French and Indian War Gallery by Frederic Remington

Frederic Remington is known as a painter of the "Wild West".  But the West during the French and Indian War was New York and Ohio.

First is an illustration of the most famous French and Indian War unit, Rogers' Rangers.  The men plod along on snowshoes through the dense forest.  Perhaps they are returning from scouting Fort Carillon.

Fort Carillon was a key French position, controlling the Lake Champlain-Lake George corridor.  On July 8, the British attempted to storm it, but were driven back by 3,000 French defenders entrenched behind a wall.

1759 brought the war to the heart of New France--Quebec City.  After a frustrating summer campaign, General James Wolfe finally landed on the Plains of Abraham.  Here his troops in orderly rows await the eventual attack of the French.  An officer of Fraser's Highlanders points out the French to a senior officer, perhaps General Wolfe himself.

The French did attack and were defeated with "the most perfect volley ever fired", according to historian J. W. Fortescue.  With Quebec in British hands, New France surrendered the next year.  But this was not the end of Great Britain's North American troubles.  A prominent chief named Pontiac gathered Indian tribes into a coalition to defeat the British and bring back The Great French Father from Over the Sea.  Many forts fell under the Indian treachery.  The most important and largest fort was Fort Detroit, which repelled Pontiac's attacks.

With this Indian rising quelled, Great Britain and her colonies could enjoy peace...