Chapter I: Part VII: , "Montcalm and Wolfe;" so that the series now forms a

continuous history of the efforts of France to occupy and control this continent.

In the present volumes the nature of the subject does not permit an unbroken thread of narrative, and the unity of the book lies in its being throughout, in one form or another, an illustration of the singularly contrasted characters and methods of the rival claimants to North America.

Like the rest of the series, this work is founded on original documents. The statements of secondary writers have been accepted only when found to conform to the evidence of contemporaries, whose writings have been sifted and collated with the greatest care. As extremists on each side have charged me with favoring the other, I hope I have been unfair to neither.

The manuscript material collected for the preparation of the series now complete forms about seventy volumes, most of them folios. These have been given by me from time to time to the Massachusetts Historical Society, in whose library they now are, open to the examination of those interested in the subjects of which they treat. The collection was begun forty-five years ago, and its formation has been exceedingly slow, having been retarded by difficulties which seemed insurmountable, and for years were so in fact. Hence the completion of the series has required twice the time that would have sufficed under less unfavorable conditions.

Boston, March 26, 1892.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

1700-1713.

EVE OF WAR.

The Spanish Succession.--Influence of Louis XIV.
on History.--French Schemes of Conquest in
America.--New York.--Unfitness of the Colonies for War.--The
Five Nations.--Doubt and Vacillation.--The Western
Indians.--Trade and Politics 3

CHAPTER II.

1694-1704.

DETROIT.

Michilimackinac.--La Mothe-Cadillac: his Disputes with the
Jesuits.--Opposing Views.--Plans of Cadillac: his Memorial
to the Court; his Opponents.--Detroit founded.--The
New Company.--Detroit changes Hands.--Strange
Act of the Five Nations 17

CHAPTER III.

1703-1713.

QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.

The Forest of Maine.--A Treacherous Peace.--A Frontier
Village.--Wells and its People.--Attack upon it.--Border
Ravages.--Beaubassin's War-party.--The "Woful Decade."--A
Wedding Feast.--A Captive Bridegroom 34

CHAPTER IV.

1704-1740.

DEERFIELD.

Hertel de Rouville.--A Frontier Village.--Rev. John
Williams.--The Surprise.--Defence of the Stebbins
House.--Attempted Rescue.--The Meadow Fight.--The
Captives.--The Northward March.--Mrs. Williams killed.--The
Minister's Journey.--Kindness of Canadians.--A Stubborn
Heretic.--Eunice Williams.--Converted Captives.--John
Sheldon's Mission.--Exchange of Prisoners.--An English
Squaw.--The Gill Family 55

CHAPTER V.

1704-1713.

THE TORMENTED FRONTIER.

Border Raids.--Haverhill.--Attack and Defence.--War to
the Knife.--Motives of the French.--Proposed
Neutrality.--Joseph Dudley.--Town and Country 94

CHAPTER VI.

1700-1710.

THE OLD RÉGIME IN ACADIA.

The Fishery Question.--Privateers and Pirates.--Port
Royal.--Official Gossip.--Abuse of Brouillan.--Complaints of
De Goutin.--Subercase and his Officers.--Church and
State.--Paternal Government 110

CHAPTER VII.

1704-1710.

ACADIA CHANGES HANDS.

Reprisal for Deerfield.--Major Benjamin Church: his Ravages
at Grand-Pré.--Port Royal Expedition.--Futile Proceedings.--A
Discreditable Affair.--French Successes in
Newfoundland.--Schemes of Samuel Vetch.--A Grand
Enterprise.--Nicholson's Advance.--An Infected
Camp.--Ministerial Promises broken.--A New Scheme.--Port Royal
attacked.--Acadia conquered 120

CHAPTER VIII.

1710, 1711.

WALKER'S EXPEDITION.

Scheme of La Ronde Denys.--Boston warned against British
Designs.--Boston to be ruined.--Plans of the Ministry.--Canada
doomed.--British Troops at Boston.--The Colonists
denounced.--The Fleet sails for Quebec.--Forebodings of the
Admiral.--Storm and Wreck.--Timid Commanders.--Retreat.--Joyful
News for Canada.--Pious Exultation.--Fanciful Stories.--Walker
disgraced 156

CHAPTER IX.

1712-1749.

LOUISBOURG AND ACADIA.

Peace of Utrecht.--Perilous Questions.--Louisbourg
founded.--Annapolis attacked.--Position of the
Acadians.--Weakness of the British Garrison.--Apathy of the
Ministry.--French Intrigue.--Clerical Politicians.--The Oath
of Allegiance.--Acadians refuse it: their Expulsion proposed;
they take the Oath 183

CHAPTER X.

1713-1724.

SEBASTIEN RALE.

Boundary Disputes.--Outposts of Canada.--The Earlier and
Later Jesuits.--Religion and Politics.--The Norridgewocks
and their Missionary.--A Hollow Peace.--Disputed Land
Claims.--Council at Georgetown.--Attitude of Rale.--Minister
and Jesuit.--The Indians waver.--An Outbreak.--Covert
War.--Indignation against Rale.--War declared.--Governor
and Assembly.--Speech of Samuel Sewall.--Penobscots
attack Fort St. George.--Reprisal.--Attack on
Norridgewock.--Death of Rale 212

CHAPTER XI.

1724, 1725.

LOVEWELL'S FIGHT.

Vaudreuil and Dummer.--Embassy to Canada.--Indians
intractable.--Treaty of Peace.--The Pequawkets.--John
Lovewell.--A Hunting Party.--Another Expedition.--The
Ambuscade.--The Fight.--Chaplain Frye: his Fate.--The
Survivors.--Susanna Rogers 250

CHAPTER XII.

1712.

THE OUTAGAMIES AT DETROIT.

The West and the Fur-trade.--New York and Canada.--Indian
Population.--The Firebrands of the West.--Detroit in
1712.--Dangerous Visitors.--Suspense.--Timely
Succors.--The Outagamies attacked: their Desperate
Position.--Overtures.--Wavering Allies.--Conduct of
Dubuisson.--Escape of the Outagamies.--Pursuit and
Attack.--Victory and Carnage 272

CHAPTER XIII.

1697-1750.

LOUISIANA.

The Mississippi to be occupied.--English
Rivalry.--Iberville.--Bienville.--Huguenots.--Views of
Louis XIV.--Wives for the Colony.--Slaves.--La
Mothe-Cadillac.--Paternal Government.--Crozat's
Monopoly.--Factions.--The Mississippi Company.--New
Orleans.--The Bubble bursts.--Indian Wars.--The Colony firmly
established.--The two Heads of New France 298

CHAPTER XIV.

1700-1732.

THE OUTAGAMIE WAR.

The Western Posts.--Detroit.--The Illinois.--Perils of the
West.--The Outagamies.--Their Turbulence.--English
Instigation.--Louvigny's Expedition.--Defeat of
Outagamies.--Hostilities renewed.--Lignery's
Expedition.--Outagamies attacked by Villiers; by Hurons and
Iroquois.--La Butte des Morts.--The Sacs and Foxes 326

CHAPTER XV.

1697-1741.

FRANCE IN THE FAR WEST.

French Explorers.--Le Sueur on the St. Peter.--Canadians
on the Missouri.--Juchereau de Saint-Denis.--Bénard de la
Harpe on Red River.--Adventures of Du Tisné.--Bourgmont
visits the Comanches.--The Brothers Mallet in Colorado
and New Mexico.--Fabry de la Bruyère 346