Posted by Joe Hinson on November 03, 1997 at 20:52:23:
In Reply to: Re: Montcalm and the massacre posted by Marcia on November 03, 1997 at 19:02:04:
: Myrrh wrote:
: : Well, I've seen discussion on this site about Montcalm realizing that Magua would attack them, and by doing nothing to prevent it, facilitating it to happen. When Magua and Monty are talking on the hillside, Monty tells Magua that he fears that, now that he's let them go according to the agreement, he may have to fight the same men again on his drive towards Albany....then he gives Magua a LOOK.....in other words, 'hey, maybe you can help me by wiping them out aforehand?'
: Myrrh, I think you've called it precisely. I also believe that I have read several accounts of the actual events of that massacre that question the extent of Montcalm's culpability. There are those who seem to think that in "real life" as opposed to "reel life," he knew pretty much what was about to happen when the English & colonials left the fort. Maybe our contributing historians can shed more light on this.
: Marcia
:: Remember we're talking about a fictional account of history. In fact I've read on this board where people disparaged the movie for not following history,, remember it was trying to follow the novel not history.
According to Eckert in "Wilderness Empire".... "It lasted for minutes only(the massacre), mainly because of the opportune arrival of Montcalm, Le'vis, Bourlamaque and a number of the officersand men of the three commanders. With little regard for their own safety, they threw themselves into the midst of the melee and began pulling Indians away from their intended victims, cursing them, ordering them back, demanding that the carnage cease. "In the name of God and the King," Montcalm shouted,"I order you to stop! If you have to kill, then kill me, but don't harm another one of the English prisoners under my protection!"
I believe Montcalm did all he could to allay the Indians in their rampage, but the Indians were very upset with Montcalm for protecting the English he couldn't get them to give up all they had taken, over two hundred prisoners were kept by the Indians to take back to Canada to trade for all the plunder they didn't get at W-H.
In Bougainville's journal he writes, "The Marquis de Montcalm went himself to the entrenched camp. He there made the greatest efforts to prevent the greed of the Indians and, I will say it here, of certain people of our own attached to them, from being the cause of misfortunes far greater than pillage"
:: Joe