Montcalm’s First Victory: The Fall of Fort Oswego

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Recommended Reading:

Glories to Useless Heroism: The Seven Years War in North America from the French Journals of Comte Maurès De Malartic, 1755-1760 Translated by: William Raffle

Montcalm's Crushing Blow, French and Indian Raids along New York's Oswego River 1756 by René Chartrand

Episode Summary

In 1756, the shores of the Oswego River became a critical flashpoint that would determine the mastery of Lake Ontario. While the world’s attention was fixed on European battlefields, a vital British trading post and fortification, Fort Oswego, stood as the only obstacle to French dominance of the Great Lakes. Join hosts Dr. Alex Burns, Dr. Andrew Bamford, and Lee Gugino as they welcome guest expert Will Raffel to deconstruct Montcalm’s first major victory in the New World.

In this episode, we explore the miltary capabilities of New France and explore the realities of logitical operations in North America. We delve into the failed British expiditions in 1755 and the garrison that were left to rot through a "nasty winter" of privation and disease. Discover how the Marquis de Montcalm utilized over 600 bateaux and captured British cannonballs from the Monongahela to shatter British defenses and secure French control over Lake Ontario.

"What Are You Missing?" (Edited vs. Uncut Edition)

Our War Room members have access to an additional 30 minutes of exclusive content, including:

• The Physicality of Space: Will’s deep dive into Malartic’s journal, detailing the sheer muscle required to haul bread ovens and heavy artillery through the Canadian swamp.
• Captain Broadley’s Revenge: The full story of the Royal Navy commander who tried to burn his own fleet rather than let it fall into French hands, and his subsequent fight to clear his name at a British court-martial.
• The Sky Woman’s Sons: A detailed breakdown of the Iroquoian creation myths that perfectly characterized the "Good" rivers and "Evil" portages of the frontier.
• The Scalped Drunk: The harrowing but darkly comedic tale of an Oswego soldier who was so intoxicated he didn't realize he had been scalped until the next morning.

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• [00:00] Orientation: The Great Lakes bottleneck and the power of the fur trade.
• [15:30] The "B-Team" Garrison: Shirley, Pepperell, and the American-raised regulars.
• [32:45] Logistical Warfare: Birchbark canoes vs. the European bateau.
• [50:00] The Siege Begins: Montcalm’s landing and the accidental death of Engineer de Combeau.
• [1:10:00] Fort Ontario Falls: The retreat to the old Stone House and the death of Colonel Mercer.
• [1:25:00] The Massacre: The breakdown of European POW protocols and the fate of the hospital wounded.
• [1:40:00] Strategic Impact: Why the British presence on Lake Ontario was wiped out for three years.

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