"French Account of the Battle of Lake George in 1755" Topic

"Born in Saxony in 1701, Baron de Dieskau was the commander of the French regulars in New France at the unofficial opening of the French and Indian War. His role was relegated to tactical conducting of the war, while Governor General Rigaud de Vaudreuil handled the strategy of protecting the colony.

Moving a small force of regulars, Canadian militia and Native allies under the Mohawk chief Theyanoguin, Dieskau attempted to take the offensive on the traditional Lake Champlain invasion route. However the Baron did not comprehend how war was fought in the woods of North America and was surprised when native allies refused to attack Fort Edward on the Hudson River in the colony of New York. Falling back, Dieskau then laid an ambush for Colonial William Johnson's advancing American Militia and Iroquois. However on September 8 the trap was sprung prematurely – Dieskau blames the Mohawks even though it resulted in the death of Theyanoguin. The American militia detachment escaped back to Johnson's fortified camp on Lake George.

As the Canadians and natives were spent from fighting in the initial engagement, Dieskau only had 200 French regulars to pursue the fleeing enemy. Confronted by Johnson's fortified position, and overconfident in the ability of his regulars, Dieskau assaulted the camp. The assault failed to breach the American positions, and French fell back under cover of the Mohawk allies and Canadians who had since joined the battle. While it was a tactical standoff, American colonial newspapers trumpeted it as a great victory…."
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