The first phase of this war was a sheer disaster for Britain. Assaults on French territory ended in bitter defeat. The French and their Indian allies inspired fear on the British frontier by burning and pillaging settlements. The French even struck within sixty miles of Philadelphia. Americans were dismayed. They believed that Britain was not making the proper commitment to North America.
The turning point in the war came when the British statesman William Pitt took over wartime operations. He believed North America was critical for England's global domination. Pitt turned command of recruitment and supplies over to local authorities in America and promised to reimburse them for their efforts. He committed more troops and rearranged commanding officers, replacing old war heroes with energetic young ones.
Militarily, the tide began to turn, as the British captured Louisbourg, an important strategic port the British used to close the St. Lawrence Seaway. The death blow to the French cause was struck in Quebec in 1759. Commander James Wolfe bravely sent his forces up a rocky embankment to surprise the French.

License information: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
MPAA: PG
Go to source: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/french-and-indian-war