Historical Background
William Johnson, who had recently been named the British agent to the Iroquois, arrived at the southern end of Lac du Saint Sacrement on August 28 1755 and renamed it “Lake George” in honor of his sovereign, George II. His intention was to advance via Lake George and Lake Champlain to attack French-held Fort St. Frédéric at Crown Point, which was a keystone in the defense of Canada.
Intent on stopping Johnson’s advance, Dieskau had already left Crown Point for an encampment situated between the two lakes (later to be built into Fort Carillon.) On September 4, Dieskau decided to launch a raid on Johnson’s base, the recently constructed Fort Edward (at the time called “Fort Lyman”) on the Hudson River. His aim was to destroy the boats, supplies and artillery that Johnson needed for his campaign. Leaving half his force at Carillon, Dieskau led the rest on an alternate route to the Hudson by landing his men at South Bay and then marching them east of Lake George along Wood Creek. Dieskau arrived near Fort Edward on the evening of September 7, 1755, with 222 French regular grenadiers, 600 Canadian militia and 700 Abenaki and Caughnawaga Mohawk allies. Johnson, camped 14 miles north of Fort Edward at the southern end of Lake George, was alerted by scouts to the presence of enemy forces to the south, and he dispatched a messenger to warn the 500-man garrison at Fort Edward. However, the messenger was intercepted, and soon afterward a supply train was captured. As a result, the disposition of all of Johnson’s forces became known to Dieskau. The Indians in the French party, after holding council, declined to assault Fort Edward because they expected it to be defended with cannons; so in the morning, Dieskau gave the order to march north toward the lake.
At 9:00 a.m., September 8, Johnson sent Colonel Ephraim Williams south to reinforce Fort Edward with 200 Mohawk allies and 1,000 troops from Williams’ Massachusetts Regiment and Colonel Nathan Whiting’s Connecticut Regiment. Dieskau, warned by a deserter of Williams’ approach, blocked the portage road with his French grenadiers and sent his Canadians and Indians to ambush the British from both sides of the road.
Williams’ column marched straight into the trap and was engulfed in a blaze of enemy musketry. Mohawk leader Hendrick Tejonihokarawa and Colonel Williams were killed along with many of their troops. At this point, the French grenadiers, brought forward by Dieskau, poured volleys into the beleaguered colonial troops. Most of the New Englanders fled toward Johnson’s camp while about 100 of their comrades under Whiting and Lt. Col. Seth Pomeroy – and most of the surviving Mohawks – covered their withdrawal with a fighting retreat. The British rear guard was able to inflict substantial casualties on their overconfident pursuers. One of those killed was Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, the highly respected commander of Dieskau’s Canadian and Indian forces. His fall caused great dismay, particularly to the French Indians.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. The rest is history?
Battle Notes
French Army
• Commander: Dieskau
• 5 Command cards & 2 Combat cards
• Move First: Do not play or draw any cards on first turn. French militia will fire on any Allied British units within range.
British Army
• Commander: Williams
• (3) 4 Command cards & 3 Combat cards. British start with 3 Command cards. Draw two cards after first Command card is played. Command is increased to 4.
Victory
6 Victory Banners
Special Rules
- British may not play a Combat card until they hold 4 Command cards.
- British gain a permanent victory banner when starting and exiting the road hex on the French base line.
- Indian “War Cry” is in effect for French and British Allied Indians – only against non-Indian units.
- French militia may move one hex and battle or two hexes and not battle. A Forest hex does not stop movement. Retreat two hexes per flag.
- A lone non-Indian leader may never end it’s movement with an Indian unit.
- The stream is fordable. The 2 shallow fords have no movement or battle restrictions.