On the 16th of October the squadron, consisting of thirty-four vessels of different descriptions, advanced as far as Beauport. Sir William Phipps immediately sent a flag of truce on shore to summon the town to surrender. This was gallantly rejected by Frontenac. This officer, who was a man of great pride, lived in the castle of St. Louis, amidst all the splendor with which he could possibly surround himself. Being resolved to astonish the English officer who was sent on shore with the flag of truce, he caused him to be met by a French major, who placed a bandage over his eyes, and conducted him by a very circuitous route to the castle. Every delusion was practiced to make him believe that he was in the midst of a numerous garrison. On arriving at the castle the bandage was removed, and he found himself in the presence of the Governor-General, the Intendant, the Bishop, and a large staff of French officers in full uniform, who were clustered together in the middle of the hall. With the greatest self-possession, the young officer presented to Frontenac a summons to surrender, in the name of William and Mary, King and Queen of England. Frontenac gave a most spirited answer, refusing to acknowledge any King of England but James II. The Englishman wished to have his answer in writing. Frontenac peremptorily refused, saying, "I am going to answer your master by the cannon's mouth. He shall be taught this is not the manner in which a person of my rank ought to be summoned." The bandage being replaced, the officer was conducted with the same mysteries to his boat, and was no sooner on board the Admiral's vessel than the batteries began to play upon the fleet. On the 18th, fifteen hundred English troops landed near the River St. Charles, but not without sustaining great loss from the constant fire kept up by the French from amongst the rocks and bushes. Four of the largest vessels were anchored opposite the ernor under the State organization, and immediately entered upon the performance of the duties of the office, although the State was not yet admitted into the Union. After the State was admitted into the Union, Governor Mason was reelected to the position, and served with credit to himself and to the advantage of the State. He died January 4th, 1843. town, and commenced a bombardment, but the fire from the batteries was directed with such effect as to compel them to move up the river beyond Cape Diamond. A sharp skirmish took place on the 19th, and on the 20th an action was fought, in which the French made a gallant stand, and compelled the English to retreat to Beauport, leaving their cannon and ammunition. Two days after they reëmbarked, and returned to Boston. Owing to the bad management of Sir William Phipps, this expedition was attended with great loss of life, seven or eight of his vessels being wrecked in the St. Lawrence. The expedition against Montreal did not attack that place at the appointed time, owing to a want of concert between the parties, and Frontenac was thus enabled to concentrate all his strength, and oppose the plans of the English with vigilance and success. CHAPTER IV. HISTORY OF NEW FRANCE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION OF FRONTENAC TO ITS OVERTHROW BY THE ENGLISH AT QUEBEC, IN 1759- THE DURING the year 1691 the Iroquois, with the English and native allies, advanced along the River Sorel, or Richelieu, to attack Montreal. De Caillières, a very able officer, then held the command of that city. He had assembled nearly eight hundred Inians, in addition to his own countrymen, and the assailants, after a very sharp contest, were obliged to retreat. They burned thirty houses and barns, and carried off several prisoners, whom they put to the most cruel torture. At length, however, De Frontenac, by the unremitting vigor of his measures, secured the defense of the colony so far that, in 1692, the inhabitants were enabled to cultivate their lands, and the fur trade was renewed and carried on with considerable advantage. In the beginning of 1694, the Iroquois made overtures of peace. Two Onondagas arrived at Montreal, and asked the Governor if certain deputies, who were on their way, would be received. Though they were answered in the affirmative, several months elapsed before they appeared. They were well received, and brought several belts with them, one of which expressed the most friendly disposition, and solicited the restoration of the fort at Cataraqui. On their return home, Oureonharé accompanied them. When he came back, he brought with him several persons of distinction, who had been long held in captivity by the Indians. Though the first belts brought by the deputies were friendly, the others were obscure, and all attempts to obtain an explanation were fruitless. All that was contemplated merely seemed to be "to suspend the hatchet." The Count rejected all the belts except one, declaring that, unless more friendly sentiments were entertained, he could not long suspend the threatened blow. Unwilling to come to an open rupture with a people who could HON. ANDREW PARSONS. ANDREW PARSONS was born in the town of Hoosick, county of Rensselaer; New York, on the 22d day of July, 1817, and died June 6, 1855, at the early age of thirty-eight years. IIe was the son of John Parsons, born at Newburyport, Mass., October 2, 1782, who was the son of Andrew Parsons, a revolutionary soldier, who was the son of Phineas Parsons, the son of Samuel Parsons, a descendant of Walter Parsons, born in Ireland in 1290. Samuel Parsons, born at Saulsbury, Mass, 1707; graduated H. C., 1730; ordained at Rye, N. H., November 3d, 1736; married Mary Jones, only muster three thousand warriors, he endeavored to gain time. In the meanwhile, he reëstablished the fort at Cataraqui, and strengthened the outposts, intending in the summer to commence more active measures. At length, in June, 1696, all the forces that could be mustered at Cataraqui marched into the canton of Onondaga. On reaching a lake, they found suspended from a tree two bundles of rushes, which intimated that fourteen hundred and thirty-four warriors were waiting to engage them. They sailed across the lake immediately, and formed themselves in regular order of battle, expecting to engage their enemies. De Caillières commanded the left wing, the Chevalier de Vaudreuil the right, and De Frontenac, then seventy-six years of age, was carried in the center, in an elbow-chair. The Five Nations, however, did not appear, and their principal fortress was found reduced to ashes. It soon, indeed, became evident that the Indians had determined to let them march through their country unmolested. The Oneidas sent deputies to Frontenac, but he would accept nothing short of unconditional surrender. De Vaudreuil marched into their country and laid it waste. It had been determined to treat the Cayugas in the same manner, but the Count returned rather suddenly to Montreal, for which the French writers severely daughter of Samuel Jones, Esq., of Boston, October 9, 1739; died January 4, 1789, at the age of eighty-two, in the fifty-third year of his ministry. The grandfather of Mary Jones was Captain John Adams, of Boston, grandson of Henry of Braintree, who was among the first settlers of Massachusetts, and from whom a numerous race of the name are descended, including two Presidents of the United States. The descendants of this family have become very numerous, and are found in all parts of the United States, but more especially in the Middle and Western States. Gov. Andrew Parsons came to Michigan, in 1835, at the age of seventeen years, and spent the first summer at lower Ann Arbor, where he for a few months taught school, which he was compelled to abandon from ill health. In the fall of that year he explored the Grand River valley in a frail canoe, the whole length of the river from Jackson to Lake Michigan, and spent the following winter as clerk in a store at Prairie Creek, in Ionia |