Note 42 — THE EARLY NOVELS OF JAMES FENIMORE COOPER (1821–1831)

Dwight, Timothy. Travels in New England and New York (1821), III, 362–376. After stating that Montcalm made no reasonable effort to check the Indians, he emphasizes the timidity and imbecility of Webb who lay at Fort Edward with 6,000 men, doing nothing. Dwight narrates as from Captain Noble, who was present, that when Sir William Johnson would gather volunteers from Webb’s garrison to proceed to Munroe’s assistance, Webb forbade it. Cooper’s rendering of the massacre is sharply criticized by Martin in his Montcalm en Canada, chaps. 4 and 5. Cf. also Rameau, La France aux Colonies, II, p. 306; N. H. Prov. Papers, VI, 604, 605, and Stone, W. L. Life and Times of Johnson.