IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^/ <> V"^ "% 1.0 I.I I^IM 12.5 |50 "^^ MlH L25 i 1.4 1.6 '^^.T^^' ■"isyV r CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquas 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notet/Notet techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which mey be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checlted below. D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur6e et/ou pelliculAe □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque 1 I Coloured maps/ n Cartes g6ographiques en couleur Coloured init (i.e. other than blue or blacic)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ ReliA avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reiiure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge inttrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces p3ges n'ont pas 6ti filmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 4t4 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthode normaie de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. |~~l Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagAes □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restauries et/ou peliiculAes □ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tacheties ou piqu^es □ Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthroughy Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti in^gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du materiel supplimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible rjTr Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I — I Only edition available/ D Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensurn the best possible image/ Les pages totaiement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont At6 fiimies A nouveau de fa^on A obtenir la meilleure image possible. □ This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checlced below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 28X 30X y 12X 16X aox 24X 28X 32X Is u ifier ne ige The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in Iteeping with the filming contract specifications. L'exemplaire fllmt fut reprodult grAce A la g4n6rositA de: Bibiiothique nationale du Canada Las images sulvantes ont 4t* reproduites avec le plus grand soln. compte tenu de la condition at de la nettetA de l'exemplaire filmi, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. Ail other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exempiaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est Imprimte sont filmAs en commen9ant par ie premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration. soit par le second plat, salon ie cas. Tous les autres exempiaires originaux sont fiimte en commenpant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUiVRE". ie symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmte it des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atre reprodult en un seul cllch6, 11 est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant ie nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mAthode. rata 3 lelure. 3 32X 1 2 9 12 3 4 8 e ^-l/— ^ A JOURNAL KEPT DURING THE SIEGE OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY, AUGUST, 1757. BY I. MINIS HAYS, M. 1). . /" ^u A JOURNAL KEPT DURING THE SIEGE OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY, AUGUST, 1757. BT I. MINIS HAYS, M. D. {Read April 15, 1898.) One hundred and fifty years ago the French claimed all of North America from the Atlantic coast range to the Rocky mountains and from Mexico and the Gulf to the northernmost limit, and they had planted flourishing colonies at the mouth of the St. Lawrence and of the Mississippi to control these great waterways, with their tributaries, to the North and West. These vast possessions, which they called New France, had a white population of about 80,000 souls. The thirteen British colonies were scattered along the Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Georgia, with a white population of about 1,160,000, who were continually extending further and further inland and encroaching upon the undefined area beyond the moun- tains claimed by both French and English. To maintain their territorial claims by force of arms, with the aid of their numerous Indian allies, and to keep in check the British colonists with their vastly larger population, and to drive back those who were already intruding into the broad valley of the Ohio, the French estab- lished a chain of forts and trading posts from Canada to Louisiana. They recognized that the fork of the Ohio and Niagara were the gateways to the great West and they therefore strongly entrenched themselves at these points. Lake Champlain and Lake George on the direct line between Montreal and New York, controlling the gate- way to the Hudson, were also important strategic points for the mastery of which both French and English stubbornly contended. In September, 1755, Gen. Johnson defeated the French under Dieskau at the battle of Lake George, and in the following spring RRPRIMTBD FROM PROC. AMER. PHIL08. SOC, VOL. XXXVII, NO. 157. 144 HAYS — THE SIEOK OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY. [April 15, Montcalm was sent out to command the French forces and to retrieve their fortunes. Ticonderoga at the head of Lake Cham- plain was their most advanced post, while the British troops were entrenched at Fort William Henry at the head of Lake George. Montcalm in planning his campaign for the summer of 1757 determined, with the aid of his Indian allies, to drive the English back from Lake George, perhaps to capture Fort Edward, fourteen miles to the south, and even to make a demonstration against Albany. In the latter part of July he concentrated his forces at Ticonderoga, and on the ist of August, with about 7600 men, of whom more than 1600 were Indians, he started his expedition against Fort William Henry, which was commanded by Lieut. -Col. Monro, a brave Scotch veteran, and garrisoned by a force of little more than 2000 men. Gen. Webb was in command at Fort Edward with a force of about 1600 men, with half as many more •distributed at Albany and the intervening forts. He promised his assistance, and Col. Monro had every reason to expect it, when Fort William Henry was attacked, but he failed at the last moment to give that support which it was his duty to have rendered. The rest of the sad story is told in the accompanying Journal which was recently found among the papers of Col. James Burd in the pos- session of this Society. Col. James Burd was the third son of Edward Burd, a Scottish gentleman, who lived on his estate of Ormiston, near Edinburgh, by his wife, Jane Halliburton, a daughter of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. He married Sarah Shippen, daughter of Edward Ship- pen, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He held a prominent position in the military forces of this colony, and at the time of the French attack on Fort William Henry he commanded Fort Augusta at the fork of the Susquehanna on the site of the present town of Sunbury, which was one of the long chain of forts that had recently been built by the Province of Pennsylvania to protect its territory in the war with the French and Indians. Although the individual colonies maintained their independence they were forced to cooperate against the common foe, and the <;ommanders of the frontier posts were kept advised of the move- ments of the enemy at all points along the line. The following interesting letter from Capt. Thomas Lloyd, also found among the Burd papers, conveyed to Col. Burd information in reference to the French attack on Fort William Henry : 1898.] HAYS — THE SIEGE OF FORT WH.LIAM HENRY. 145 To Major James Burd, Esquire. Philadelphia, August 9, 1757. Sir : — We have just now reed, an Express from York informing that Governor De Lancy has marched with an Escort to be shortly follow'd by the whole Militia of that Government and a Demand made of a thousand from the Jerseys to the relief of Fort William Henry which is now invested by two thousand five Hundred french regulars four thousand five hundred Canadians and two thousand Indians with a Train of 36 Cannon and Five mortars against all which damn'd execrable Combination tis Impossible for that For- tress to hold out and the next news that arrives we expect will confirm their mastery of it. I need tell you no more than that I am Sir Yours etc. T. Lloyd. Endorsed as " Rec'd loth Sept. 1757." It can be readily understood that this accompanying Journal of the capture of Fort William Henry and the subsequent massacre its garrison had a deep personal interest to Col. Burd, which suffices to account for its having been copied and sent to him. Fortunately he was a man of methodical habits and appears to have made a cus- tom of filing and keeping all papers coming into his possession. Hence this copy has been preserved, while the original is unpub- lished and unknown, and has probably been lost or destroyed. The French records give full data concerning the capture of Fort William Henry, but accounts written by observers on the English side are very few and, with the exception of Col. Frye's Journal,^ most meagre. The accompanying Journal by an unknown writer who was evidently an officer within the fort has considerable historical value in not only confirming Col. Frye's account, but also in furnishing some additional details to complete the picture of the bravery of Col. Monro, of the incapacity of the British commander at Foit Edward, and of the treacherous apathy of the French in the face of the savage cruelties committed by their Indian allies on their capitulated foe. 1 Tii Port Folio, May, 1819, p. 356. 146 HAYS — Tilt: SIKOK OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY. lAprll 16, Copy ok a Journal Kept During the Siege of Fort William Henry. Tuesday ") . August 2" 1757) In the Evening Col. Young of the 3* Battalion of the Royal Americans and Co'. Fry of the N. England Forces came to the Camp at lake George with a reinforcement of iioo men Regulars and Pro- vincials making with what we had before upwards of 2400 men the whole under command of Col. Monro of the 35"" Regiment. Lieut. Forty of the 35 "* Reg' and Cap' of one of ye gallies detached 14 of his Sailors to reconitre the lake this Evening who returned about midnight and reported that they saw a large number of the Enemys Boats which gave them chace and had like to have been taken. During this night the Camp was frequently alarmed by the Enemys firing on • ur Centurys. Wednesday 3? Early this morning our Century discovered a large number of Boats on the lake close under a point of Land on the west shore distance about 5 miles upon which we fired our warning Guns ('32 pounders) a Signal agreed on upon the approach of the Enemy. The French fired at the fort from their Boats lying at the point but their Shot did not reach half way : At this point the Enemy landed their forces and Artillery. This morning we brou^at in our live Stock put them into the Picquet Store yard buJ being neglected afterwards strayed and fell into the Enemy's Hands. Cap.' W" Arbuthnot was ordered out with a Party of his N. Eng- land Forces to burn and destroy some Huts and Hedges on the west of the Fori, which he did with difficulty. Nine ©'Clock dis- covered a number of French Regulars marching S. W. near the foot of a Hill distant about 1000 yds which we apprehended were intended to cut off our Communication with Fort Edward. Lieu? Collins of the Royal Regiment of Artillery gave orders to cannonade them as they marched which was done. Our rangers and a party of Provincials were Smartly engaged with enemy S. W. of the Camp on the Ground w[h]ere S" W" Johnson engaged and beat the Enemy in the year 1755 and beat them off several times. Twelve o' Clock we could plainly see from the Fort that the Enemy were throwing up an entrenchment and erecting a Battery at the distance of about 7 or 800 yards on a Clear Ground bearing ms.] HAYS — THE SIEQE OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY, 147 e e P le le y N, B, W, Saw several large Boats coming to the Point w[h]ere the Enemy landed. Two o'clock Mons! Mont Calmn sent an officer with a Flag to demand the Fort but the brave Col'.' Monro rejected the Summons with Scorn. The Remainder of this day was spent in Bombarding the Encmys works, Capt. McCloud commanding and cannonad- ing. The Artillery fired Several Shot from the Camp which did great Service in beating back the Indians. One of our Balls fell on an Indian Hutt and killed many. Tuesday [j/V] 4'!" Early this morning the Enemy's works were in great forwardness with a ten Gun Battery almost finished. Their Entrenchment approached towards the Fort thus x/%/^.rw^v-fc/s.^x/v/x/^ Saw several largo Boats coming to the Point w[h]ere the Enemy landed from Ticonderoga : this day we had several Skirmishes from all quarters in which our people behaved with great Bravery, a mor- tar being pointed towards another Indian Hutt fell on it and killed Several. During this day we cannonaded the French Battery and threw a large number of Shells into their Entrenchm'.' The Artillery at the Camp kept a Constant fire on the Enemy as they came to Attack our out Guards and Rangers who drove them off into the woods. The Rangers brought in an Enemy wounded Indian but he soon died. Friday s'.** This morning the Enemy began to cannonade our Forts with nine pieces of Cannon 18 & 12 pounders. It was some Time before they could find their mark. At Eleven they tried their Shells, mostly 13 Inches diameter, which fell short but towards th( afternoon they got their distance very well, several of their Small Shells falling into the Parade. One of their Shott carried away the Pullyof our Flag Staff and the falling of our flag Much rejoyced the Enemy ; but it was soon hoisted tho' one of the men that was doing this had his head Shot off with a Ball, and another wounded. A part of the Enemy and their Indian [allies] advanced near our Camp on which the brave Cap'. Waldo of the N. England forces went out to take Possession of a piece of rising Ground near the wood on which a brisk fire unsued on both sides. Col. Monro sent out a second party to Surround the Enemy, but they were forced back and the Enemy advanced up to our quarter Guard. Capt. M. Cloud brought his Cannon to bear upon them soon dispersed them. Here an unlucky accident happened, as some of our men were returning to Camp were taken for the enemy and fired upon by 148 HAVH — THE SIEOE OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY. [April IS, which Several were killed & wounded. During this Attack poor Cap! Waldo was Shot and Soon Expired. Cap! Cunningham of the 35'!" Regl was wounded in the right arm. Saturday [6'!"] Last night tiie enemy carried on their Entrench- m" and Erected a Battery of lo Guns mostly i8 Pounders about 6 or 700 yards from us bearing N. W. both of Cannon & Mortars. This was the hotest days action from all quarters j tho' as yet our Garrison remained in high spirits expecting Sir W. Johnson with the Militia and Gen. Liman with the N. England Forces to the number of 3 or 4000 men which we heard were on their march with some more Cannon. Would to God they were permitted to come as their Good will was not wanting. A party of Indians were seen advancing with great Speed towards the road that leads to fort Edward which Confirmed us in our Belief of a Relief. About II o'clock Mons!" Montcalm sent an officer with a Flag, with a letter that was intercepted by the above mentioned Indians from Gen! Webb wrote by his Aid-de-Camp M.' Bartman to Col: Monro acquainting him that his Excellency could not give him his assistance as the Militia had not yet come up to Fort Edward, &c. The French officer delivered an other letter from Montcalm ac- quainting Col: Monro that he came from Europe and Should Carry on the war as a Gentleman and not as the Savages do " but like a true Frenchman, both broke his word and Articles of Capitulation as will appear in the Sequel of this relation. During this interval the Enemy made a Shew of all their Indians, about 1200, on a ris- ing Ground about 250 yards distance bearing S: W: which [while] their Engineers reconitred our old Camp Ground which was after- wards a great Advantage to them. As soon as their Officer returned they began their firs in good Earnest which we returned with the utmost bravery. This day we Split two of our heaviest Pieces of Cannon (viz' 32 pounders) and our largest Mortar was rendered useless which was very unlucky for us as we could not be Supplied with others in their place. This day Col? Monro pub- lished his orders to all in the Fort that if any person proved cow- ardly or offered to advise giving up the Fort that he should be im- mediately hanged over the walls of the Fort and he did not doubt but the officers in the Garrison would stand by him to the last and that he was determined to stand it out to the last or as long as two Legs were together. Sunday 7'? The Enemy continued plying us very hard with their 18B8.] HAYS — TII3 SIEOE 0/ FORT WILLIAM HKNRY. 149 Cannon and Bombs while the Compliment was returned by us with all our Artillery, still hoping for a Reinforcement from Fort Ed- ward. A Shell fell into the South Baslion broke one man's I-eg and wounded another; Split one of our i8 Pounders and burst a Mor- tar. Several of the Enemys Shells fell near the CampS. S E of our Fort about 400 yards distance and on a line with the fort from ihe Enemys two Batteries, so that their Shot missing the Fort could Strike the Camp. It appeared that the Enemy could throw their Shells 1300 yards. A Shell fell amongst the officers whilst at din- ner, but did no other mischief than Spoil their dinner by the dirt it tore up. Another Shell fell into the east or flag Bastion and wounded two or three men. Monday S'l" We now began to believe we were much slighted, having received no reinforcement from Fort Edward as was long expected. The Enemy were continuing their Approaches with their Entrenchments from the 2'' Battery towards the Hill on our old Camp Ground, where they were erecting a third Battery, which would have greatly distressed us : There were frequently during these last 2 or 3 days smart skirmishes near our Camp, but we beat them off the Ground. This night we could hear the Enemy at Work in our Garden, on which some Grape Shott was sent in amongst them, which had good Effect as it drove them off, however they had got their 3'' Battery almost finished by Day Light. Tuesday 9'? This Day the Enemies Lines were fi: 'shed, parallel to our West Curtain in the Garden, Distance about 150 Yards. Col* Munro, after a Council of War had been convened, wherein the Officers were of Opinion, that the Loss of our heavy Cannon vizi 2, 32 pounders, i, 24 pounders, two 18 pounders, one 9 pounder & 3 Mortars bursting would render it impossible to defend the Fort much longer, as the Enemies Batteries had increased and our Metal failing us, & no help coming, wherefore it was thought advisable that a white Flag should be hung out in order to capitu- late ; which was done accordingly, and the firing ceased : The Enemy very readily granted the Capitulation : had Monsieur Mont- calm been a Man of Honor, he would have performed his part ; but instead of that such a Scene of Barbarity ensued as is scarce to be credited : After the Articles were agreed on & signed, the Officers left the Fort to a Regiment of the French Regulars who were ready at the Gate, thro' which we marched with most of our valuable Effects & Arms to the Camp and in the Evening three Companies of the I. i 150 HAYS — THE SIEGE OF FOKT WILLIAM HENIIV. [April 15, 35'!* Regim! had marched out & the other three Companies were on their march out of the Breastwork, when we received Orders to return to our Posts again where we remained till next rooming. Wednesday lo'.'' This morning the Marquis MontCalm being desirous of our being eye witnesses of how well he was able to per- form his part of the Capitulation (see the 7'!* Article), the In- dian Doctors began with their TomKawks to cure the sick and wounded. They began to seize on all the negroes and Indians whom they unmercifully draged over the breast work and scalped. Then began to plunder Col? Youngs and some other officers Bag- gage on which Col? Monro applyed to Montcalm to put a Stop to these inhuman Cruelties but to no purpose, for they proceeded with out interruption in taking the Officers Swords Hats Watches Fuzees Cloaths and Shirts leaving quite naked and this they did to every one they could lay hands on. By this time the 35".' Reg', had almost formed their line of March and the Provincials coming out of the breast work the French officers did all they could to throw them into Confusion alledging as soon as the Indians had done stripping them they would fall on and scalp them which thru [j;V] them in a panick that rushed on the front and forced them into Confusion, the Indians pursued tearing the Children from their Mothers Bosoms and their mothers from their Husbands, then Singling out the men and Carrying them in the woods and killing a great many whom we saw lying on the road side. The greates[t] part and best of the plunder was brought to the french General. Our officers did all in their power to quiet our Soldiers advising them not to take notice but suffer themselves to be stript without Resistance lest it should be Construed as a Breach of our part of the Capitulation and those that were in the rear Should fall a Sacrifice to their un- bounded fury. Those therefore that had been able to perserve their arms carried them clubed. The French it is true had a detachm' of their men drawn upas is mentioned in the i' & 6'^ Arti- cle of Capitulation but their only business was to receive the plun- der by the Savages. Finis. ! - !■'■ i 1; «' IVpril 15, were Jers to •i-rl "l.'rfvy:^-.:^tV J^M;,.