing off and ordered his own canon to spend what little munition they had to distrupt the siege work while he tried to find what Montcalm was about. He had his answers on August 23th, when Montcalm revealed his powerful canons.
Montcalm directing the siege work during the siege of Fort Edward
2 hours suffised to completly decimate the garrison. 19 heavy guns firing didn't even let the english officers time to organise a surrender, the garrison did it from his own accord. 300 battered and shellshocked survivors became prisonners of war and would be sent to Québec. Montcalm ordered the fort to be looted, burned and began his trip back to Carillon. He sent a letter to Gouverneur Vaudreuil to justify his actions and give report of his victory, making copy to the Versaille's court, hoping to gain the favor of the King. At his return to Fort Carillon, he saw that the engineer had nearly finished their work. Mission accomplished, time to think of the winter quarter.
Fort carillon's batteries protecting the riverside. They would force any attacker to try to attack by land, directly on the elaborate fortification builded by the Frenchs.
HISTORIAN'S CORNER: INDIAN WARFARE
Ageod game have a bit of a hard time to modelise adequatly indian warfare. I will try to give you some insight on their real role in this war.
Indians warriors were not operating like a professionnal army. They were convoqued by Onontio, the indian title of the Gouverneur Général de Nouvelle-France, who sent them gifts to ask them to bring war to his ennemies. They would send small band on raids or to help French and Canadiens forces leaving after a battle while other warriors arrived to take their places. They didn't fought in large battle, prefering to skirmish around it, harrass enemy forces and raid the frontiers.
Contrary to legend, they were not bloodthirsty. In fact, the scalping of ennemy was not common until the europeans began to pay them for the scalps of their ennemies. When fighting each other, Amerindians prefered to capture the "civilians" and "adopt" them in their own tribes. Most of the time, they became loyal member of their new nation. When they captured european civilians, they prefered to gain a ransom than just blindly murdering them, unless they had caused some disaster on any Indian tribes.
Illinois's braves ambushing yet another English patrol during one of the 1756 raids. A constant scene in the French and Indian wars.
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Wow. This AAR is really amazing. Especially the french updates, they bring life to this and make me cheer for the frogeaters, for the first time ever 
Great job, General_Hoth. Drive those limeys to the sea. Father over the sea demands it!
Great job, General_Hoth. Drive those limeys to the sea. Father over the sea demands it!
Wow. This AAR is really amazing. Especially the french updates, they bring life to this and make me cheer for the frogeaters, for the first time ever
Great job, General_Hoth. Drive those limeys to the sea. Father over the sea demands it!
Vive le ROY!
Thanks! I was begining to doubt someone read the AAR
Ah the "do people read this AAR and enjoy it?" the eternal bane of all the self conscious AAR writers, I know your feeling.
I am enjoying it a lot personally, cheering for France since I did a PBEM of this recently playing as France and ended up having a miserable defeat so I want to the French cause sucessfull here.
*Looks at Title*
Well Comparatively this war looks very civilized. Not too many people have been displaced and so far not too many people have been killed. There have been a few accidents with matches but they always happen don't they.
Well Comparatively this war looks very civilized. Not too many people have been displaced and so far not too many people have been killed. There have been a few accidents with matches but they always happen don't they.
The Iroquois would think otherwise I think. But I still got my "burn New York" raid in mind
Initially was winning (pretty much destroyed nearly all Indian Villages and Forts near Albany) but since I am not used to game's with though winter's l made an handfull of bad moves that got me crippled for most of the game, allowing my opponents larger forces to destroy me.
You mean like letting an army get caught in a blizzard far from her base?
This AAR inspired me to play the scenario again. I've only dabbled in it before. I was doing pretty good, but when the English reinforcements get there, there's no room for half measures from the French. I had to reload a few times after getting most of my regulars obliterated or shunted into the unforgiving wilderness. On the bright side, I'm pretty sure the provincial yokels would be getting pretty antsy after I captured Savannah and Charleston :happy:
Anyway, looking forward to more from this AAR.
Anyway, looking forward to more from this AAR.
As an one of the Anglais, I must cheer for narwhal. But I do like the updates that help shed some light on the birth of our country
As an one of the Anglais, I must cheer for narwhal. But I do like the updates that help shed some light on the birth of our country
No problem. I would just not go out at night...you know, the Hurons are outside