At the same time we learnt the conquest of Niagara by Sir William Johnson, the provincial hero. The account was carried to General Amherst on the very day on which he took possession of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, abandoned by the French. It had been the plan to attack all the strong posts of the French at once. Amherst[68] had the command in chief; and, by the river St. Lawrence, was to fall on Quebec on one side, while the expedition under Wolfe and Saunders was to undertake the siege on the other. The conduct of that against Niagara was committed to General Prideaux, who was killed in the trenches by the bursting of a cohorn. Sir William Johnson, on whom the command devolved, took the place, after beating an army of French and Indians sent to relieve it. Amid such a tide of success Lord George Sackville arrived in London. He immediately wrote to Lord Holderness to demand a Court-Martial. The demand was evaded for the present. He was told, the officers necessary were employed abroad. Lord Ligonier, the Commander-in-Chief, and Lord Barrington, Secretary at War, were more explicit, and informed him, that if he desired a Court-Martial, he must seek it in Germany. This was followed by a message, delivered by the latter, acquainting Lord George, that not only the command of his regiment would be taken from him, but that he would be dismissed from his rank of General, and from his post of Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance; and Lord Barrington asked civilly if his Lordship chose to receive that notification then from his mouth, or in writing! Lord George preferred the latter. “That,” replied Lord Barrington, “will be easy; for I know but one precedent, that of the late Lord Cobham. I will send your Lordship the same.” Lord George smiled, and replied, “I hope your Lordship will send me a copy of Lord Cobham’s answer, too.” This behaviour of the Court was not very intelligible, many even thought it had been concerted, as the gentlest way of letting Lord George escape. Certain it is, that their avoiding to call him to a trial made him presume on his cause, and resolve to try to correct the severity of his fortune. On the other hand, the punishment seemed too rigid to a man untried, uncondemned, who asked a trial, and against whom no complaint was preferred in form. He had even, a fortnight after his disgrace, written to Prince Ferdinand to know his charge. The latter protested he had no complaint against him, nor had written a word in his disfavour, _till_ on hearing the discourses in the camp. Tenderness to so old a servant as the Duke of Dorset, perhaps, made the King willing to avoid the last severity, which, should Lord George be condemned, would be difficult to avoid. The officers of the Fleet, who had seen an example made in their profession, would exclaim against partiality to a land officer, the greatness of whose birth would be the obvious cause of such lenity.