In common
with his fellow Provincials, he suffered from the incompetency of the
British commanders sent over from England. Crown Point was the objective
for assault during several years, and still was not reached until the
hearts of all concerned grew heavy with hope deferred. One of the most
glaringly inefficient of Britain's generals in America was Lord
Loudoun, at this time commander-in-chief of all the forces. Against him
was pitted the acute and discerning Montcalm, in command of the French,
who, by the destruction of important forts, and checkmating Loudoun at
Louisburg, soon put the latter on the defensive. Instead, then, of
carrying the war into Canada, the British Colonials were compelled to
rest on their arms while Montcalm himself, taking advantage of the
depletion of the forces caused by Loudoun's futile expedition against
Louisburg, marched down from Montreal and made a demonstration against
the forts to the south of Lake Champlain.
Equally inefficient with Loudoun, the commander-in-chief, and in
addition cowardly as well (it would appear from the records of the
time), was General Webb, who commanded in the northern department, and
who, though he probably had intimation of the French army's approach,
allowed himself to be caught in a trap and lost thousands of his men.
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