Phase 3 of the 7 years war - Pitt leads the British to victory Flashcards
(10 cards)
What were the outcomes of the overturn in leadership in 1757?
- Duke of Newcastle as the new prime minister
- William Pitt as the new secretary of state
What strategy did Pitt want to employ? What else did Pitt do in 1757?
A strategy where Britain’s resources and manpower were mostly concentrated on North America rather than Europe
- Pitt passed the Militia Act to establish local militas to defend the British mainland, freeing up around 10,000 British regular troops to send to America
- Pitt changed the law so that the British government would reimburse colonial assemblies for the cost of raising militias - making them more willing to volunteer (Pitt apparently secured 20,000 colonial militia within weeks, whereas Loudoun failed to even raise 7000 the entire previous year)
- Pitt also changed the policy of British officers taking precedence over colonial officials regardless of rank - further aiding the relationship between militia and regulars
- Then in Sept. Pitt initiated a naval blockade of the French coastline back in Europe, preventing the French from resupplying their troops in America
What other tactical decisions did Pitt make in 1758?
- Pitt recalled Loudoun, and replaced him with the experienced Abercrombie and sent 2 of his most aggressive commanders, Amherst and Wolfe to America, with 25,000 troops behind them
- Pitt began to send significant sums to fund Britain’s European ally, Frederick of Prussia to subsidise his war against France on the European mainland, meaning that French forces would be more pinned down there and less able to send reinforcements to America
- Pitt then devised a 3-pronged strategy - Ohio valley, Nova scotia, and around Lake George
- Pitt had deployed 45,000 troops in America by end of 1758 vs the French who could only muster 6800 regulars
What did the naval blockade lead to?
The naval blockade ensured that the French were unable to send naval support as they had done in 1757
Amherst and Wolfe then captured Louisburg 1758
Why did Pitt recall Abercrombie as a commander?
in July 1758, Abercrombie lost decisively at the Battle of Ticonderoga, where 3,600 French somehow beat his 18,000 blend of troops
Pitt promoted Amherst to commander-in-chief as his replacement
What was the Forbes expedition?
Pitt sent Forbes to drive out the French from the Ohio Valley
Forbes secured a vouch of neutrality from the Native Americans in the Treaty of Easton
Meanwhile, Bradsheet, captured Fort Frontenac (around lake Ontario) - preventing supplies from Montreal reaching the French Ohio Valley Forts - because of this, the French then withdrew from Fort Dusquense and the British = now in control of the Ohio valley
What was 1759 known as for the British?
‘Annus Mirabillis’ - aka. the year of miracles
What happened in 1759?
First, Amherst led British troops to capture forts Ticonderoga and Niagara, supported by Iroquois allies
Meanwhile, Wolfe led an invasion of French territory to the north, and in sept. defeated Montcalm and captured Quebec (French defensive forces were unable to send reinforcements up the St Lawrence river now that the British had Louisburg)
- In Europe, there was the Battle of Quibereon Bay, the British fleet defeated the French navy near the coast of Brittany, and their naval blockade could no longer be challenged
- France then lost 25% of its colonial trade, and national debt rose to 1.3 billion livres - crippling its ability to fund the war
How was Montreal captured?
All the British forces in America moved north to surround Montreal with Amherst in overall control (around 18,000 troops in total) - 40% of the troops were colonial militia or Indian allies
- Sept 1760 - the French signed the Articles of Capitulation - formallly surrendering Montreal - effectively completing the British conquest of New France
What happened in the Treaty of Paris?
- 1763
- Britain captured French colony of Canada
- All French possessions east of the Mississippi
- Florida from Spain in exchange for Cuba
The French now for all intents and purposes were no longer present within North America
