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C o o p e r> at the Globe in Patac- nojier Rqw» 1758. *'. •*, • * .1 '..i •1, li U • -* «<« V -» .>; •4 ^-^'.v" i*y II ror Jhee Vt, ■' J 1 1 ■■X *;>'' ' ■uii \f. ■^ I^J \» ^x.ft ■'^^;^ ;^ o .^. r%rh ' urai i t i iii i r -r- i i »« NBfc,j^HMi,^^.> KIW* rill ^"'"'■(IM* [v] '■.^-.- INTRODUCTION. V' H E various Attempts, which have been made to traduce [Major General Shirley^ Conduct in his late military Command in North \Amenca^ make it needlefs to apologize for the Publication of the following Jheets; the fole Intent whereof is to give plain Narrative of the Meafures, which he purfued in the Execution of •■■4 his ^^ '•/ '?.r :* «*. his Truft, that a right Judgment may be formed of his Behaviour in the Dif- charge of it ; and his Condud ftand vindicated from all Imputations of having been any ways acceflary to any^ of the Misfortunes, which have befallen his Majejiys Service in the Courfe of the prefent War. c ■ : 1 : In doing this, the Author ihall ad^i vance fuch Fa6ts only, as will ftand the Teft oi th^ JlriBeJi Examination.; • . y- •■■rX » I. r ' ' I i . % . If this Account was to have a Re- trofped to the laft War with France in North America^ of which Mr. Shirley had the c^'^Diredion at Land, it would open a Field of National Services, which were principally owing to ') :>■:;.• "t Wl \-mm \im ^iiitm>0tmmmn y\\ \ ifc^B.ia »'4* miUP ^ [ vii ] to his Vigilance, Adtivity and Con- duft : The Prefervation of Nova ' Scotia from falling into the Enemy's Hands, when in the moft imminent Danger of being loft ; the Acquifi- ^on of Cape Breton ; the fmall Number of Forces with which both Services were efFedled ; the little Ex- pence to the Nation, with which they were attended ; the * Oeconomy ufed 6y him in making all juft Savings to the Crown ; and the EfFed which the Conqueft then made had towards ex- tinguifliing the War, are Matters, which muft be recent in the Memory of thofe, who are verfed in the public Tran- fadions of that Period. 'O * Of this the late Mr. Pelham^ Firit Lord Com- iniffioner of the Treafiiry did him the Honour to take public Notice in Parliaments, But ff^m 1 Is I < . / Vllt J • But as It IS not intended to v€i\ lil*If- ' carriages, which Mr. Shh-ley may liavd been guilty of during ..-.s late Com- mand, with Merit, which might be claimed for him from his lormer Ser- vices, the Author fliall confine himfelf '| within the Compafi of the prefent War, and the Hoftilities immediately pre- ceding it. ^ xr THE ^^sm IPiVHH ..* THE CONDUCT OF Major General Shirley. ^ H E Earl of Holdernejfe fignified his ^IS'i- Majefty's Commands to the Teve-^"^ jiVje j •*• || /| ral Governors of North America, WMm. " That in cafe the Subjefts of any ^rr<;.>Ab.^i^^ " foreign Prince or State fhould ign " prefume to make any Incroachments in the " Limits of his Majejiys Dominions, or to ere(ft Forts on his Majejiys Lands, or to commit any other Ad: of Hoftility ; and ftiould, upon a Requifition made to " them to defift from fuch Proceedings, per- fift in them, they fhould draw forth the arm'd Force of their refpedtive Province and ufe their bed Endeavours to repel Force " by Force." * Mr. Shirley^ before his receiving thefe Orders, had gained Intelligence that the * Then Governor of the Majfachufets Bay. B French C( (C Of thefe Proceedings Mr. Shirley tranfmit^ ted an Account to his Majejlys Minijiers in England, and about the fame Time repr^ fented it of g- Lke in 1^ S-^t [5] fented the imminent Danger, which he 1754^ apprehended the neighbouring Province of ^' "^^^ Nova Scotia was expofed to from the Forti- fications, and other Incroachments of the French upon the IJihmus, and the Peninfula there, and St. ^ohn\ Rinjer in the Bay of Fundat as alfo from the fudden Attacks, which might be formed againft it from St. Johns IJlandy Louijbourg and ^lyebec. In anfwer to the former, Mr. Shirley receiv'dSept. 6. in a Letter from Sir Thomas Robinjon^ then one of his Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State, his Majefty's Royal Approbation of the Service upon the River Kennebeck^ with Orders to communicate it to \S\^ Ajfejnhly • and upon hisSept. 30. Return from that Expedition his Majefty's Orders were fignified to him in another Let- ter from Sir Thomas Robinjon^ whereby he was direded to concert Meafures with Mr. Law- rence^ Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of Nova Scotia^ for attacking the French Forts in that Frovince. Mr. Lawrence having got Intelligence, that Nov. 25. the French defigned to make a fpeedy Effort for extending their Incroachments upon the Peninfula^ Meafures were concerted (purfuant to his Majeflys Orders) between Mr. Shirley and him for making an Attempt early in the Spring to prevent the Execution of their Scheme, by removing them from their Forts on the Ifthmiis^ and St. Johns River j for which Purpofe it being neceftary to raife noop New England Men to z6t in Conjundlion with t> ■ f-' [6] X7S4- with fuch a Part of his Majejlys Regular ^*^'"**' Forces in Nova Scotia as could be fpared for that Service j and to furnifli 1 2 Pieces of bat- tering Cinnon, military Stores, &c, neceflary for carrying on fuch an Enterprize, Mr. Shir- ley took that Part upon him ; and in order to facilitate the raifing of the Men, as well as to make a Saving to the Crown, they were in- lifted under his own Command, as Colonel of the Regiment.* Dec. I. Mr. Shirley received his Majejlys Orders for railing a Regiment of Foot in North Ame^ rica confifting of looo Men, to be command- ed by himfelf. Dec. 8. He informed Sir Thomas Robinforiy that he fhould proceed to raife 2000 Men for the Service of Nova Scotia^ and made all neceflary Preparations for carrying the propofed Expe- dition into Execution j and as good fmall Arms were not to be procured in the Colonies, he acquainted him that it was abfolutely ne- ceflary, that 2000 Stands fliould be fent from England in Time to arrive at Bo/ion early in JpriL * The I ft Battalion was commanded by Captain John JVmJloiv, late of his Majefty's 40th Regiment, an old ex- perienced Officer, particularly in the American Service, to whom Mr. Shirley gave a provincial Commiffion of Lieu- tenant Colonel upon this Occafion ; the Second by Cap- tain George Scott of his Majefty's 40th Regiment, whofe Qua- lifications for this Command in every Refpedl Mr. Shirley was acquainted with from a perfed Knowledge of his Ser- vices in Nova Scotia ; to whom Mr. Shirley likevvlfe upon this efpecial Occafion gave a provincial Commiffion of Lieutenant Colonel. By r [7] By this Time Mr. Shirley had near com- i75S» pleated his own Regiment, as alfo the two'j^ " ~~^ iV^fic; E?/^/<2W Bnttaillons of 1000 each, deflin'd for the Service of Nova Scotia j and having received Intelligence in the Summer preceed- ing, that the French defign'd to build a nev7 Fort, and extend their Encroachments at Crown Pointy and being of Opinion that the Expedition for driving the French of Canada out of Nova Scotia might give the Colonies a favourable Opportunity to form another a- gainft Crown Pointy and that that Attempt would at the fame time make a Diverfion in favour of the Expedition in Nova Scotia^ pro- pofed to the four Governments of New En^ gland and Province of New Tork^ to carry one on againfl the French in that Quarter with upwards of 4000 Men, and particnlarly re- commended the engaging the Indians of the Six Nations in it, and that Cc\ond[yohnfony as he had a confiderable Influence over them, fhould be Commander in Chief of the Expe- dition ; and upon this Occalion he recom- mended to the Government of Penfilvania^ which had then fome religious Scruples againft raifing Troops, to contribute their Quota of the Expence of this Expedition in Provifions ; all which was comply'd with. Mr. Shirley received a Letter from Sir T/^^-Mar. 14. nias Robinfon acquainting him, that Major Ge- neral Braddock would foon arrive in Firginia with two Regiments under his Command, and ^ directing him, upon his being notified by Mr. Brad' r' \i ' , C8] '755- Braddock of his Arrival, to meet him at fuch '"'^^^^^Time and Place, as fhouldbe moft convenient for both. Mar. 18. pje received a Letter by Exprefs from Ge- neral Braddock acquainting him with his Ar- rival J that he had Orders to have an Interview with him, and defiring him to meet him as foon as he could at Annapolis in Maryland i and in the mean time he communicated to him the Plan of the Expedition under his own immediate Command againfl the French Forts upon the Ohioy to be carried on with the two BritiJI: Regiments, he had brought with him from England^ and the Irregulars of Virginia and Maryland j and propofed to him for his Confideration, an Attempt to be made at the fame Time for the Redudion of the French Forts at Niagara with the two Corps of the 50th and 5 1 ft Regiments, to be conduced under his Command. Mr. Shirley^ at the Time of receiving this Letter, was clofely engaged in making the necellary Preparations for fitting out in due Time the two Expeditions againft the French in Nova Scotia and at Crown Point (the Suc- cefs of the former of which more efpecially depended upon the Difpatch of it) befides raifing his own Regiment and the Bufinefs of his Civil Adminijlration within his Govern- ment. Mar. 3r. As foon as he could finifli the necelTary Orders tor carrying on the Preparations of both Expeditions in his Abfence, fo as that the ^ ■ ' Nova [ 9 ] Nova Scotia Regiment might embark with i^SS* its Artillery, Provifions, and Stores upon the' Arrival of the 2000 Stands of Arms from 'England (in cafe that (hould happen before his Return to Bojion) and he had fo fettled Matters among the four Colonies of New Eng- landy as to fecure the Preparations of the Ex- pedition againll Crown Point from any Mif- carriage among them during his Abfence (both which Bufinefles neceflarily took him up to the 30th of March) Mr. Shirley then fct out, the Snow lying deep on the Ground in New England^ to meet General Braddock, and by the 14th of ^W/, after being retarded three Days in his Journey to New London by tempeftu- pus Weather, and obliged there to crofs the Sound of New York with his Carriages and Horfes, and travel almoft the whole length of Long IJland by Land, arrived at Alexandria in Virginia^ where Mr. Braddock then was, be- ing about 550 Miles from BoJionJ*^ C On * The giving fo particular an Account of the Time, when Mr. Shirley fet out from Bojton to meet General Brad- decky of the Bufinefs, which hindered him from fettiqg out fooner, and the Obftacles, he met with in his Journey to Alexandria^ is occafioned by his being taxed, in a Pam- phlet intitled " Geographical, Hiftorical, Political, Philofo- *' phical and Mechanical Eflays, No. 2. by Leiv'is Evans," with having, by his dilatory Proceedings, made General Braddock wait three Weeks at Annapolis and Alexandria for an Interview with him ; which delayed his March fo long as prevented his arriving at Fort Duquefne before the In- . iBunSy who attacked him at the Monon^ahehy joined the Fremh i - ri,^, '.■la W ': > [ 10] ■ 1755. On the fame Day General Braddock, after ^T'yr^^ Conference with Mr. Shirley and Captain ^^^ ^^'Keppelly Commander of his Majefty's Ships then in Nortb Americdy determined upon car- rying on three Expeditions to the Northward, inz. one again ft the French Forts at Niagara ; another againft their Incroachments in Nova Scotia ; and the other againft Crown Point j the firft of them to be carried on with the troops of the 50th and 51ft Regiments, then raifing, under tl\c Command of Mr. Shirley ; the fccond to be profecuted upon the Plan, and according to the Meafures concerted be- tween Mr. Shirley and Mr. Lawrence ; and that againft Croii)n Point upon the Plan fettled Ffcvch ; and thereby occafioncd his Defeat ; whereas it appears by the foregoing Account, that Mr. Shirley ufed all the Expedition in meeting Mr. Braddock, that his Majefty's other Service, which he was necefTarily engaged in at Bojlon^ theDiftance of the Place of meeting, and the Seafon of the Year would admit : In fail, General Braddock^s March from Alexandria, where his Head Quarters were, was not in the leaft delayed by this Interview ; the two laft Divifions of his Troops and part of his Artillery were not moved from Alexandria till three Days after Mr. Shirley's Arrival there ; and befides it is publicity known that Ge- neral Braddcck was detained by various Difappointments fcven Weeks after Mr Shirley left Alexandria ; of which he complained in a Letter to Mr. Shirley from Fort Cumber- land, wherein he fays, *' I cannot exprefs the Difap- *' pointments, Negligence, Diftioncfty, and Oppofition I *' have met with in the Expedition under my Command, ** which mufl: unavoidably retard t;iy March a Month later ^ *' than I at firli intended ; I moft fmcerely wifliyou may *' be tree from thcfe Troubles." «4 I I »■ f* ^ > r n ] by Mr. Shirley : As to the Expedition againft i755- the French Forts upon the OhiOt that was '"*"^'"*'^ determined upon by Mr. Braddock before Mr. Shirley % Arrival at Alexandria ; the two Bri- tijh Regiments being all marched from thence to Winchejler with the Baggage, Artillery, ^^c, except two Divifions of the 48th, which marched in three Days after. ' General Braddock appointed Colonel Jolm-^vr. 16. /on to be fole Superintendant of the Indians of the Five Nations, with Inftiudions to engage as large a Number of them as he could for his Majefty's Service in the Expedition againft Crown Pointy Niagaray and the French Forts upon the Ohio j and about the fame time ordered Captain King with two independent Companies of New Tork under his Com- mand, and Captian Bradflreet with two Com- panies of the 51ft Regiment under his^ to proceed forthwith to Ofwego for the Pro- teftion of the Fort there, until Mr. Shirley^ Arrival, and to ftrengthen it as foon as might be. It being judged neceflary by the Council^P*"' ^7* held at Alexandria^ that one or more armed VelTels, of about 60 Ton each (hould be built upon the Lake Ontario for fecuring the Command of itj the Care of ordering that Part of the Service was committed to Mr. Shir- ley. Mr. Shirley fet out from Alexandria upon Apr. 18^ , his Return to Bojlony and in paffing through C 2 Phila- fi _'rii4«(t«^"--*c!-"4'«^**-^ teiSr*-ie i^f^fc ri-_.^ [ 12] ^fyss- Phtladelphia received a Letter from Sir Tho- ^""^^^"^ mas Robinfofij acquainting him with his Ma- jeflys Approbation of his Defign to raife the 2000 New England "^den, and his Majefty's Orders to compleat them ; and informing him, that his Majefty had ordered 2000 Stands of Aims to be fent to him at Bofton. z Apr. 25. Mr. Shirley judging upon further Con- lideration, that his own Regiment, with fuch Part of the 51ft as was likely to be raifed in Time for the Expedition againft Niagara^ would not be a fufRcient Force for efFedting the Service under his Command upon the Lakf* Ontario y againft the Oppofition, which might be expedled there in the Defence of fo important a Place to the French^ in his return through the Province of New Jerfey procured an Adt of the Ajfembly then fitting, for leav- ing the Regiment of that Province confifting of 500 Men (which by their late Aft was confined to be employed in the Service againft Crown Point) at Liberty to proceed under his Command to Ofwego\ which Difpofition of it was afterwards confirmed by General Brad^ dock, Apr. 29. Mr. Shirley arrived at New Tork, where he found that the two Companies of the 51ft Regiment ordered by General Braddock to pro- ceed, as foon as might be, to Ofwego^ were detained for want of Money to pay the Men their Subfiftence (the Deputy Pay-mafter Ge- neral for the Northern Diftrift not being then arrived fftj^fiMM^sy mf [ '3 1 arrived in Americd) and of Battoes ; the pro- i7S5« viding of wliich laft was committed to the' Care of the Lieutenant Governor of Nexo Tork : Wherefore, in order to difpatch Cap- tain Bradjlreet with the two Companies for OJwego, be procured Money to llipply the commanding Officer of the Regiment for that Purpofe : During his Stay there he like- wife fettled. Colonel Johnfons * Commifllon and Inftrucftions, together with the nccefTary Preparations for the Campaign to Crown Pointy the Plan of Operations to be purfued, the Ap- pointment of the ncceffary Officers for the Indians which were to be engaged in that Ex- pedition, and other Matters relative to them, &€. as alfo feveral with the Lieutenant Go- I'' vernor of New Tork for fup plying both that and the Niagara Expedition with Artillery and Ordnance Stores, and other things relative only to the former of them : He fettled like- wife, before he left New Tork, Captain Brad- Jireet's Inftrudions for forwarding the Building of the two Sloops upon the Lake Ontario, to- gether with two fraall Schooners or Row Gallies of about 20 Ton each for Tenders to them ; as alfo the neceffiiry Orders for hiring Sciimen, contradling with Builders and • By this Commiffion (being a provincial one) Colorel yohnjon was appointed by Mr. Shirley, Major Genernl aid Commander in Chief of the provincial Forces emplo) cd in that Expediton. Workmen, I [14] "75S» ^Workmen, and for procuring Provifions and all manner of Stores for that Expedition. It nriufl be obferved here, that when Mr. Shirley was firft ordered to Ofwego^ the Paffagc thither was very little known to any but a few Officers, who had been ported at the Gar- rifon there, and a few Indian Traders of Al- bany and ScheneBada, who ufually went there once a Year, in the Spring (when the Waters are high) in Battoes, with Goods fuitable for that Trade, and returned towards the Begin- ning of Winter : Upon Inquiry Mr. Shirley found, that every thing wanted at Ofwego ^ muft be firft embarked at New York on board Sloops, and fent 160 Miles up Hudjhn*^ Ri- ver to Albany, there landed, and tranfported 16 Miles to SchencBada ', that there they muft be put on board Battoes on the Mo- hawks River, up which they were to proceed againft the Stream about 140 Miles to the great Carrying-place at Oneida -, that the Paf- fage up that River was rendered very difficult by a great Number of Falls, Rifts of Rocks, and Shoals, which at all times are bad, but in dry Seafons almoft impaflable ; and that in one Part of it, within five Miles of the upper Mo- hawks Caftle at Conajohara, there was a Fall called from thence the Conajohara Fall, which entirely interrupts the Navigation of the River for above a Mile, at which Place all the Bat- toes and their Cargoes were dragged by Hand over Land -, that at the Oneida Carrying- place, where «^ where the Battocs leave the Mohanvks River, the Land Carriage to the Wood Creeks in the Spring, when the Waters are high, was four Miles acrofs, but in the Summer eight, to the Place where the Canada Creek falls into the Wood Creek j the Road extremely bad for the moft part, through Swamps and Marfhes j and about 60 Miles from any In- habitants, except only two or three Indian Fa- milies which refided there, and kept a few Horfes and Sledges to carry over the Traders Goods J that there was no Houfe or Place to (lielter Goods from the Weather, there be- ing no Ufe for one, as the Traders always fe- cured their Goods in their Battoes, fo that they \i_ could not be hurt by it ; and as there gene- rally arrived at the Carrying-place no more than two or three Battoes at a time, they could always get over in one Day : That the Navi- gation through the Wood Creek to the Oneida Lake, which is 28 Miles, was very difficult, the Creek being then choak'd up with great Logs and Trunks of Trees,- which had fallen into it ; through which a narrow PafTage had been cut, broad enough only to admit one of the fmall Battoes to pafs through at a time ; that from the Oneida Lake to Ofwego there were many other Difficulties in the Paffage ; the Omndago River having feveral bad Falls and Rifts, and particularly one Fall within 1 2 Miles of Ofwego, where the whole River tumbles over a perpendicular Rock of above 16 Feet high -, which occafions the Battoes to be 1755- ^1 I t '6] >755- be landed there, and dragged over a Carry- ing-place of about 50 Yards ; that from thence down to Ofivego^ the River was very rapid and dangerous in many Places j that for almoil: the whole Length of the Paflage from i^chene^iada to Ofrvego, being 240 Miles, the Banks of the Rivers and Creeks were covered with thick Woods and Brufli, which put it into the Power of the Enemy to ambufh the Battoes in their PaiTage whenever they pleas'd, unlcfs Precautions were taken to prevent them ; and that it would be necelTary to cm- ploy at leall 500 Battoes between ScheneBada and Ofivego to carry down the Stores and Pro- vifions requifite for the Expedition under his Command, there being not above 20 Battoes^j then to be purchafed or hired in the Province of A^*:":^ Tork. To get over as many of thefe Difficulties as might be, Mr. Shirley, before he left New 2V^, gave Orders for a Number of Carpen- ters to be employed at Schenedlada, Albany, and New York, in building 500 new Battoes, which were compleated in fix Weeks ; like- wife for one Party to be employed in clearing the Mohawks River and Wood Creek from as manyObftrud:ions in them as was polfible ; an- other to be fen t to the Falls at Conajahara, to make a paflable Road there, and another to build two Store Houfes on the Oneida Carry- ing-place, at each End one ; which laft Party, after etieding that, proceeded to mend the Road over the Carrying-place 3 and widened I the pp 'I "HP mm t ^7 1 the PalTage through the fVooJ Creek, which '759- they cleared higher up than it was before, ^' ' • and thereby made the Land Carriage three Miles fhorter. While this was doing by People hired in the Province of New Tork, Mr. Shirley y foon after his Arrival at Bo/ion^ ordered two Com- panies of Sir William Pepper el? ^ Regiment, then at New Tor k^ to be compleatcd to loo Men each, and to proceed to the great Carry^ ing-placey there to guard the Store Houfes and Paffage acrofs, and to he employed in clearing the Woods on the Sides of the Road, upon which they worked, till the reft of the Troops arrived there. Mr. Shirley arrived from New Tork at Hart* May 9. ford in Conne^icut, where he found the Ge- neral AJJembly fitting, and that a Stop was put to the raifing that Government's Quota of Men for the Crown Point Expedition, being 1200, on Account of the -r^iiiiii»i^ R^PIP ^m ^wf ■PHP [ 21 I the Stores without adtual Payment or Security "iySS* given. v-»v^ After having removed this Obftacle to thejuiy 5. Expedition's proceeding, by putting into the Hands of the Government of New T^rk a fuffi- jcient Quantity of the Penjihania Provifions, as a Security for reimburfing them on Ac- count of the beforementioned Articles, and advanced about 1000/. Sterling of his own Money towards the Expence of tranfpOijng the Artillery and OrdnanceStores,in Confidence of being rein^burfed by the New England Co- lonies, he embarked for Albany, ^/Jr. Shirley arrived at Albany^ and finding July 10, that the Embarkation of the New Jerfey and 50th Regiments, and the five Companies of the 5 1 ft, which were at Schenedlada^ together with their Provifions and the Artillery and Stores, would take up fome Weeks j which might be cniployed by him more profitably for his Mz- jefty\ Service in ftaying there to forward the Expedition againfl Crown Ppinty than going to ScheneBada to attend the Embarkation of the Troops and Stores from thence, he commit- ted the latter to the Care of Lieutenant Colonel Ellifony commanding Officer there : This Em- barkation was made in feven Divifions, the five firft of which took up till the 23d Day of yuly^ occafioned by want of Battoe-men and Slay-men with Horfes at the feveral Carrying- places, of both which Mr. Shirley found himr felf greasy difappointed, partifularly in the ■^rrri,,^»»inwi ., ^:\ .75S- ** mantled the 500 Men, which had landed ^-^^r~^<< near Ofivego in 7///y lad, of their Arrival, " and the Day they were to fet out to attack *' OJivegOy that, with all xht Indians they could " colledl from that Quarter, they might fet out *• at the fame time and join the French General *' at Ojwcgo." This Account of the Defigns of the French again ft Ofwego was afterwards fully confirmed by fubfequent Intelligence j but the Baron De Diejkau\ proceeding to Cadaraqui with all the Troops, that he brought from France^ was prevented (as appeared afterwards) by Major General 'Johnfons marching againft Crown Poijit. Aug. 18. Mr. Shirley arrived at Ofwego with the laft Divifion but one of the Forces under his Command, and found the Works there, hough ftrengthened by Captain Brad- jireet as much as could be expecfled, in a very weak Condition ; the chief Strength of the Fort, which was mounted with five fmall Cannon of 3 and 4 Pound Ball, confifted of a Stone- Wall 605 Feet in Circumference and 3 ; Feet thick, fo ill cemented, that it could not Rand againft Cannon of 4 Pound Shot, and was fituated upon the South Edge of Lake On- tario on a fmall Eminence, which was com- manded at 450 Yards Diftance to the North Eaft by an high Point of Land, on the oppo- fite Side of the River, and by another Emi- nence behind it Weftward at the Diftance of 540 Yards -, and in this expofed State of the Fort, I .! [ 29 ] Fort, the Ptencht if not hindered by armed >7S5' Vcffels, might land Artillery from the Lake/ within about a Mile of the Eminences. As it appeared to Mr. Shirley^ upon a Sur- vey of thofe two high Grounds taken on the Afternoon of his Arrival, that the oppofite Point on the other Side of the River was, on Account of its advantageous Situation for commanding the Harbour, and the old Fort, the moft effential Spot to be fecured, he or- dered it to be immediately cleared of the Trees and Underwoods, with which it was thick covered i and as it feemed abfolutely neceffary, in the weak Condition of the old Fort, that for the Defence of the Place againft the fudden Attempts, it was threatened with from Fort Frontenac^ it fhould be ftrengthen'd as foon as poflible, with fuch new Works, as the fudden Emergency would admit of ; and as neither that nor the advanced Seafon, and the other Buildings and Works neceflary to be finifhed at Ofwego would allow Mr. Shir^ kyy unc'er the Circumftances he was in, to execute that Year any Plan of Fortifications, which would be defenfible againft heavy Ar- tillery, he gave Orders for ereding on the Point a ftrong Log pallifaded Fort, capable of mounting large Cannon, and containing Bar- racks for 300 Men, which, from the Dimen- fions of its Logs, might be defenfible againft Cannon of 31b. or 41b. Ball; and, if it fliould be thought requifite to have a ftrong regular «) i I o [ J«] >755- regular Fortification build round it another '■"*^'"*^ Year, be of Service, vvhilft: the new Works were eredling : And for fecuring the Place to the Southward of the old Fort, he determined, as foon as Hands and Time could be fpared for it, to have a fmall fquare Fort of Earth and Mafonry, with four Baftions, a Rempart, Parapet, and Ditch, containing Barracks for 200 Men, built on the other Eminence; a particular Account of all which Mr, Shirley tranfmittcd in a Letter of the 1 9th of Septem" her from Ofwego, to Sir Thomas Robmforii with Plans of the intended Forts. Sept. 1. The lafl: Divifion of the Forces under Mr. Shirley z Command, with Part of the Artillery and Ordnance Stores, arrived at Ofwego with , Lieutenant Colonel Mercer ; Carriages for 9 of the largeft Pieces of Ordnance weie to be new made (thofe prepared ibr them before his Arrival not being fufficientiy fortified), feve- ral other Works to be forwarded as much as poiTible before he proceeded to Niagara j in particular the Intelligence he had received of the Enenriy's defigning foon to attack Ofwego^ made it not advifeable for him to draw any confiderable Part of the Forces from it in rhc expofed Condition, the Works were then in, until at leaft the new Fort eredling at the Point was inclofed, and ready to receive its Cannon ; but if all other Circumftances had favoured Mr. ^^/r/fy's- proceeding to Niagara^ yet from the Time of his Arrival at Ofwego to the T.8th of September i there had not been a fufficient v^ [ 3' ] fufficlcnt Quantity of Provifions for vidlualUng i755- the Garrifon ten Days, at any one time in the^*'"^'^"*^ Stores : This was occafioned by feveral Acci- dents, but principally the Lownefs of the Wa- ter in the Rivers, through which they were to be carried to Ofwego^ Defertion of Battoe- men and Slay-men (it being the Time of Harveft), and above all by the infufiicient Number of both to be found in the Country for tranfporting the Baggage, Provifions, Ar- tillery, and Ordnance Stores employ'd in this Expedition, and that of Crown Pointy which were carrying on at the fame time. At this time the State of the Intelligence Scpt. 17. concerning the Strength and Defgns o^ the Enemy at Niagara and Fort Frontenac flood thus. The two Albany Traders and Indians^ which Mr. Shirley fent from the Oneida Carrying- place to Niagara, were returned, and brought him an Account, that the Fort and Garrifon there were both in a weak Condition ; that the French told the Indians , who being well known to the Garrifon, and unfufpeded by them, were admitted into the Fort, and con-> tinued there two Days, that they had for fome time expected 900 Indians from Canada, with a large Quantity of Stores, and were un-* der Concern left the Veflels, that were to have brought them, fliould be taken by one of the EngUJld VefTels, they having heard no- thing of them for fome Weeks j that the French had at Niagara 70 or 80 large Battoes, with ■ViF 1 "^ r L 32 ] •1 i '755' with which they told thetn they intended to meet the Englijh Veffels, and board them > which laft Circumftance was confirm'd by an- other Indian^ who had lately come from Ni- agardy and upon meeting one of the Englijh ■Row-Gallies upon the Lake, cautioned the Commander of it againft proceeding further, for that Reafon. The Intelligence which the Parties of Al- bany Men and Indians^ whom Mr. Shirley^ foon after his Arrival at Ofwego, fent to re- connoitre Fort Fro?2tenaCy and the Harbour, and other Indians, which were lately arrived from thence, gave him of the Enemy's Strength and Defigns there, was as follows : That the French Fort was fnrrounded with a Stone .Wall about fix Feet thick, and mounted with 'a great Number of Cannon large and fmall ; that their Magazine had a large Number of Barrels of Powder in it ; and that there were in their Harbour two Sloops of about the fame Size with thofe of the Eng- lifi J that there was one Encampment of re- gular Troops near the Fort, which, from the Number of the Tents, they judged to contain about 600 Soldiers, and another large En- campment ofCanadeans j that the French there told one of the India?2St who was a Man of Note, and in great Confidence with them, that they expected foon from Canada a much larger Number of regular Troops, with an Officer, they called 7^6" General, which were lately arrived from France, and that the Com- mandant •^1- M.%s ^**^'A [ 33] mandafjf of the Fort told him, that then they i755- defigned to make the EngUJh a Vifit at Of- wego, and attack itj the Truth of which was afterwards verified. And Major General Johnfon, in his Letter dated ifl of September, from the Camp at Lake George, acquainted Mr. Shirley, that fome of the Indians, whom he had fent for In- telligence to Canada, informed him, that the French told them, there were 300 Canoes late- ly gone to Cadaraqui \Fort Frontenac], Mr. Shirley, upon laying together this Intel- ligence, and the Account which he had be- fore received of the Arrivd of Troops from France that Summer, and confidering thefe Circumftances in particular, that all Inter- courfe between Fort Frontencc and Niagara had been fufpended for feme time, and that the French had laid ftill at the former of thofe Places ever fince his Arrival at Ofwego, judged it probable that the Enemy's Defign was, in cafe of his making an Attempt againfl Nia^ gara (which, from its Diftance of 150 Miles, and the advanced Seafon of the Year, would take up 30 Days, or more, in the Execution) to make a Defcent in the mean time againft Ofwego from Fort Frontenac, whi:h does not exceed ^^ Miles Diftance from it. The Strength of the Garrifon at Ofwego was then as follows : The Number of Men fit for • immediate Service did not amount to more than 1376, the Corps of which it confifted having been much reduced by Sicknefs and .. . F Defer- t |i \, ^i 'f ■ [ 34 1 i75'5' Defertlons upon their March, and fince their Arrival there; and befides thefe Troops the Number of the Albany Men and Indians^ which attended the Army, did not exceed 120. The Accounts which Mr. Shirley had re- ceived of the Enemy's Garrifon and Works at Niagara encouraged him to make an At- tempt againft it that Year, if pofTiblej and as the Vv^'orks of the new Fort building upon the oppofite. Point were fo far advanced, that he hoped it might be ready ixj a few Days to re- ceive its Artillery, he purpofed, notwithftand- jn^ the Onondago Indians in particular had de- clared to him, that the Seafon of the Year was too far advanced for fuch an Enterprize, to proceed to Niagara (as foon as a fufticient Quantity of Provifions fliould arrive 2lOfweg&) with 6oo Regulars, including Gunners and MatrolTes, befides the Albany Men and In- dians^ and a IVain of Artillery confifting of one Cannon of i8 Pound Shot, four twelve Pounders, one ten Inch Mortar, one feven Inch Hoyett, two Royals, and five fmall Swi- vel Hoyetts, with the four Veflels, five Whale- Boats (being all he had), and a fuitable Num- ber of Battoes ; in which cafe the Force re- maining for the Defence of Ofwego would have been 700 Troops fit for immediate Duty, two Cannon of 12 Pound Ball, four nine Pounders, 10 fix Pounders, 6 three Pounders, &nd 8 Cohorns ; and the Day following he convened a Council of War for their Opinion * upon ■■■ J^a-M ' *! * !! . » <. . .. [ 35 ] • Upon his Intention to proceed to Niagara with i755*% the before-mentioned Force, on receiving a^""^^ proper Supply of Provifions ; and the Majo^ rity of the Members accordingly advifed him thereto. Hereupon Mr. Shirley ordered Preparations to be forthwith made for the intended At- tempt; the 600 Troops were drafted, and held themfelves in rcadinefs to embark ; the ArtJ'Vry and Ordnance Stores were put on t \iL: the Sloop Ontario^ and a Proportion of the Provifions on board the ^Xoo^'Ofwego ; and the reft ready to be put on board the Row- Gallies, Whale-Boats, and Battoes, in the latter of which it was found, that a very confiderable Part of the Troops would be obliged to em- bark, for want of Room, in the VelTels. Eight Battoes, containing 40 Barrels of Sept. 27 Flour, and 1 t^ of Bread, which were the Spe- cies of Provifions wanted, arrived at the Camp; fo 'ft there was then in Store there 14 Days i , j i-Uowance of Bread and Flour for 2000 Mo 'as, which, upon the beft Cal- culation that could be made, was the whole Number of Troops, Albany Men, Indians ^ Workmen, and Followers of the Camp; of that Quantity Mr. Shirley determined to take with him to Niagara 21,000 Pounds of Bread ; d Flour, being J Allowance for 700 Mcr. for 40 Days; in which Cafe there would be left in Camp 8000 Pounds of Bread and Flour, being twelve Days \ Allow- ance for the Number, he fliould leave there, Fa which < J -i i ■ [36] *755' ^ which by the Advices he had received from the Oneida Carrying-place and Mohawks River, he had the greateft Reafon to expedt would, in the Space of a few Days, be augmented to a full Allowance for fome Months. For 13 Days fucceflively before this, there had fallen immoderate Rains, and the Wea- ther had been vc / trmpeftuous upon the Lake, which ftill coi jed, and had greatly retarded the Works ot the Garrifon, and in- creafed the Number of the fick ; and the Al- bany Men and Indians (the latter of which could not be kept from returning Home, but promifed to join Mr. Shirley in the Spring, with great Numbers) made fuch ftrong Re- prefentations concerning the Seafon*s being too late, efpecially for the Men to go to Nia- gara in fmall Albany Battoes ; in which they could not poflibly keep Company with the Veffels, nor fecure their Ammunition and Arms from being wet, and ufelefs to them in cafe of a fudden Attack, that Mr. Shirley found there was a conliderable Uneafinefs among the Officers at his Intention to pro- ceed thither; and an Apprehcnfion had like- wife prevailed among them, from Intelligence received the Night before, that one of the French Veflels was fcen in the Harbour of Ca- daraquif with its Sails bent, that OJkvcgo would be taken in his Abfence : Upon this Mr. Shirley thought proper to convene a Council of War, the Members of which de- clared themfelves, for many Reafons aflign'd by t.37] by them, to be unanimoujly and clearly of Opi- 175^- nion, that it was moft adviieable for him to*^ defer making any Attempt againft Niagara until the next Year, when he might take the Advantage of an early Campaign, and not only take, but bold Niagara, and leave Ofwego lefs ex- pofed to the Enemy from Fort Frontenac ; and that in the mean time, he fliould employ his whole Strength in finidiing the Forts (one of which was not begun to be built) the Barracks, Hofpital,and other Works at Ofwego, as much as the Seafon of the Year would allow. The Confideration, which had the greateft Weight with Mr. Shirley for delifting from the Profecution of an immediate Attempt againft Niagara^ was, that nothing more could have been done that Year (fuppofing he had got the Troops and Artillery fafe before it) than to diflodge the French and demolifli their Works, as the State of his Provifions would not admit of his leaving a Garrifon there during the Winter for its defence ; fo that an effedual Pofleffion of that Pafs could not have been taken that year ; whereas in the mean time, during the Abfence of the Veffels from OJwego (all which it was indifpenfably neceiTary for Mr. Shirley to have taken with him upon his Attempt againft Niagara) it would have been in the Power of the French to have tranfportcd a Train of Artillery without Oppofition acrofs the Lake from Fort Frontenac, and have land- ed them either at the Place where Mr. Mont^ ftf/w actually landed his in 1756, near Fort Qntarlo, I.. r i-i H [38] ^755* Ontarioy and made themfelvcs Mafters of that Fort, efpecially as it was unfinifhedj or near the oppofite Eminence behind the old Fort OfwegOy where the intended new Fort was not then begun to be built ; in either of which Cafes they might not only have made them- felvcs Mafters of OfwegOy but muft have cut off Mr. Shirley^ Return from Niagara i which would have been fatal likewife to the Troops with him. That it was adlually the Scheme of the French to have attempted both, if Mr. Shirley had proceeded to Niagara, moft authentic Proof could be given, if it was proper to make it public. All thoughts of proceeding to Nia- gara that Year being, according to the unani- mous Opinion of the Council, laid afide, Mr* Shirley employed the whole Strength of the , Workmen and Soldiers, all the time he flayed afterwards at Ofwego, in carrying on the two new Forts and other Works and Buildings there ; an Account of which with Copies of the two Minutes of the Councils of War held the 1 8th end 27th of September , containing the Reafons for not proceeding to Niagara, were tranfmitted to Englaiid to be laid before his Majefty, Concerning the before-mentioned two new Forts it hiufl be obferved, that they were erected without any regular Engineer at the Diftance of 400 Miles from any Englijh Settle- ment, where a further Supply of proper Work- men and Materials for ll:rong Fortifications could |i|f [ 39 ] could be had, and within 65 Days, the Sea- fon in that Clim te rendering it impradicable to work longer ; that during half that time, they were retarded by bad Weather, in which the Men could not work, and when they could, part of their Labour was neceffarily em- ^Syed in finifhing a VefTel then building for s Majefty's Service, in order to preferve the Command of Lake Ontario, and a large Hof- pital, and Barracks for Winter Quarters, to contain upwards of 900 Men ; the Timber for all which was to be cut from the Stem, and the Ground, on which the two Forts were building, to be cleared of the Trees and Un- derwood, with which it was covered. In order to expedite thefe Works as much as poffible, before the Winter fet in, Mr. Shir- ley (layed at Ofwego until the 23d of OBober ; beyond which time the great Variety of other Bufinefs of Importance in his Majefty's Ser- vice, devolved upon him after General Brad- dock\ Death, and neceftary to be fettled and prepared for the enfuing Campaign, and which abfolutely required his Prefence in the other Colonies, (particularly the Maffachufets Bay) would not permit him to remain there. Mr. Shirley^ upon his going from Ofwego^ left Orders with the Commanding Officer of the Garrifon to finifli the two Forts in his Ab- fence, the former of which (Fort Ontario) was at that time picketted round, its Barracks within a very few Days of being all finilhed, ^nd was fo far compleated, as to receive its . Garrifon, '755- i m 1755- 1'^ '■i [ 4° ] Garrlfon, mouut 8 of its Cannon, and take in its Ordnance Stores; fo that it was defenfible againft any Number of Men, that the French could bring againft it with Mufquctry and Cannon of 3 or 4 Pound Ball ; and the latter, (Fort Ofwcgo) had three of its Baftions, and the two intermediate Courtaines (except the Parapet^ fini(hed, and fhe Barracks raifedj the Directions left concerning which were to compleat the Parapet, and inclofe the other two Sides with Pailifadoes only for that Win- ter ; it being too late in the Seafon to think of finifliing the Rempart and Ditch of the whole J and to alTift the Commanding Of- ficer in farnifhing and ftrengthening thefe two Forts, and the other Works at OfivegOy I Mr. Shirley fent two of his Majefty's Engineers as early in the Spring, as he could. As thefe Forts were calculated to defend the Piacj only againfl Attacks with Mufquetry or fmall Cannon, Mr. Shirley^ for fecuring it againft heavy Artillery, which could be tranf- ported thither by Water-Carriage only, de- pended upon having a fuperior Naval Force on Lake Ontario to that of the French j being affured, that while his Majefty's Veflels kept the Command of the Lake, and the Officers were vigilant in their Duty, it would be im- pradlicable for the Freitch to attack Ofwego with any thing but Mufquetry, or even to carry with them a fufficient Quantity of Pro- vifions to fupport them in fucb an Attempt : For this purpofe he determined to have as '.' ■ ' ' ' manv -if V\ it;®,. I [ 4i ] many more armed Veflels btillt at Ofwego^St with thofe built before, would be a fuperior' Force to that of the Frnich upon Lake Onta^ rio J and as the Albany Battoes, which, before the Expedition againllt Niagara, had been the only Boats made ufe of in the Navigation be- tween ScheneBada and Ofwego^ were, though well calculated for the Mohawks Rhcr and Wood Creeky very unfit for navigating the Lakes, and keeping Company with Veflels in an Expedition upon them, Mr. Shirley refolved upon having 250 Whale-Boats capable of holding 16 Men each, and of a built peculiarly adapted^ on Account of their Swiftnefs and being able to live in a great Swell, for the Ser- vice upon the Lakes, built aguinft the next Spring. He had, in the preceding Sumrtlcr, ordered a fewWhale-Boats of the ordinary Size, capa- ble of holding eight Men (Rowers and Steerf- man included) to be built at Rhode IJland, and tranfported to Ofwego ; but Captain Bradjlreet having made an Improvement upon them there, which rendered them much more fer- viceable upon the Lake, Mr. Shirley determin- ed to have the 250 new ones built upon that Model ; and as it was much doubted whether Boats of that Size could be condaded thrdugli the Rifts, Shoals, and Currents, with which the greateft Part of the Route from ScheneSfada to Ofwego abounds, it was at fiiffc propoled to have them built at Ofwego ; but as that would have been more expenftve than building them G at I 175?. \li A n * # r< • ). [ 42 ] 1755- at ScheneBaddy and the tranfportlng In them the great Quantity of Provifions, they could contain, belides the Men, from ScheneBada to OJivcgo would be a further faving to the Crown, and Captain Bradjircct undertook to pilot fuch a Boat between thofe two Places, Mr. Shirley determined to make his Paflage upon his Re- turn to Sche?7eclada in one of them, that it might be afccrtained whether the Navigation of the Rivers, and IFcod Creek, through which the Paflage lay, for a Squadron of fuch Boata was pradicable or not. . Befides the beforementioned Bufinefs, in which Mr. Shirley was engaged during his flay at OftvcgOj there was another very ma- terial Branch of Service, which employed much of his Time and Attention there ; viz. the cultiva.ing the bcft Harmony and Friend- fliip, that was poflible, with the Chiefs of the Ijidians, and improving a good Correfpondencc with their Tribes in general. The Importance of this Service will appear from the following Confiderations, among others : The Country of the Five Nations is the Barrier of the Britijh Colonies againfl the 'French and their Indians inhabiting the North Side of the great Lakes, and whilft they re- main Irm in xhc Britijh Intereft, they will not only be a Guard to them againft the Incurfions of tlie Enemy, but the beft Body of Indian Auxiliaries upon the Continent for harrafling the French as high as Montreal itfelf, . which they had once near dellroy'd with their own Force ; ■i [43 1 Force : on the other hand, if the French fhould '755* become Mafters of that Country, thofe Indian^ muft of courfebe forc'd into their Intereft, and in fuch cafe would be a formidable Body of Warriors for breaking up the Englijh Back Settlements, efpecially thofe of New Tork and Penfihania : and this has been fo much the public Senfe of the EngliJJo Nation, and of the Dutch before them, ever fince the firfl: Settle- ment of New Tcrky with which the Friend- fhip of the Five Nations commenc'd, that it has ever been a (landing Maxim of both States to keep thofe Indians in their Alliance : An high Proof of the national Sentiments of the Englijh Government upon this Matter is, that one of the great Objedts of Queen Anne\ Mi- nifters, at the Treaty of Utrecht^ was to bring the French King formally to declare in the 1 5th Article of it, " that the Five Nations or Can- *' tons of Indians were fuhjedl to the Doini- " nion of Great Britain :" and in the prcfent War the Govemmmt hath thought the Pre- fervation of the Friendfliip of thefe Indiajis of fo gieat Importance to the Nation, that the ut- moll Care was taken by them for fecuring that great Point, and fpecial Inftrudions given for that Purpofe by his Majefty to the Gejieral and Commander in Chief of his Forces \n North Ame- rica J which were not confined to thofe Na- tions, but extended to the cultivating an Inte- reft and Friendfliip with the Southern Indian s iikewife, ^ ' G 2 In [44] '755- In confequcncc of the Mell^igcs which Mr, Shirley fent from the Carrying-place Sit Oneida to Four of the Five Cantons or Nations of In- 4ians^ inviting them to meet him at OJwegOy fe- venil of the Sachefns and Warriors of the Oneidas met him foon after his Arrival there ; as did, a few Days after, almofl all the Sa- chems, and fome (^f the Warriors of the Ojion- dagos ; likewife Deputies from the Cayugas and Senecas j and about the fame time he re- peived a MelTage from a Branch of the On- taiaiasTfhUans^ who inhabit in the Neighbour- Iiood of Lake Erii\ and had been much conr cern'd in the A(5tion at the Moncfigabela againfl General Braddock^ expreffing their Difpofitio^i to lay down the Hatchet, and obferve a Neu- trality for the future between the Rnglijl: and Trench: and as the inducing the Indians of the Five Nations to confcnt to his Majefty's ereft- ing defenfible Forts near their refpecftiveCaflles, within the fevcral QiKirters of their Country, to be garrifon'd with Englijh Soldiers for the Protedion of their Wives and Children in time of War againfl the Fn7^^Z;, would be the beft Means of fixing them in a firm Dependency upon the Crown o{ Great Britain^ and fecuring their Country to be a B:irrier to the Engli/lj j and the opening a free Trade at Ofwego with the Indians inhabiting the North Side of the Lake Ontario, and round Lake Erie^ upon more advantageous Terms for them than the Jprench could afford : and eflablifliinG: an an- nual [45l nual Meeting and Council between them, and '75^ the Indians of the Five Nations would be the' moft efFedtual Method of reclaiming thofe/o- reign Indians from the Intereft of the French^ (at lead to a State of Neutrality) and to reftorc the Indians of the Five Nations to their ancient Authority and Influence over thofe Northern Indians j Mr. Shirley propofed to the Indians of the Five Nations, which met him at Of- to build them Forts near their feveral ! 1! C. --.cS,tobegarrifon*d with the King's Troops; and before he left Ofwego fent Meflages to the MeJfafagueSy Chippowees, Outaiwaias, and other Northern Nations, inviting them to meet him and their Brethren of the Five Nations at Ofwego in the Spring following, there to confult in a general Council upon Meafures for fettling a mutual Friendfhip and Alliance, opening a free Trade and Commerce between the EngliJ}:) and Indians^ eftablifhing a general Peace among all their Caftles, and putting an End to the dcRrudVive War, which the French were conftantly inftigating them to engage in with the EngfiJIj, and with each other. And for compafling thefe falutary Ends, he propofed to the Indians of the Five Nations then with him, that they fhould fend fome of their Sachems to meet him in the Spring at Ofwego^ being the Center of their own Coun- try J to which it was more fit, that the other Nations (liould come to take Law from them, than that they fhould go out of their o^n Territories, to m^et thofe Nations. The ■\\ w\ w s.' • . ^ ' ij , 1 J 7 < 4lli ■ i i A.. [46] »7■<«»"**— Hs^i [47] Ham Johnfon inform'd Mr. Shirley Diredllons 1755. were given for building Forts for all of them j and fome were accordingly built. The EfFeca or the Propofal to the Indiam inhabiting the North Side of the Lake OntU" riOt and thofe of the Five Nations, to meet him at Ofwego in the enfuing Spring for the Purpofes beforemention'd was, that the lead- ing Caftles of the latter of thofe Indiam pro- mis'd Mr. Shirley to comply with it, and with regard to the Anfwer of the Northern IndianSy Lieutenant Colonel Mcrcer^ Commanding Of- ficer at OfwegOy in his Leter ;^f the 30th of November 1755, to Mr. Alexander Secretary to Mr. Shirley, acquainted him, " that the Mejfafagues and other neighbouring Nations * ' of Indiam had gladly accepted of Mr. Shirley s " Invitation ; that, was it not for the Dangers on the Lake in the Winter, they would have been at Ofwego before that Time, but that they might be expeded early in the Spring; that he gave Mr. Alexander that Liforma- tion, that Mr. Shirley might be appris'd of it, and either fend him [Lieutenant Colonel Mercer\ Inftructions, or fome proper Fer- " fon to treat with them." And in his Letter to Mr. Alexander ai the i ith dl December 1755 he fays, " that he had the Pleafure to acquaint " him with the Succefs and Return of Mr. «S/vr- ley% Meflenger to the Mejfafagues, and other foreign Nations of Indiam \ that they had accepted of his Offers and Invitation ; and that they would be (( e-r_ „ [ 49 ] pos*d Meeting at Ofwegc :n the Spring (where »75' Sir William Johnfon was like wife direded to* be prefent) and furnifh'd him with the Sum of 5000/. which he acquainted Mr. Shirley he fliould want for defraying thofe and other incident Expences j and he accord- ingly promis'd Mr. Shirley in feveral Let- ters to take the Gate of thefe Services upon him. In his Letters to Mr. Shirley of the 8th of March 2.nd 22d o£ j4pril lys^* he writes thus; in the former of them he fays, " Nothing can " be more pleafing to the Six Nations and *« their Allies than the Promife made them " concerning the Article of Trade; and I " think nothing can defer ve our Attention •* more than that and fortifying their Coun-r ** tries and garrifoning them ; for I am con- ** vinc'd, were thefe two Articles fettled to •' their Mind, every thing elfe would go a ** fuccefsfuUy ; wherefore I doubt not your ** Excellency will contribute all in your Power " towards accomplifhing thofe two grand " Points." And in the latter he fays, " By " the Copy of my Proceedings at the late Meeting, your Excellency may have ob- * ferv'd that agreeable to your InJlru^iojUy I promis'd that Goods fhouid be plenty and ** cheap this Year at OfwegOy in order to en- ^* courage the Weftern Indians to come there ; ^* the Indians [viz. of the Six Nations] difco- ** ver'd the utmoft Satisfadlion on hearing " this, and faid, no Method could be fo cfFec- U; .^*« fr mtp I ji m J iU- [56] 1755* Fort Duquefne by Land from JFiUs*% Creek by 'the IVeftern Colonies ; which would likewifc probably hinder great Part at Icaft of the Southern Indians in the French Intereft from oppoling our Operations to the Northward ; and that a Body of 2000 Troops, after break- ing up the French Settlements upon the Chau- dierCy fliould make a Feint at the Mouth of that River, which is nearly oppofite to ^ebec^ in order to alarm the French in that Quarter. The Council declared their Opinion in fa- vour of thefe feveral Operations ; in particular that it was moft efTentially necefTary, at all Events, to fecure the Navigation of the Lake Ontario j but they were of Opinion that 6ocq Troops (hould be employed in the Expedi- tion againft the French Forts upon that Lake, and 10,000 in that zgdXn^ Crown Point -, and as to the propofed Attempt againfl Fort Du- quefne, and Operations upon the River Chau- dierCf they were of Opinion, they fbould be carried into Execution, provided it could be done without interfering with the two prin- cipal Expeditions : And after giving their Opi- nion upon the Points propofed to them by Mr. Shirley, they declared it to be their una- nimpus Opinion, that, confidering the feveral Services to be carried on in North America, iin additional Number of Regular Troops to thofe, his Majefy then had upon that Con- tinent, would be necefTary for efFcdtually re- covcHng and fecuring his juft Rights there, - - The u t57.] 4. The iiefuit of this Council was, that Mr. '755- Shir!ey\ as he had received Intelligence that '^^^^ the French were building VelTels of Force at FrontcnaCy ordered a Snow of i8 Carriage- Guns fix Pounders, and 20 Swivels; a Bri- gantine of 14 Carriage-Guns and 12 Swivels, and a Sloop of 6 Carriage-Guns, to be built as foon as pofTible at Ofivcgo j and determined to make Preparations for carrying into Exe- cution the before-mentioned Plan of Opera- tions in the enfuing Year, as far as the Forces, he fliould then have would permit him. Mr. Shirley tranfmitted to his Majeftys Mi-Dec. ig. nifters Cop'^s of the Minute of the before- mentioned Council, together with an Account of his whole Proceedings to that time ; and in Anfwer thereto had the Honour to receive a Letter from one of his Majeftys principal Secretaries of State, acquainting him, Tto they had bee?i laid be j ore his Majefty ; a:id that the neiv Diftcfitwn^ ivhich his Majefty had thought proper to i7uike of the Commend of his Forces in North Arnerloa. was not Giving to any DiJfatisfa5fion with Mr. Shirley 'i Services, but that on the contrary it was his Majeilys Intention to give him a further Mark of his Royal Favour therein exprejfed. . It muft be obferved here, that the State of his Majefty's Troops in North America^ exclu- five of thofe ported in Nova Scotia, New- foimdlandy South Carolina, and the Bahama Iftands, none of which could be fpared from the Defence of thofe Parts, was at this time I as i|.i i ^.^ ^ -x*^' j;;-:>»Jls_ J i*-Y*i«%^ ts J*»^, . •*r^ pi ( 58 ] 1755- as follows : The 44th and 48th Regiments, pofted at Albany and ScheneBada confifted of about 500 each, the 50th of about 600, and the 51ft about 400, the four New York Inde- pendent Companies of about 180, and about 80 of the Royal Artillery, making in the whole a Body of about 2200 Men j of which there were not above 600, exclufive of the 80 of the Royal Artillery, which had been two Years in the Service ; and the whole, when compleated to the Eftablifhment of each Corps, would have made up a Body of Men not exceeding 4400. A few Days after the Council of War was finiflied, Mr. Shirley convened the Governors then prefent at New Tork, to conlult about the Number of Provincial Troops, neceflary to be raifed for effecting the Services, which had been there determined upon, and what Proportions of them it fhould be re:ommend- cd to each Colony to raife ; and as it was ap- prehended, that fuch an additional Number of Regulars as would compleat the 6000 recom- mended to Mr. Shirley by the Council, to be employ'd in the Operations upon Lake On- tarioy might probably be fent from Europe (as in fad: Otway% and an Highland Regiment were, making in the whole 900 Men, and which were landed at Albany by the 27th of 'June 1756, and others ordered foon to fol- low) they determined, that the Colonies of Majachnfets Bay, New Hampfloirc, Rhode Ijland^ ConncBicut^ New Tork^ 'Penfihania^ Maryland^ and nd [59] and Virginia ought to raife 10,000 Men for the Expedition againft Crown Pointy in the' Proportions whiclj had been fettled at Albany by the Commiflioners, who met there from the feveral Governments in 1654; according to which their refpedive Quotas of that Num- ber, with a fmall Exceeding of 250 Men, were fetded as follows j viz, Virginia Maryland Fenfihania — New Jcrfeys — New Tork — ConneBicut — Rhode IJland — — — MaJJachtifets Bay — — New HampJJjirc — -— 1750 1000 1500 750 1000 1500 500 1750 500 4250 6000 10,250 Thefe Quota's it was agreed, that the Go- vernors then prefent fhould each of them up- on their Return to their Governmentd, re- commend to their refpe(Sive Aflemblies, to furnifh, as early in the Spring as poflible j and Mr. Shirley was defired to recommend it to the abfent Governors of the Colonies con- cern'd, to do the fame. In anfwer to Mr. Shirley Letter upon this Occafion to the Governor of New JerfnySy he was afluredj that that Government would I z continue 17 i^' 1' "li. WVI •I w f i' tf ■■! [ 60 ] . 1756* continue to maintain their Regiment of 500 Men, which had been employed in the Expe- dition againft Niagara the Year before j and as foon as they could fpare 250 Men ©ut of the Troops, they were obliged to keep up for the immediate Defence of their Frontiers, in- creafe it to the full Number of the Quota allotted them for his Majefty's Service, to be employed as the Kings General fliould think fit. The Governors of Pen/ihania, Mc^yland^ and Virginia in their. fiifl Anfwers gave Mr. Shirley Hopes, that the Provinces under their feverul Commands would contribute Part at leaft, if not the whole, of their refpedive Quota's, either in Men or Money, towards carrying on the Expedition again fl Crown Point ; but he afterwards received Letters from t'lem, by which he found he could have no Dependance upon any of thofe Govern- ments for the leaft Affiftance in an. Expedition to the Northivard \ nor could they, as their refpedive Governors ?J^Vired Mr. Shirley^ be induced to carry on the propofed E>:prdition with 3000 Men upon their own Frontier againfl Fort Dnquefne ; in Expedation of their doing which Mr. Shirley had appointed * Go- vernor Sharpe to the chief Con'mand of it. The Quota's of the three lall: mentioned Colonies tovvar.is compleating the 10,000 Men to be railed for the Expedition ngainrt Crown * Governor of Maryland. y ■ 1 Point hi I [ 6i ] Poinf amounted to 4250, and'thcir Failure to 1756. raife any Part of them reduced Mr. Shirley'^ Dependence upon the Colonies for affembling a fufHcient Force to carry it on, to the four Governments of New England and Province of J<[ew Torki but chiefly iht former. This threw no fmall Difficulty upon his Ma^ jeftys Service -, the New England Governments had fupported the whole Burthen of the laft Year's Expedition, except that Part, which the Provinces of New Tork and Fenjihania had fuftained, and which was but fmall in Pro- ortion to theirs. In order to raife the Num- er of Troops, which was determined to be employed in the Redudlion oi Crown Poi?2t, it was neceffary that the five firft -mentioned Co- hnies fhould furnifli almoft double the Num- ber of Men, which was fettled to be their juft Proportion ; and it was a difficult Tafk to prefs this upon them, merely becaufe the other Co- lonies equally populous and intereiled in the Event of this Expedition, and of greater Abi- lities than themfelves, at lead that the Colo- nies of -New Englafidy refufed to contribute the leall Aid of either Men or Money towards it. ' To increafe the Difficulty, thefe Circum- lUnces concun'd. •f he Refolutions of the Colonies of Conne- £ticuty Rhode IJJand and New Hampjldre^ with ' regard to raifing Men for the Profecution of this Expedition, depended on thofe of the Maf- , \ % '" I .1 ! \ ill * ^, ii 'vi' ^* m^ [62 ] 1756. Maffachufefs Bay ; which is generally the lead- ing Government in New England. The exhaufted Circumftances of this Pro- vince in particular, which had been at a very confiderable Expence in the Year 1754 on Account of the Expedition, it had carried on folely at its own Charge, upon the River Ken- neheck^ and was in Arrear 15,000/. to the Of- ficers and Soldiers, it had employed in that of the laft Year againfl: Crown Point j the large Number of Men, which had been raifed for the Redu(5tion of that Fortrefs by the feveral Governn^ents concerned in it, and the little that had been done towards effedting it, during the whole Campaign, had occalioned a DifTatis- fadlion th!-oughout the MaJfachufeU Govern- ment ; as the laft mentioned Circumftance had likewife done within the Colonies of'Con- nediicut and New HampjJnre j however they ftill retained a general Spirit for accomplifhing the Reduction of the French Forts in that Quar- ter, but pleaded their Inability to raife Money to defray the Charges of another Expedition this Year ; unlefs they were allifted in dif- charging the Debt, they had contradled in the laft, and endeavoured, particularly the MaJ- fachufets Bay^ to avail themfelves of Sir Thomas Robinfons circular Letter to the Governors of North America dated the 19th oi June 1755 ; whereby they were forbid by the Lords Juf- tices *' to draw Bills upon the Pay-mafter '^ General, or his Deputy, or upon any other " Perfon [63] " Perfon for the Difcharge of fuch Expcnces, 1756. " as had been or might be incurred on Ac- ' " count of the Services or Operations to be per- *' formed by them, or in any refped: under ** their Dire Service demanded. '— v-* Mr. Shirley finding, that if he would com- ply with the Requeft of both Governments, he might fecure a Vote of the Majfachufets AJfembly for raifing 3000 Men at leaft, and of ConneSiicut Government for raifing 2000 ; that on the other hand, if he refufed, not only the Number raifed for the Expedition againft Crown Point would fall extremely (hort of their defigned Complement, but this Year's Preparations be too late for the Service 5 and that in cafe the Money, which ftiould be granted by Parliament to the Colojiies arrived in America this Summer (as there feemed room to hope) fuch a Loan might be made out of the Contingent Money, without the leaft Inconvenience to the Government at Home, or interfering with the other Parts of his Majefty's Service in America^ judged his Compliance with their Defire to be the mod effedlual, and indeed the 07ily Means for mak- ing the Grant of the Parliament anfwer his Majefty^ Intention in recommending it ; which was '* to enable the New England Co- " lonies vigoroufly to profecute the Expedi- " tion this Tear" as well as to reward them for their Services in the laft ; and he there- upon made the Majfachufets Go'uermnent a Loan of 30,000/. Sterling, and Conne5iicut of 10,000/. to be repaid out of their refpecStive Shares of fuch Monies, as (liould be granted the Colonies -by Parliament^ upon its Arrival K 2 in 11^ I'm *rfb*M«^'- *• -. ' ^w* i ^ fc. ■ J JT \ 1 [ ^^ 3 . . . ^75^; in Anicrtcd'y and in cafe of its Failing to arrive by a Day piefix'd, the Repayment was fecured by Taxes upon the Inhabitants : And the * Governor of New Hampjhire, who had likewife fent a Commiffioner to Bo/Ion to con- fult with Mr. Shirley upon the Share, which the Province under his Government was ex- peded to take of the Expedition, affured him, he fhould be under an utter Incapacity to fend any confiderable Number of Troops from thence, in time for the Kings Service this Campaign, without being aflifted with a Sum of Money ; whereupon Mr. Shirley lent that Government 3000 I. Sterling upon the fame Terms. The EfFe(fi of thefe Loans was, that the Majfachufets Bay finally voted 3500 Men, Of- ficers included j which was double the Num- ber fettled to be their Proportion at the Meet- ing of the Governors at New York j Conne6iicut 2500, which was tw^o thirds more than what their Quota was fet at ; and the Province of New Hampfiire 500 Men, amounting in the "whole for thofe three Governments to 6500 ; the Government of Rhode Jjland voted about the fame time 500 Men as their Quota ; and New Tork^ which had before voted no more than 1000, was induced by this Example to augment them to 171 5, of which 13 15 were ^eftined by their AOl oi Ajjembly immediately againfl Crown Voint^ and the other 400 for the fame Service, as foon as the Protection of Governor IFenticorth. oj pj their d . [ 69 J their own Frontier againft the Indians ^ and 1756, an Engagement, which they had entered into' with the Government of Penfihania for carry- ing on an Expedition would admit of it ; all which apfiounted in the whole to 8715. By this means timely Preparations were made by the Colonics concerned for carrying on an Expedition to eifedt againft Croivn Point this Year, and fuch a Body of Provi?2cial Troops fit for Puty fecured^ as would, ac- cording to all Appearance, if they had not been retarded by Circumftances, which hap- pened after Mr. Shirley s Command expired^ have marched towards iionderoge by the latter End of y«/v, or foon after, and when fup- ported by fuch a Body of Regular Troops, as might have been fpared for that Service, been a fiifficlent Force for the Redud:ion of Crown Point at that time : Whereas if Mr. Shirley had not entered into this Meafure, there would have been a very inconliderable Provincial Army for his Majefty's Service in the Field that Summer j which muft have expofed great Part of the Province of New Tork : at Icaft the whole County of Albany) to have been over- run by the Enemy : The Juftnefs of this Ob-r fervation feems fully evinced by the Lofs fuf- tained this Year of Fort William Henrys which was owing (if the Accounts tranfmitted of it from America may be credited) to the Want of a fufficient Number of Troops being emr ployed for the Protedlion of it j and would, in iiU Probability, have been prevented if the fame %. iP^I 'm-'J m •vis mmmmmmm. m . [ 7° ] 1756. fame Number of Provincial Troops had been raifed this Year within the tour Colonies of Neio England , as were raifed in them in Another Circumftance, which made it more difficult for Mr. Shirley to induce the Colonies to raife the Number of Troops, which his Majefty's Service required in 1756, than it was to raife the fame Number in the fucceed- ing Year, was this 5 Mr. Shirley did not know, at the time of their being mi fed, that they would be found with ProviL ns and Military Stores out of his Majeftys Magazines (though that had been ordered by the Government in Englmid) but was under the Neceflity of pro- curing them to be raifed upon the Terms of being furniflied with thofe Articles at the Charge of the feveral Colonies, whereas the Provincial Troops, which were demanded of the Colonies in the prefetit Year, were raifed upon the Encouragement of having their Pro- vifions and Military Stores provided for them at the Expence of the Crown j which made it more practicable to procure a proper Number for his Majefty's Service then^ than it was in the Year preceding. It is proper here to cbferve, that upon the arrival at New York of the 1 15,000 /. granted by Farliament upon his Majefty's P^ecommen- dation, to the Colonies, which was on the 28th oiAiiguJi^ Mx. Shirley took care to have the 43,000/. lent by him to the Colonies of the Majfachufcts Bay^ Conne^iicut^ and New Hamp^ ■«i ft [ 7' ] Jhire out of the Continge fit Money, replaced in 1756. the King's Deputy Pay-mafter General's Hands* out of their refpedive Shares in th e Parliamen- tary Grant before he left Bo/Ion. * Among the Difficulties under which his Majefi/s Service in the Expedition againil Niagara laboured in the preceding Year, th-e ImpraiTticability of tranfporting the necelTary Supplies ui Pr(>vifions for it in time to Opivcgo was not the IcalV ; this had been owing partly to th.; Svjafon's being too far advanced before that Expedition was concluded upon, partly to a difficult Navigation of 240 Miles i but principally to the Want of a futlicient Num- ber o^ Albany and other Battoe-men to be found within the Province of New Tork^ who were then the only Carriers employed in the Tranfportation of Provifions and Stores to Of- wegOy for fupplying the Service in both the Expeditions then carrying on. It was nccefTary at all Events this Year to furmount this Obftacle ; the Prefervation of the Garrifon at Ofwego, and intended Opera- tions of the enfuing Campaign upon the Lake Ontario, abfolutely depended upon laying in fufficient Magazines there, as early as poffible in the Spring ; which were accordingly all * Mr. Sbirlefs Condu6l in the Affair of this Loan, which evidently appears from the State of the feveral Fadls abovementioned, to have been well advifed for anfwering the Exigencies of his Majcfty's Service under his Com- mand, was reprefented from /Imerica in a light very much to his Difadvantage j infomuch that at his Arrival in Eng- land, the Repayment of it could fcarcely be credited. befpoke \( :-] '■■ 'I Ml I *f' *1 T [ 72 ] . !!^56. befpoke and order'd by Mr. Shirley before nc left New York ; and as it was to be expedled that the French would ufe their utmoft Ef- forts to cut off our Convoys of Provifions and Stores upon their Paffage j none but very ftrong ones ought to be intrufted with the Tranfportation of them. . • To compafs this Point by fecuring a fiiffi- cient Number of Battoe-men to be conftantly ready for the Service, Mr. Shirley ordered 40 Companies of them to be raifed, confifting of ^o Men each, a Captain, and another Officer Under him, fubjedl to military Difcipline, to be arm'd with Mufquets and Hatchets j the whole to be under the general Diredion and Command of one Officer, who fliould per- fonally attend the Execution of his Duty in every Branch of it, by Water as well as at Land j fo that thefe Battoe-men being thus arm'd, and diflributed into Companies, under the before-mentioned Command, forned a Body of 2000 Men, not only uleful for tranf- porting Provifions, Stores, &c. but for man- ning the Whale-Boats upon the Lake j and, upon any Emergency which might require it, for ferving as a Reinforcement by Land to the Garrifon at Ofwego, Men proper for this Service were diffi,cult to be found, as none but thofe who had been ufed to Battoes, or other fmall Craft, were fit for it J the Albany Men, who were almofl the . only People ufed to the Service, were many of them worn out, and not to be depended on 5 (lfti.i 1 7i ] *bh ; but it Was neceflary to raife them at any '7^6. rate ; for without chein the Service propofed^^^^*' on Lake Ontario could not be carried on j aiid thefe Battoe Companies had this Advantage, that they would be a Protecftion to themfelves, as well as to the Provilions and Stores they had in Charge ; and fpare the Army the in- finite Labour of marching Troops backwards and forwards for the Proted:ion of the Con- voys i they were of themfelves, while doing their Duty as Battoe-men, a very large patrol- ling Guard upon the Rivers and Lakes for keeping open the Communication between Albany and Ofwego. By the firft of y^/»r/7 their whole Number tvas compleat, tho' it was necelfary to colled: them from every Part of the Continent ; feve- ral Companies being raifed to the Eaftward of Bofton ; two at Cape Cod and Nantuckctt com- pofed intirely cf Whale-men, feveral in Con- neBicut, New Yorky New Jerfcy, and Fenfiha^ nia, and feme even from Maryland and Vir-- ginia j their Ufefulnefs in both Capacities, as Battoe-men and Soldiers, foon appeared ; they went unmolefted, tho' large Partifes of the Enemy had laid in wait feveral Weeks to at- tack them, until the third of 'July j when a Party of them was attacked by a fuperior Number of French and Indians ^ whom they repulfed ; and after purfuing great Part of them into a Swamp, drove them out of it, and killed many of them ; and by this means very >»';,- ^ lid large w H on; I. ■-'-■■ "VMnnpiii mmrnc'ismm^mmmHm mm wmm ■«■■ \'A «K, Mjil n' f [ 74 ] large Magazines were laid in at OJwego by Many things were neeeflary to be provided for the Crown Point Expedition, which could only be had from the Eaflern Colonies ; Mr. Shirley accordingly prevailed upon thofe Go- vernments, whilft he ftaid at Bo/iojjy to fupply th«.m, befides Provifwns and military Stores 5 wliich at that time they were to raife at their own Expence : The Experience of the laft Year had fhewn, that the Northern Parts of the Province of New York could not furnifh a Number of hired Horf^s or Carriages fuffi- cient for the Tranfportation of the NecefTa- rics for one Expedition : To remedy this De- feat, the Province of the Maffiichufets Bay agreed to fend by Land, acrofs the Country, to Albany (to which Place all the ProviHons and Stores of the Army were to be tranfported by Water) 2go Ox-Carts, with four Oxen and two Horfes to each; Connedficut about 10c more, and Rhode IJland about 50 \ thefe, after greatly reducing the Land Carriage between Albany and Fort Edr'ardy were found, v/hile properly employed, fufficient for tranfporting all the Fro'vincial Stores of the Army ; A fuit- able Number of Battoes and Flats w^re alfo ordered to be built for thofe Parts oi Hr,dfon\ River above Albany ^ where Ufe could be made of Water-Carriage ; feveral Companies of Car- penters were fent to Fort William Henry^ to build a Number of large Boats and two arm'd ~ Sloops, »~'«aw, ■Mi 'mw^mm H.i jitim.,lJjt« [\t- AO >PSp I 75] Sloops, for tranfporting the Army over Lake 1756. George ; in the mean time a Train of Artillery* and Ordnance Stores were preparing at Bo/ion and New Tork, and at the former Place two Artillery Companies of loo Men each were railing and exercifed every Day : And befides thefe, Mr. Shirley raifed a Ranging Company of 60 Men, to be employed in fcouting Parties upon Lake George and Lake Champ 'ain, for gaining Intelligence of the Enemy's Motions, deflroying their Cattle and Out-Magazines, intcrcept.ng their Provifion Battoes, and fur- prizing their Parties of Boats upon either of the Lakes j to be commanded by an Officer who had before fignaliz'd himfelf in that kind of Fervice. Thefe were the Preparations, which were making during Mr. Shirley s Stay at Eojhn for the "Provincial Army, defign'd for the Attack of Crown Point : He had at the fame time the Regular Forces to recruit, and to provide for the building and manning of VefTels at an inland Place 430 Miles diftant from the Sea, and accelTible chiefly thro' Rivers filled with Shoals and Rifts, and over Carrying-places of Rock and Swamps j all creating infinite La- bour, and conkquently requiring a Variety of Preparations and great Numbers of Hands to tranfpoi't the Necellaries for building the Vef^ fcls and maintaining them and the Troops on Lake Ontario. Provifions and Stores of all Kinds for the Army and Navy were preparing, during tiie L 2 Winter, ^^1 5! i»«^««*4^^ - , mji„f«^<.itm^mmmmmi^KrmmfmK^KmUKIK^ H ■ i mi t [76] i7<;6. Winter, at Nrw Tork ; 700 Battoes for tranf^ *'*'V**^ porting Proviiions to Oj'wcgo were biuKling at ^cheneSlada^ befides the 250 Whale- Boai^ bcr- fore-mentioned, which were abfolutely neccfr far 7 for an Expedition on Lake Ontario, ef- pecially as it was iiTipra(fti(:able to put all the Troops, which were to be employed in it, on board the VelTels. fpb. Forty Carpenters and Sawyer''> fet out for Ofwego by land through the Indian Countr); to prepare ihe Timber for building the VelTels upon Lake 0/z/^m, as did about 100 more in March following; but were unfortunately hindered on their way, for near a Fortnight, by a Party of Canadcans and Indians having furprifed and burnt * BulV% Fort at Wqo4 Creek, and dei^rpyed the Garrifon, which confiflcd of 30 Men. As Mr. Shirley imputed this Misfortune to the Remiflhefs and Negligence of the Indian Parties employed by Sir JViHiam Johnfon^ he took Notice of it to hun ; and finding by his Anfvver that thefe Indians would be of little Service, unlefs mixed with EngiijJj Rangers in their fcouting Parties, he informed him. that he fliould raife out of the New England Troops then daily ex ped:ed to return trom Nova Sco- tia, three Companies of fuch Rangers to be employed jointly with the I/^Iia?2Si more ef- pecially * This Pnr!y did not venture to make any AttempS agalnft tfie t^m built at the other End of the Carrying- plucc, Lut rcriicd immediately after h.iving done the Mif-* ^hief at LuiTi Fort. ^To^mmrnm^nn^^ [77] pecially for proteding the Great Carrying- '75^» place at Oneiday which, on Account of its'" '^^~' being the moft eflential Pafs for fecuring the Communication between Albany and Ofwego, and for keeping large Magazines of ProvificMS and Stores, had long been threatened with an Attack from the Enemy : In Anfwer to this. Sir William Johnfon obferved to Mr. Shirley, th.n this was the Method, which the French always pradlifed with tbeir Indians : And in a fubfequent Letter to him dated loth of M^^ 1 756, he writes thus, *' I wiih the Companies ^' of Rangers, your Excellency mentions, were " ready to go upon Duty, when I would hope "to be able to join Indians with them ; and " unlefs this Method takes place, I defpair of " the Communication to Ofwegd% being fe- ^' cured. In the Spring, as foon as tlie Seafon would permit, the Stores and Provifions of both Ar- mies were fent io Albany, and moving on from thence to Of w ego and La/^e George i and at Of- wego were building a Snow Bngantine and Sloop of the Force before-mentioned. After having fetded every thing with the Apr. 2C Province of the Ma[fachufets Bay relative to the Crown Foint Expedition; and ifTued his War- rant for impreffing a fufficient Number; to compleat the 3500 Troops voted by the Maf- Jdchujets AfTembly, Mi . Shirley fet out for AU bany. By the firft of May the 44th, 48th, and 50th Regiments were computed to amount, one II i. t % m "wpw ^^••^•tirwniW^ [1 .i«l t.^ [ 78 ] »75^-' one with another, to 900 each, and the 51ft ~ ' to about 700. \ Miy 6. Mr. Shirley arrived at Albany^ and found the Provincial Troops beginning to aflemble; their Provifions and Stores in great forvjrard- nefs, and fmall Forts building between Al- bany and Fort Edward for protecting the Ma- gazines, as the Stores were carrying up ; as alfo SloopSj Flats and Boats building at Fort William Henry on Lake George j Captain Ro- gers with his Company of Rangers were on their return from a Scout towards Crown Pointy where they had been to gain Intelligence of the Enemy's Motions, and intercept their Convoys with his Whale-Boats ; for which Service Mr. Shirley ^ having found the great Succefs and Ui'efulnefs of this Company, or- dered three other Companies of the fame Kind to be raifed j and in particular raifed one of 45 Stockbridge Indians. By this time, in the Place of the Fort at Wood Creeky which in March was furprifed and burnt by the Enemy, another was built, be- ing a regular Square with four Baftions of Pickets and Earth thrown up on the Berm for Defence againft Mufquetry, and a dry Diich of 1 5 Feet wide and 1 2 deep ; the Great Car- ryitig-place which in the Beginning o ' laft Year was a Portage of eight Miles Lan^i .Car- riage, was now reduced to one Mile by clearing out the Wood Creek up to a Place called the iJn/^/r Killy where another * Fort was built iuz * Fori NnvpsrU - . • ■ ■ Pro- lB?Wflr'■■^ ■*■; v^iM m^^ UHiua ^1 itrr.sBSi ar- laft bar- fing t 79 } Protedion of the Stores brought there to be 1756- laden into the Battoes j the Courfe of the Wooi" Creek was fhortened by cutting through fome great Bends or Windings in it ; and as it was in fome Places flat and (hallow, Dams were creded to raife the Water ; fo that the Battoes might at all times float with very little Ob- ftrudtion ; which before they covdd not do in dry Seafons j this Work was done by a Com- pany of Carpenters and Pioneers, which Mr. Shirley fent for that Purpofe from Boflojj early in the Spring under the Direction of Captain Bradflreet ; theGarrifon on the Oneida Cai^rying- place vv2i.^ 504 Men ftrong, exclufive ofCommif- fioned Officers, and able to defend it (efpecially with the Affiftance of fc outing Parties of Li^ dians) againft fix times their Number, as they could only be attacked with fmall Arms ; a fmall Work fecured with Pickets was eredted at Burjiets Field, the upper Settlement on the Mob(F£ks River, ibr protedling the Magazines there agairift a Surprize nom Indians ; and trree of the Neiio York Independent Companies computed at about 200 Men were pofted in lac Neighbourhood ; 150 Men were pofted at Conajohc. a Falls about 50 Miles above Sche- neciada for guarding the Carrying-place there, upon which was Iniilt a Imall Work : befides • thefc, Mr. Shirley had ordered a Fort to be built at the great Falls (about 1 2 Miles from Ofmeg^) which was accordingly begun, but oanid not be immediatly proceeded in for want if HiMijiBd th^. 2000 Battoe-men under if I Capta in »^i •1; ^csmmtmmifii^mm f^mmmmmmmm mm if m [80] Captain Bradftreet were paffing and repaffiri^ 'with the Stores and Proyiiions to Ofwego with- out Interruption, The foregoing Account will (hew the State of Affairs at the time of Mr. Shirley^ coming io Albany-y he had by this time, from com- mon Report, private Letters, and Public News-Papers, heard that he was to be fuper- feded in his Command j but he had yet no Account of it from any Mtnijkr of State, or other Perfon in Authority ; he had fent home Copies of the Minutes of the Council of War, held at New Tork in the Winter, which ar- rived there about the 20th of January ^ but had received no Anfwer either in Approbation or Difapprobation of the Plan of Opera- tions, he had tranfmitted for Confideration 5 this left him in Uncertainty, whether it would be advifeable for him to proceed to carry his Plan into Execution, fo far at leaft as it was practicable with the Force he had, left it iliould interfere with that, which his Succeffbr might be charged with j however, fince he had received no Difapprobation of it, as he might have done, if it had not been approved, he thought it his Duty to carry on his Prepa- rations for that and every other Part of his Ma^ jeftys Service, as faft as pofTible for the enfu- ing Campaign, until he fhould be relieved in his Command. . • . . May 25. Under thefe Circumftances Mr. Shirley thought it expedient for him to be affifted with the Opinion of a Council of War upon what might BP^^fflKHiHi- i-A . ..i-J ■)-» "^3^^!^ ^.,^-^..*.^.. "TKSP 1 8i i blight be the mofl: advifeable Meafures for him ^75^' to take for his Majefty's Service in the Situa- tion he was in ; and accordingly called one at Albany the 25th oi May^ at which were pre- fent all the Field Officers of his Majcfty's "Troops, who were at fuch Diftance from Head Quarters, as made it poflible for them to attend, with the Deputy ^larter-mafter General and the Chiej Engineer : at this Meet- ing, Mr.'Sbirley informed the Members, that he had called them together to have their Opinion and Advice upon feveral Matters re- lative to his Majejly's Service in the enfuing Campaign, and in order to fet them in a pro- per light for their Conlideration he finl ac- quainted them with the Plan of Operations determined upon in the Council of War held 2X New Tork the 12th, and 13th of Decem- ber lad, (at which none of therrl were pre- fent) and informed them, that he had tranf- mitted tb^«- Plan to 'England to Sir 'Thomas Robin/on to be laid before his Majejly, Mr. Shirley then acquainted the Cjuncil with the State and Strength of the Ganifon and Works at Oihvcgo ; which iaft he had then the utmoft Reafon to think were fiiiilh- ed, having fent two Engint\'rs there early in the Spring, for that Purpolc ; wiili the State and Number of the Troops then n their March for further ftrengthe- ng that Cirrifonj -the State and Strength of the Navy built ar.d building on the Lake j the State of the Works and Garrifons at the feveral Pods between M Au'uny J 4 1:1 ■I si'/.^ itt: I I ) 'ill III \. [ 82 y »75^- Ai^iiny and Ofivego -, the State of Provifions and Stores at thole Ports and at OJwego ; the State and Number of the armed Baitoe-men employed in the Tranfportation of Proviiions and Stores, and with the Expedations he had from Sir Willicwt 'jGhnjori^ Letters of Aflif- tance from the Indians^ together with an Ac- count of the French Naval Force and Garri- fons on Lake Ontario^ according to the beft Intelligence he had been able to obtain. He then proceeded to inform them of the State and Strength of his Majejlys 44th, and 48th Regiments, and Independent Companies of New Tnrki as alfo of the Provwcial Forces deftined for the Expedition againft Crown Poi7ity with the Number of thofe, that were then aflembled, and of thofe expedted foon to ioin them j of the State and Forwardnefs of the Stores and Provifions for that Army j and of the State and Condition of Forts Edward and William Henry^ with the Intelligence he had obtained of the Strength of the Enemy at Crown Pointy Tiondercge^ and their ad^canced Poft on Lake C^orge ; he then proceeded to obferve, that the Number both of Regular and Provincial Troops fell fliort of tliat judged requifite by the Council of War at New Tork for carrying on the Services defign- ed on Lake Ontario, and againft Crown Point \ and that it appeared to him that both could act be carried on at the fame time with a Probability of Succefs, without more Troops iiom England^ of which there v/as then ao Certainty : ■..» .'~- , [ 83 ] Certainty: He therefore defired their OpI- i/S^'- nion and Advice upon the Difpofition of the' 44th, and 48th Regiments, which were then the only Regular Troops not employed in Gar- rifon; and in their giving that he dcfircd they would confider. I ft. What Number of Troops, they were of Opinion, would be fufficient to put Ofwego in a proper State of Defence, and to keep open the Communication between Albany and that Place. 2dly. Whether if the 44th, and 48th Re- giments, Ihould be employed upon the Lake Ontario^ together with what might be fpared for that Service out of the 50th, and 5 ill Re- giments and the New yerfey Regiment, and the four Independent Companies of A/fw Tork with the four Companies daily expedled from North Carolina^ would be a fufficient Force for attempting the Redudion of the French Forts, at Niagara^ or on Lake Ontario ; and (in particular) whether it would be ad- vifeable to leave the Covering of the Country Northward of the City of Albany, and Al- bany itfclf to the Provincials raifed for the Ex- pedition again ft Crown Point. 3dly. Whether if the 44th, and 48th Re- giments flioukl be employed in Conjundion with the before -mentioned Provincial Troops, to attempt the Reduftion of the Frenchlhyns at Tionderoge and C?^own Pcint^ they would be .a fufficient Force for tbat Service. ■ The Council, after debating and confider- M 2 ing I Ni ■, ff tl I' mmt^mimmmm^;S^''iiimm Ijil^i mm I ■ii- [ 84 ] i7s6. ing thefe Matters, gave it as their unanlmou$ Opinion : id. That 1 3C0 Men would be fufRcicnt for putting Ofwcgo into a proper State of Defence ; and that for keeping open the Communica- tion between Schcjie^lada and Ofivrgo, it would be neceflary to have 550 Men diilributed in the feveral Parts between thofe two Places j and as they had Reafon to think from the late Deferdons, that the 50th, and 51(1, and the New 'Jcrfcy Regiment, together with the four New Tork Independent Companies and the Companies expcdted from North Carolina ciuld not be depended upon at prefent for producing above 2000 Men fit for Service, they advifed Mr. Shirley to employ the whole of thofe Corps, in fecuring OfivcgOy and its Communication with jVihany, 2dly. That the 44th, and 48th Regiments, together with what could be fpared out of the before-mentioned Pvegiments and Com- panies for attempting the Reduftlon of the French Forts at Niagara, or on the Lake On- tarioy v.^^ ^^^' f/. 1.0 I.I La|2J, 12.5 us ■■• ■^ Uii 12.2 lil 140 I; I 18. |l-25 1 1.4 1.6 ■ .1 ■• 6" ► Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SB0 (716)872-4503 > ^ .^t^ t/j -J :^l I) .i : f' ill :!!., I, V [ 86 ] lyS^' arrived, 150 of the 44th Regiment were '—'^*'^^ ported at the Co?2ajohara Falls, and 70 more at the Mohawks Caftle, two of the Pofts on the Mohawks River : The Battoe-men, who •were then about 2000 in Number, were (ex- cept 200) conftantly employed in tranfporting Provifions to OfwegOy where by the firft of yuly there was fufficient for 5000 Men for feveral Months j the other 200 were employ 'd in getting up the Provifions and Stores to Sa- rahtoga ; which were alfo compleated by the firft of >/y. About the time of holding the lad: Council of War, Engineers were fent by Mr. Shirley to view the Works at Fort Edward and Fort William Henry y by whofe Accounts of them it appeared, that the Plans were bad, and thofe not half executed, that of Fort Edward efpe- cially ; whereupon Mr. Shirley order'd Plans for their Amendment to be laid before hiiii, which were fettled by the Engineer in Chief, and fent two Engineers to each of the Forts, to put them into a State of Defence. June 7. While thefe Proceedings were carrying on Colonel Webb arrived from England at Nc%d Tork 7th 'Jime^ and in a Letter, dated the Day y ^ after, acquainted Mr. Shirley^ that he (hould >Cj Ov"^. ZZ'»*Ay*-^'fet out out in a Day or two for Albany ^ and would ufe all the Difpatch in his Power to relieve him, inclofing two Letters at the fame ' - time from one of his Majefty's Principal Se- cretaries of State, dated the 13th and 31(1: of Marcht in the latter of which Mr. Shirley re- ceived %,'■ were [ 87 ] celved his Majefty's Ordc's to repair to En^^ 1)56- la rid, <— V-— i On the Receipt cf this Letter from Mr. ' fVebb, Mr. Shirley diredied the Preparations to go on as he had before ordered, and prepared to give his Sttccejfor sl compleat Account in Writing of the State of every Part of the Ser- vice under his Care, that he might lofe no 1 time, after being reheved, in proceeding to Englafid as foon as poffible, agreeable to his ik%V///)'s Commands i but he was not reliev'd /lC^i.^^< >*^^ till Major General Abercrombies Arrival. ^l^^^,cX^ On the 20th of y«;2^ Mr. Shirley received June 2c, Advice, that Major General Abercombie was ar- rived at New Torky with Otways and the High-' . • i land Regiments. On the 25th General Abercrowbie arrived at June 25. Albany^ in Company with Colonel Webb^ and ' the Day following took upon him the chief Command, Mr. Shirley gave General Abercrombie a very June 27. | particular Account in Writing of the State of / x-/^? y every Part of his Majeftys Service under his//'' 7^ '^ Care, with the Strength cf the Regiments, ^^^^'^^/'^^^''J Garrifons, and Works, and laid before him .2^J^'^\^y^^ every Paper he had in his Pofleflion, which y^.j-^^k^ ^,.*./.«'^ might give him any Light into his Majefly's /^, :yt^ -t^ ^--z- « *^^' Service j and as far as v/as confident with Po- ^ o^/y^: iT/ A-^/'^ , litenefs, gave him his Sentiments concerning ^,j^ ^g::^ ye*'^/ ^ the mofl advifeable manner of employing the ^ .^^ ^t:/\/ Troops in the cnfuing Campaign. J ' ! In particular, as Mr. Shirley was of Opi- nion, upon the Arrival of Otway^ and the High- ill ':! l\ l.i: i I mi bill i A> > t 88 ] Hin'Iand Regiment from 'England, that forhd of the Regular Forces might be fpared, not only to flrengthen Ofwego^ but even to a(it offenfively upon Lake Ontario ; and that if two Battahons of them (hould be employ'd there, they might with the 2000 Battoe-men, and what might be fpared from the Garrifon at OfwegOj and the Troops ported between Scbenc5fada and that Place, together with the Indians, which Sir William Johnfon had en- gaged to have been ready to ad: at Ofwego, and the Naval Force which would by that time be equipped and fitted out there, make a fuffi- cient Force to attempt the Redudlion of Fort Frontenac, or at leafl Niagara, he fignified his Sentiments upon this Point to General Abercrombie as plainly as he could, without obtruding his Advice upon him, in the two following Paragraphs of his Letters to him of the 27th and 29th of "June, in the former of which he wrote thus t " It may not be im- proper to obfcrve here, that it would be of very great Importance to his Majejiys Ser- vice, if a fuccefslul Attempt could be made this Campaign againft the French Fort at Niagara, for this Reafon in particular (among others), that the lofing or gaining the Lidians to the Intereft of the Englijh fcems very much to depend upon the Adti^ vity and Succefs of our Operations this Year upon Lake Ontario :" And in the latter he told him, " He fliould have obferved, in " his Letter dated the 27th Inflant, that the ** Opinion (C f c (C cc (C (( <( ce cc cc s <-< •J nion [89] ** Opinlen contained in the Minute of the 1756' " Council of War held at Jlbany the 25 th of^ " Mny concerning the Infufficiericy of his " Majejiys Forces in North America to carry *f on Attempts againit the French Settlements^ both at Croivn Point and Niagara that Sum- ** mer, was founded upon the Confideration *• of the Number. of his Majefty's Regular ** Troops, which were adiualiy there at the " time of holding that Council, and confided **. only of the 44th, 48th, 50th, 51ft Regi- **.ments, and four Independent Companies of " New Tork^ and without any regard had to « Otway.% and the Highland Regiments/vvhich <« were fince arrived ;" and of this Mr. Shirley made mention m one of his Letters to his Majejiys Minifters. Captain Bradjireet had fet out early this Month from ScheneBada with the fecond Lading of Provifions and Stores for Opivego ; at which Time Mr. Shirley gave him Orders, that immediately upon the Delivery of them there, he fhould make an Attempt againfl the French Settlement at "f La Gallette up the Ki- vei Iroquois (from whence their Indian Parties had done great Mifchief) with his Battoe-men and fome Troops with Artillery from the Gar- rifon, provided the Commanding Officer there {houldbe of Opinion, he could fpare any for that Service ; but as Mr. Shirley, upon his re- ceiving Advice of Mr. PFebb\ Arrival at New f This Place Is caljcd by the Indlam Jjjxifpchi. ..'•\ • 'N '- l^'k, m m i t ■ m w t m I; ,,. 1, V I tea Ml i ■ir;' x» • [ 90 J ^56^ Torki had it much at heart that Captain Brad- flreet ftiould return to ScheneBada as foon as pofTible for his Succejfor's Orders j and efpe- cially to carry a Reinforcement to the Garrifon at OfivegOy in cafe he fhould think proper to fend any, together with the Remainder of the Cannon, naval Stores and Seamen for the new VeiTels on Lake Ontario^ he difpatch'd an Ex- prefs after Mr. Bradjlreet^ which was followed by two other Letters countermanding his for- mer Orders to him, and dirediing him to re- turn to Schenediada as focn as poffible, after delivering his Provifions and Stores at Of" ivego. It is proper to obferve here, that it appears from the Minutes of the Council of War held at Alba7iy the 25th of May laft, and Mr. Shir- leys Letter to Major General Abererombie dat- ed the 27th of June^ that the Land and Naval Forces, to which Mr. Shirley had determined to truft the Defence of OfivegOy were to confift of a Garrifon of 1300 Troops, 550 more to be ported at the feveral PafTes between Ofwego and Albany for guarding the Magazines, and keeping open a Communication between thofe two Places, two Veflels of i o Carriage Guns each, and two fmall Schooners (us'd as Row- Gallies) of 10 Swivels each, all built in the Tear 1755 J three Veflels built in the fucceed- ing Spring and Summer defign'd to mount, one of them 18 Cannon, one 14, and the other 6, which two laft are in the Minutes of tlie Council h ^'d at Albany by miftake faid to carry »^v ■%. td. [ 91 1 lOj and 8 Cannon, 250 Whale-Boats ca- pable of navigating the Lake Ontario^ and holding 1 6 Men each, and 2000 Battoe-men, which, though raifed immediately for that Service, yet ac they were arm'd with Mufquets and Hatchets, and marfhall'd in Companies of 50 Men each commanded by two Officers, could be ferviceable likewife for manning the Whale-Boats or doing Duty at Land, as his Majefty's Service might require j and that be^ (ides this Force Mr. Shirley depended upon a large Body of the Indians of the Six Nations which Sir William John/on was to have afTem- bled at Ofwego this Summer, to be ready for fuch Service as they (hould be ordered upon. As to the Expedition againft Crown Point, it appears by the fame Minutes of Council, that before the Arrival of Otways and the Highland Regiments, and the gaining Intelligence of the Defign of the French to attack Ofwego that Summer, Mr. Shirley had determined to have profecuted it that Year (in cafe any Accident Ihould have prevented the timely Arrival of the Earl of Loudoun or the other General Offi- cers fent by his Majefiy to take upon them the Chief Command in North America until his Lordfiip\ Arrival) with the Provincial Troops computed to confift of 7000 Men, Officers included, one Company of Rangers, 100 In- dians expedled from Sir William Johnfon^ and his Majefty's 44th and 48th Regiments, and the beforementioned Companj of Stockbridge iN 2 IndtAM 1 i I fi \\> i mm mmm Mil IT ''^ ' } ' ' )l 1'. 'if m I [ 92 ] Indians con fi fling of 45 Men commanded by Indian Officers. That the beforementloned Forces would have been fufficient for the Services,to \Vhich they were refpedivcly deftined, and mod pro- bably have effedled them if they hadndt been prevented by Meafures taken fmce the 'Expira- tion of Mr. Shirley^ Command, will appear from the following Obfervations. The old Fort at OJwego was furrounded with a ftrong Breafl-work of Earth, having a Ditch thrown up on the otttfide and mounted with about 20 Cannon } and Fort 0;z/«r/tf,tho' nothing had been done to ftrengthen it fince Mr. Shir- Icy^ Departure from Ofwego (except furround- ing it with a Ditch not quite finifh'd) was, as hath been before obferv'd, picketed with Logs from 3 to 4 Foot thick, capable, according to the general Opinion, of reMing a 3 lb. or 41b. Shot, and.mountcidwKh eight Pieces of Cannon, and fome CohornS, .^nd upon the whole was defenfible againft ian Attack of al- moft any Number of Men with fmall Arms, that could be fuppofed. to be brought againft it. The Naval Force defigned for the Protec- tion of Ofwego was, according to all Accounts, (as will herein after more fully appear) much fuperior to that which the French were prepar- ing for Lake Ontario, and confequently fuffi- cient to have kept the Command of the Lake, and prevented the French from landing a^ny large Number of Men, with Artillery and Stores m: linft nts, )ar- md [ 93 ] Stores near the Forts, particula'-^y Artillery, 175^* without which Ofwego was not to be' taken. ..... AV td the Garrifon, which Was to confift of 1300 Troops, it might have been reinforced with, fuch a Number of thd Battoe-men, as any Emergency of the Service could, according to the befl Accbunts, we have had of the Ene- my's Strength in that Quarter, either before or lincc the Lofs of the Place, be reafonably fup- pofed to have required j and if in addition to this Force, a cbnliderable Body of the Indians of the Six Nations had been affembled at Of- wego, ready to adt againft the French in the Defence of their own Country, as Mr. Shirley had the utmoft Reafon to expect, it is not cre- dible that the French would have made any Attempt againft Ofwego that Year. As to the Sufficiency of the Forces deftin*d for the Expedition againft Crown Point 5 that feems to be put out of queftlon by the unani- mous Opinion of the before-mentioned Coun- cil at Mlbany upon that Point ; and the De- fign's being continu'd of profecuting it with an equal, if not an inferior Force, after Mr. Shirley was relieved from the Command ; and by the Orders given for marching the Provin- cial Troops from Fort William Henry upon that Service; not being countermanded 'till News was received of the Lofs of O/wego, With regard to the State, which Ofwego was in, and the Progrefs made in the Expedition againft >^-< '\ ■ li >» I ■1' I I 1 ! I ( . [ 94 ] '756. again ft Crown Poitit by the 26th of yune^ the ^ Day on which Mr. Shirley % Command expired, they were as follows : There were in the Garrifon at Ofwego and ported at the feveral Paflcs between ScheneBada and that Place, his Majefty's 50th and 51ft Regiments, and two of the Independent Com- panies of New York with the New Jerfey Regi- ment, and four Provincial Companies oi North Carolina f confifting in the whole of upwards of 2000 Rank and File j which exceeds the Number determined in the Council of War at Albany^ to be fufficient for the Garrifon and Pafles by 1 50, befides Sailors, Ship Carpen- ters and Workmen : the old Fort was defended with the Works and Cannon beforementioned, as was likewife Fort Ontario : and by the firft of yuly, there were, according to the beft Ac- counts given of the Provifions in the Maga- zines at thofe Places, a fufficient Quantity there for 5000 Men, for upwards of four Months; about two thirds at leaft of which were at Ofwego, The two VelTcls built in 1755, and one of the Row-Gallies (the other having been taken by the French fome time in June 1756, upon Lake Ontario) were compleatly equipp'd for the Lake J two of the three new Veflels built in the fame Year were launched the third of July^ as was the other on or about the 1 2th ; all the naval (lores were arrived at Ofwego by the 2d , ■ • 'of )ne of taken upon rthe n the ly, as Ithe 2d [9?] of July, except 24 of the * Cannon, and feme i;56. funning Rigging, which had "f- waited at Cona^' johara Falls and the Oneida Carrying-place ever iince the 24th of June for Captain Brad/ireet upon his third Paffage from ScheneSfada to Of- ivego, vithout whofe Convoy they would nave been expjfed to the greateft Rifque, or rather Certainty of being taken by the Enemy before they had been landed at the lafl: mentioned Place; the 250 Whale-Boats defigned for Lake Ontario were built, and the 2000 Batoe- men raifcd by the ift of j4prily and about 200 of the Boats arrived at Ofwego by the Middle of May^ where they lay ready for Ser- vice on the Lake. And as to the Preparations made for carrying the Attempt againft Crown Point into Execu- tion, they were fo far advanc'd, when Mr. Shir^ ley delivered up the Command, that the Troops both Britijh and Provincials dcftin'd for that Service, with their Provifions, Artillery and Stores, and the Veflels and Battoes neceffary for their Tranfportation to the advanced Poft * Mr. Shirley having acquainted the Lords of the Ad^ miralty with the building of the new Veflels, and that Gannon would be wanted from England for them, their Lordfhips accordingly fent Cannon in his Majefty's Ship Sterling Cajile\ but that not arriving 'till the latter End of jjuguji, Mr. Shirley, after waiting as long as he fafely couldy m expedation of the Cannon from England, purchas'd them- at Neiv Torky in time for them to have been tranfported to Ofwego before they were wanted there. f Vide Declaration oi Jafnei Crawford and Edward- Brooks^ No. 2. in Appcndl.\^ of ♦".V ', »^ H- til i '^^h rt' >■ ^ li ijf h i nj \ 11 ''ji2*,^ • \ If k ' 'a III ^ . . Hi -I' 'ill' r 96 ] ^JS^ of the French upon Ltf/^6' George, which Is about five Miles on this Sid of Tiq7iderege, and 30 beyond Yox% IVilUam Henry, were in fuch Readincfs, that the Provincial Troops, which on the 26th of y««^ amounted to 6775, inclufive of all Officers, thofe of the Field and Staff excepted, and in July were increafed to 6905, might, as Major General Wivjloiv, C om- manding Officer of the Provincials, informed Mr. Shirley, have begun their March for that Place by the End of the iirft Week in July ; and before the 25th of Ju7ie, Provifions for 2500 Men for four Months were fent to Sarah- toga, which is within feven Miles of FortE^- ward, and thefe depo(ited for the Ufc of his Majefty's Regular Troops, who alfo might, ac- cording to ail appearance, have been ready to have inarched by the 7th of July, Concerning this Expedition it is proper here to obferve, that on the 3othof y/^;2i?, a Confe- rence was held at Mr. Shirley'^ Apartments at Albany, at the Defire of Major General jiber- crombie, between himfelf, Mr. Shirley, Colo- nel Webb, Major General Wiiif^oiv, and Colo- nel Grtdley, Chief Engineer of the Provincials : At this Meeting General Ahercrombie propofed to Mr. Window, that upon the Provincials leaving Fort Edivard, and Fort William Henry, and marching to Tionderoge, the Regular Troops fhould move up to ihofe Forts, and be ready there to fuppoit or afliri: them, in cafe they fhould want it, and afk'd him and Cn'onel Grtdley how a JundioD of the Regular 'Tioo^^s with \^ 'onfe- [ 97 1 with the Provincials^ would in fiich cafe be lik'd by the latter : upon tliis both thofc Officers afTured General Abercroruhie in the ftrongeft Terms, thai a Jundion would, in fuch cafe be perfedly acceptable to^e Pro- vincial Troops ; and that they could be anfwer- able in this refped for every Officer among them. This Mr. Winjloiv in his Letters to the "Ncv) England Governments giving an Acccunt of the Meetinq; and Conference at it, calls the Settlemait of the Plan [meaning the Plan for an Attempt againft Crown Point\ and mentions it as extremely acceptable to the Provincials j and in his Letter to Mr. Shirley dated the 2d of Aiigujl he writes thus : " Your Excellency " may remember, tliat the Day you left AU ** bany when there was a Convention of Of- " ficers, and I had the Honour to be prefent, ** the Plan was fettled, that the whole of the *' Provincials were to proceed forward, and to ** endeavour the Removal of the Incroach- ments made by the French on his Majefty's Territories, and that the Regulars fhould pof- '* fefs the Ports, that we then occupy'd, and ** have a Forrc at Fort * William Henry to affift, " or fuftain us, as Occafion (hould require j •' which was then agreeable to us all con- " cern'd j and in this Situation we remain'd " till the 14th of 'July, when we made our ;•* grand March from % Half Mcon. * Vide Extra£l of Capt. Bradjireefs Letter to Mr. Shirley^ Ko. 3. in Appendix. J Vide the fame Kxtradt. O The <( <( o JH r ^ '' o) *^/ ^*^'^<- /^/a 4 1%: July 3, embarked that Evening ff-^^r^"** ^'■- •^''^'>/0' he arrived the 4*0/^/ ^"T ^^'•^. where General ^W.^^^^-^S ^ij'^, "PO" Major Prefling him to J^kth'm ,?'^T\ ^'^^'' d'iu.-s Arrival, being S'f ^""-^f^"- him. that his havini L t„. •' *' ^'X '°ld fonal Conference w"th him i T7. ""'^ P^^' Satisaaion to his xtt ^°f ^ « great mote his iVlajefty's Ser7C\T^ "'g^f P™- ftayatiV^^UforSurt?/'''™'"^'' '° co„?af ^:f;it^ng e«ed the re- with the filttoes upZ'Z'll''f^^So fet out W«, in order to tranftn . i "n '° '^'•'*^«''^- ^e Artillery and sSPof,l\'-^''"^'"'l« °f Troops as it IhouldTe thof h^'"*^'* ^"''^"^^ bark forOfm.o as !lf,.r' oP'"?" ^ em- be ready for fi'n,' ^"° ^'j," Seamen ftould could take in beMe's O ""^u"' f '■"^''^""s he p Divifion of fit'e^ J^s tdt^ ^^^^ "l'' River 0«<;W^».(, by a iar„/R J "P°" 'n the ^«^'W. which hid bei °^r°fi^'-w^and '-"haDefign to furL'.'"''"'"^ ^""e time their Pailale ° ni"^^ ''"<^, ^« them ofF 'hiny of hfs BanS^f' ''"^ ^'^^''^ ='bout fion IVfr. BraMree° Th^'- "P°" 'his Occa- this Divifio„.CobWd rb%"^ ^'''"d with a handful of VTenfr r ,f '"''^ himfelf River oppofite to the Enen^"'" ^"^"'^ '" 'he Number of whom he 3 / ^°"fiderable ^-ery and good Conl^fSrelterpt to '*t:*ir#*^--^-).f the fut tlf ^99] to land on the Iflandj and afterwards with 1756. about 250 of his Men, attacked a Body of^ — ^'"*' about 500 of them in a Swamp, from whence he drove them into the River with a con- fiderable Slaughter ; and the A(flion ended in a complete Rout of them with the Lofs of great Part of their Provifions, Firelocks, fcalping Knives, Hatchets, Blankets, &c. Mr. Bradftreet arrived at ScheneSladay hav-juiy ,,, ing gained Intelligence from his Priforjers, that the French were forming a large Encampment at about 32 Miles Diftance from Ofwego^ and defigned foon to attack it ; and upon his Ar- rival at Albany M'«jor General Abercrombie had an * Account given him of it, where- upon he gave Orders for Colonel Webb (now Major General Webb) and the 44th Regi- ment to hold themfelves in Readinefs to march to Ofwego J but their Embar katio n was z ^- M^t t arded^ and the"^ttoes detained at ScheneBjo daf until the 12th oi Aiigufi j which was till with- in two Days of the Enemy's coming before OJkvegOy by which means it was deprived, at the Time of its being attacked, of the Benefit of netrr one half of its naval Force, for want of Cannon and Seamen, the Ser- vice of the Whale-Boats and Companies of - Battoe-nien, which would, in v\ Proba- bility, (as will herein after more fully ap- pear]) have faved i t from being loft \ cfpecially /a/ I ♦ Vide Appendix, No. 4. Oa if I>:-?.':| I : Aug. 9 (A^^c c^^. /A^IL [ 100 ] 1756' If the Garrlfon there had been reinforced with the 44th Regiment j the v;hole of which De- fence (allowing the Battoes a Pafllige of 12 Days) it might have had 1 7 Days at leaft be- fore the Arrival of the French there, if that had not been prevented by the Detention of the Battoes 30 Days at ^chcneclada. Mr. Shirley arrived at Bojion^ and in a few Days after fent the Earl of Lcudoun two Com- panies of Rangers confiding of 60 Men each raifed chiefly out of the "New England 'Troops^ returned from Na^a Scotia ; and finding that the Majjachufets Govern ir.cnt had in his Ab- fence failed to raifc their full Quota of Men for the Expedition againft Crown Pointy being 3500, and that there was a Deficiency of 600, upon his firft meeting the Jljjembly re- prefented to them the ill Confequences of fuch Negledl, and let them know that he fhould iflue new Imprefs Warrants for compleating their Troops 'j which they moft readily acqui- elced in, and returned him their public Thanks for J and Mr. Shirley ifllied his Warrants ac- cordingly, with Orders for marching the Men, as faft as raifed, to Albany y there to follow the Ear I of Loudoun s Orders : And, during his Stay at Bolion^ did every thing in his Power to promote his Majejly^ Service under his Lordjhijis Command. Another unfortunate Circumftance was, that a very confiderable Part of the ' Battoe-men, whofe Serviceablenefs not only by Water, but in an Adtion by Land, had been fo lately ex- perienced. Q '-f i>ct^/\^^ -^ C djC^o^tif*'*^ De- 12 be- that )ri of few 'om- :ach 'OOpSf that Ab- Men [ loi ] perienced, was f dtfcharged foon after their 1756. Return to ScheneSlada. * The Accounts, which have been given of the Detention of the Battoes at ScheneBada^ ftand thus. General Abercrombie, after his Arrival at Albany^ and before the Earl of Loudoun s at New Tork, fent written Orders to Mr. Li- I'ingjloriy one of the Perfons employed by Pvlf. Shirley, to furni/li Provifions for the Troops, fo7'biddifig him to make any further Supplies. Captain Bradflrcet, in his Letter to Mr. Shirley dated Albany July i6th 1756, ac- quainted him, that he was to return to Ofwego with Provijions and Stores y together with Colonel Webb and the j\.\th Regiment ; and in another Letter, dated Albany 'July 24th, fays, " I (hould ** have fet out fome Days ago for Ofwego with ** the 44thRegiment, and Colonel /T^^/^, but« [ 104 ] 1756- Captain Bradjireet^ Mr. Murray, and Com^ ^ mij]ary Leake, it may be remarked: "' v • That they all confpire to (hew that the Battoes were detained by rcafon of fome Diffi- culty relating to the Provijions, which were to be furnifhed upon this Occalion. ' , . That Commiffary Leaker Account, though it feems from the Date and Tenour of it to have been given by way of Anfwer to that, which is contained in Murray % Declaration, docs not impugn it j for though it is faid in his Letter that there " was not in Store of the ** Provifions contrasted for by General Shirley ** above 20 Cafks of Bread, and not near that " Quantity of Pork," yet Meffrs. Livingfton and Morris might have then had at Albany a Quantity of Provifions, though not contradted for by Mr. Shirley, ready for an immediate Supply upon that Emergency ; and though it is faid in Mr. Leake s Letter, " that General Abercrombie gave him an Order upon Mr. Saul, Agent to the Contradors, for the be- fore-mentioned 400 Cafks of Bread, and 300 Cafks of Pork, and that they were accordingly fent to ScbeneBada with all pofBble Difpatch j" yet it does not appear when thofe Provifions arrived at Scheneilada -, whether in time to fupply the Troops and Battoe-men for their Paflage to OJwego j or whether they were not at lafl fupplied out of MefTrs. Living/lon*s and Morris's Provifions j as is cxprefTed in Murray s Declaration ; — . . Likewife cc l< iC (C (C (C Com- t the Diffi- wcre lough f it to 3 that, ration, faid in of the Shirley ar that lingfton Iban'j a traded nediate though jcneial Dn Mr. le be- and were ?ith all appear le^fada j )ps and o; or led out •vifionsj on 5 — • ikewife 1 105 ] Likewife that what is faid in Mr. Leaker i7S^' Letter concerning the Condition of the Pork, and fome of the Cafks then in Store of the Provifions, which had been contrciSfed for by- General Shirley j viz. " that the Pork was " dry falted, and the Cafks none of the beft," Was no reafon for its not being made ufe of upon fuch an Emergency^ as the Pork and Bread then wanted was for frcjhit fpendlng ; Alfo that it does not appear by Commiffary Leake's Letter, that there was not then any Flour in Store at Albany, which might have ferved the Troops, Battoe-men, &c. in lieu of Bread. That it appears by Comtnijfary Leake's week- ly * Return of Provifions in Store at Albany made to Mr. Shirley June 19, 1756, (which was the laft Return made to him during his Command, and but fix Days before Major General Abercrombie took the chief Command upon him) that there was then in Store there, among other Species of Provifions, 97 Tierces of Bread, 376 Barrels of Flour, and 71 9 j Barrels of Pork j and after the Expiration of Mr. Shirley s Command, it is needlefs to fay, it was no longer incumbent upon him to take care that the Stores of Provifions at Albany were duly fupplied. That the eflential Articles wanted upon this Emergency at Ofwego wqvc the Cannon, Sea- /^ men, Battoe-men, and 44th Regiment, which iW /OOil 1^1-1 ^y * Vide Appendix, No. 7. were M J** ■ ' ■■ I i ^tS: ''^ ^#1 i 1 [ io6] nc6. ^^^'^ ^^^ /Z>^« waiting for Tranfportatlon ; for I as to Provifions, there was at that time in the Magazine of Ofwego a fufficient Quantity to fubfift 5000 Men for feveral Months; befides a confiderable Quantity at the Pafles between ScheneSfada and Ofwego deftined for the latter *" thofe Places ; fo that all the Pro- vifions wanted at that time was the neceflary Quantity for fupplying the Regiment and Bat- toe-men in their PafTage, the Number of both which was, according to the Account given of that Matter, now reduced to about 2000 Men by the Difmiffion of Part of the Battoe-men. And it may be further remarked that the 400 Tierces of Bread and 300 Barrels of Pork, which Commijfary Leake fays in his Letter " there was Orders to fend to ScheneBada, " when it was thought neceflary to fend the " 44th Regiment and others towards Ofwego-,* and for which it therein appears that the Troops, Battoe-men, &c. were detained 30 Days ct Schenc3faday\wcxQ at lead: four times the Quantity of thofe Species of Provifions, that was wanted for their whole Paflage from thence to Ofwego ; allowing them 1 2 Days for it ; which was a time full fufficient, as they ought, upon that preffing Occafion, to have made forced Marches. ' "- To conclude this Point, when it is confider- ed. id, What the State of Provifions at Albany was at the time of Mr. Shirley s delivering up the Command, according to the laft Account given him by Mr, Leake the proper Officer. 2dly, [ 107 ] • 2dly,That Mr. Akrcrombie, when in the Chief 175^' hfZ J^J/f Command, forbid the Ferfons employed by ''^■'*''"*^ Mr. Shirl'^y, when proceeding in the Ccurfe of their Supphes, to provice for any more. 3dly, That when Intelligence came of the Danger, O/zcr^o was in, all theProvifions wanted on that Emergency was only what would be fufficient to fubfifl the Troops and Battoe- men in their March up to it. 4thly, That the Provifions, which were then in Store 2X Albany y taking the lovveft Account of that matter, might with cafe in that plentiful Country, in a very fliort time, have been increafed to the full Quan- tity necelTary on that great Occafion, by any Ferfons engaged in that Service. 5thly, That the Troops and 13attoe-men were continued wait- ing at ScheneBada for Provifions fo long , that they muft certainly have there fpent ab^ve dou- ble the Quantity, which was necefTary to carry them to OJwego ; and 6thly, That the Provi- fions at laft ordered, and which the Troops and , Battoe-men waited for, were four times as much as were necefTary to fubiifl them in their whole PafTage thither. When thefe things are con- fidered, it will manifeftly appear that the De- tention of the 44th Regiment, and Eattoe-men with the Seamen, Cannon, and Stores deilin'd for Ofwego, upon which the Lofs of it enfued, cannot juftly be charged upon Mr. ASZ'/VA^y. ' The Earl of Lofidon arrived at New Torkyj^xly 23.-/^^/.-/ where on the fame Diy Mr. Shirky gave his ^,^^.:^^ ^<- Lordlhip Accounts of the State of his Majefly's Service at the time of his being relieved in the P 2 Command, 3^ 1 oy<^ J^'^ /^^/OO W-' r7l,J t V ■ if' [ 108 ] 1756. Command, in the fame Manner, that he had ^""^^^'^^ done to General ^I^ercrof^hie. July 26. j^is Lordfliip embarked for jilbany^ . and ar- rived there the 29th of the fame Month. Aug. 9. Major General Webb left Albany in order to proceed to Ofwego j but the Troops (as hath been before obferved) did not embark till the 1 2th. At this time the State of the EngliJJo Naval Force on Lake Ontario flood thus j the On- tario mounting 6 four Pounders, 2 Ho- witzers and 1 2 Swivels, a fmall Schooner Row Galley mounting 10 Swivels (both built in 1755) ; a new Brigantine mounting 14 Can- non, 4 and 6 Pounders, and 12 Swivels, and a new Sloop mounting 6 Cannons 4 and 6 Pounders, and 12 Swivels (built in 1756) all well found, provided with Neceflaries, and manned with -90 able Seamen, and 130 Sol- diers diftributed in the three largeft, were compleady equipped and fitted out for the Lake j the Sloop Ofwego (one of the VelTels built in 1755) which mounted 8 Carriage Guns and 12 Swivels, was laid up for want of Cannon and Seamen, thofe belonging to it being taken out for the Ufe of the new Bri- gantine j the new * Snow (built in 1756) * The Bar of Ofwego has generally from 7 I Feet to 8 Feet Water over it, and this Veflel was 22 Feet broad and 80 Feet long upon Deck, and when loaded drew but 7 i Feet of Water ; Captain Shirley^ then Commander of the Mirmaid^ the Station-Ship at Bojion^ took great Pains in drawing a Plan fit for this Purpofej and though her Draught of Water was fo fmall, yet (he was thoroughly able to carry iS fix Pounders, befides Swivels, ^|( II Pels iC iri- to 8 and the in IheT [ 109 1 launched on the 12th of July, and compleatly finiflied as one of his Majefly's Sloops of War,' and pierced for 18 Guns 6 Pounders, could not go upon the Lake for want of her Can- non, Shot, and Seamen, which ^as hath been before obferved) was waiting at the Great Oneida Carrying-place for Captain Bradflreet on his next Paffage to OJwego. The French Naval Force it that time (ac- cording to the Accounts given of it by the Englijb Carpenters and Seaiien, who were carried Prifoners to Cadaraqm in their VefTels after the taking of Ofwcgo) confifted of a Schooner of 16 Guns, 4 anc 6 Pounders, no Swivels, the great Guns being old, Honcy- comb'd Cannon, with large Touch-holes, which they were obliged to load without Board, and having very bad Tackling : a Vef- fel of 12 Guns in the fame Condition, and in as bad Order j two fmall ones of 6 Cannon, of the Bignefs of Swivels in Carriages, and as badly found as the large ones j no fpare Ropes on Board any of them j their Seamen Ordi- nary, and not above 20 of them in the four VefTels. After the Appearance of the EjigUfi Bri- gantine upon the Lake, ncne of the French VelTels appeared there, till after the Garrifon was made Prifoners j at which time they came to Ofwego, not venturing before to come from behind the Bland off * Portland Poini even to cover the French General's Landing. * P^tknd Point is about 18 Miles tQ the Eaftvvard of OJwego^ 1756. ■•l i 1 1« . I •i 1 I • I !>.-Hl '756. Aug. 7. [no] Lieutenant Col'^nel Mercer, Connmanding Officer at Ofwego, having received repeated Intelligence that the Enemy had feme Place or Camp about 30 Miles to the Enftward of Ofwego J and particularly on the 6th o^ Jugiifi^ that there was a large Encampment of French and Indians at about 1 2 Miles diflance from Fort Ontario to the Eaffivard, difpatched an Exprefs Boat, with an Account of it in a Let- ter to the Commanding Officer upon the Lake, who was then ojt upon a Cruize to the JVc/l- *wardvj\i\\ the Brigantine and two Sloops j let- ting him know that he intended the next Day to lend 400 Men in Whale-Boats to vifit the Enemy, and defiring him to keep to the Ea/f^ ward, as much as he could, in order to cover the Men in the Coats, and hinder the Enemy from approaching nearer j but inflead of com- plying therewith, they returned the next Day to Ofwego, and in endeavouring to enter the Harbour, the Brigantine was driven by a Gale of Wind upon rocky Ground, where flie lay beating about 18 Hours, and was afterwards forced to heave down, in order to have a falfe Keel. Monfieur Montcalm, the French General, having Intelligence given him of the Situation of the EngliJJj VeiFels, that the Brigantine was branded, and the other two returned into Harbour, took the Opportunity of tranfport- ing and landing his Artillery and Troops in Boats, within a Mile and an half of Fort On- tario J which, as the French Officers declared after the Gale liiy ards falie eraly ition was into )ort- is in On- lared iftcr [ IH ] after Opivcgo was taken, he could not have ^"^/'' done, had our VcfTcls been out to the £.-, •^*'*'*'^'**^ nvard. * Their Artillery, for drawing which they tranfported 35 Horfes, confiftcd ol" ulK'Ut 32 Pieces of Cannon from i .1 to s^i. Pounder?, feveral large Biafs Mortars and Hoyets (among which was the Artillery taken from General Braddcck :;t the Mo-nongaldii ) and were all brought in B:utoes from Fcrtiand Pointy as they could not have been trani'ported by Land from thence, on Account of the great Number of Sv/amps, drowned Laruls% and Creeks in the Way ; their Forces confiftcd of about 1800 Regular Troops, 2500 CanadccmSf and 500 Indians. As difadvantageous Accounts have been given of the Behaviour of the Garrifon of Ofwego (which confifted of Part of his Ma- jefty's late 50th and 5 1 ft Regiments, and the Newyerfcy Regiment of Irregulars, during the time of the Siege ; it is a Point of Juftice due to thofe Troops to fet their Behaviour in a true Light ; which makes the inferting a par* ticular Journal of the Siege unavoidable ; that being the moft unexceptionable Method of doing it. * * About Noon the Enemy began the Attack Aug. lu * of Fort Ontario with the Fire of their Muf- * quetry, which was returned with Anall Arms * and eight Cannon from the Fort, and Shells * from the other Side of the River ; The Gar- • ♦ Vide Appendix, Numbers 5, 6, ■ * rifon ;* V 1756. rl,^ mi h 'i rt .^ a rlfon on the Weft Side of the River was thi« Day employed in repairing *he Battery on the South Side of the old Fort j and that Night the Enemy were empbyed in making their Approaches to Fort Ontario (which they did by breaking Ground and intrenching) and in bringing up their Cannon againft it. * This Morning the Enemy renewed the Fire -/f their fmall Arms on Fort Ontario, which was continued all Day, and returned from the Fort in the fame Manner as the Day before. 'At Day-break this Day a large Number of Battoes were difcovered on the Lake in their Way to join the Enemy's Camp, on which the two Sloops were again fent o t with Or- ders to get between the Battoes and the Camp j hut before they came up, the Battoes had Se- cured themfelves under the Fire of the Can- non at the French Camp, whereupon the Sloops came in again towards Evening j the Garrifon on the Weft Side were this Day em- ployed as the Day before, and in the Even- ing a Detachment was made of 100 Men of the 50th and 126 of the New Jerfey Re- giment under the Command of Coi. Schuyler* to take PoflcfTion of the *Fort on the Hill to the Southward of the old Fort, and under the Diredlion of the Chief Engineer, who were to put it into the beft State of Defence they could : in which Work they were employed all the following Night. * This was an eflential Part of the Defence of O/wr^* ^ tut nothing was done towards finiftiing it after the VVimcr, lh?it Mr. Sbirley left Ofwego, ,: ■ /I s- 13* [ 113 i ■^ The Enemy continued their Approaches to 1756. Fort Ontario i and notwithftanding the con-V^ * ftant Fire kept upon them from the Fort, and the lofs of their Chief Engineer, who was killed in the Trenches, about ten o'Clock that Morning, had a Battery of Cannon ready to open within 60 Yards of it j an Account of which the Commandant of the Fort imme- diately fent to Lieutenrnt Colonel Mercer ; about twelve o'Clock Colonel Mercer fent them Orders to evacuate that Fort, firft de- ftroying their Cannon, Ammunition, and Provifions ; about three the Garrifon quitted the Fort and managed their Retreat fo, as to pafs the River and join the Troops on the Weft Side without the lofs of a Man ; thefe Troops being about 370 were immediately ordered to join Colonel Schuyler at the Fort on the Hill to the Southward of the old Fort, and employed all the following Night in en- deavouring to compleat the Work of that Fort i in the Morning of this Day the large Brigantine being off the Rocks and repaired a Detachment of about §0 Men of the Garri- fon was put on board her and the two Sloops In order to go out immediately, but the Wind continuing to blow diredtly into the Harbour rendered it impofTible for them to get out be- fore the Place was furrendered: This Night, as well as the Night before, Parties of the Enemy's Irregulars made feveral Attempts to furprize the advanced Guards and Entries on * the Weft Si^e of the River, but did nod \ , V Q^ * fucceed i1 m I .1 >, ^756- ' fucceed in any of them. On the Eaft Side of \^^''^^* the River the Enemy were this Night cm- « ployed in bringing up their Cannon and « railing a Battery againfi: the old Fort j the * Garrifon keeping a conftant Fire of Cannon * and* Shells on them from thence and the * Works about the Fort ; the Cannon which * mofl: annoyed the Enemy, were four Pieces * which were reverfed on the Platforms of an « Earthen Work, that furrounded the old Fort, * and which was ir.tirely enfiladed by the Ene- * my's Battery on the oppofite Shore j in this * Situation, without the leaft Cover, the Train * affifted by a Detachment of 50 of the 50th * Regiment behaved remarkably well. Aug. 14. c ^t Day-break the Garrifon renewed the * Fire of their Cannon on that Part of the op- * pofite Shore, where they had the Evening * before cbferved the Enemy at Work in raifing * a Battery; and the Enemy returned the Fire * from a Battery of 10 Cannon 12 Pounders, * and were preparing one of Mortars and ' Hoyets -, about nine o'Clock this Morning * 2500 of the Enemy palled over in three Co- * lumns from the Eaft to the Weft Side of the * River, in order to attack the Garrifon on that ' Side : Upon this Lieutenant Colonel Mercer^ * on being informed that the Enemy were paf- « fing the River and not knowing their Num- * bcr, ordered Colonel Schuyler with 500 Men * to oppofe them j which would accordingly * have been done, had not Colonel Mercer been * killed by a Cannon Ball a few Minutes after: * About. r "5 ] - About ten o'Clock the Enemy's Battery of 1756. Mortars was ready to play, all the Garrifon's' Placesof Defence either-enfiladedor ruined by the conftant Fire of the Enemy's Cannon; 2500 of their Irregulars and Indians on their Backs ready to ftorm it on that Side, and 1 750 of their Regulars ready to land in their Front under the Fire of the French Cannon : Tlie Garrifon( which did not confillof above 1050 Men) was in this Situation when Lieutenant Colonel LittlchaleSi who fucceeded Colonel Mercer in the Command, c?Ued a Council of War, who were, with the Engineer^ unani- moufly of opinion, that the Works were no longer tenable, and that it was by no means prudent to rifque a Storm with fuch unequal Numbers. * On beating the Chamade the Fire ceafed on both Sides, but the French improved this Opportunity to bring up more Cannon and to advance the main Body of their Troops within Mufket-(hot of the Garrifon, and every thing was prepared for a Storm; hereupon two Of- ficers were fent to the ir^wr/^ General to know the Terms, he would grant ; upon which lie made Anfwer, that tht E?2gl//hwere an Enemy he eftcemed ; that none but a brave Nation would have thought of defending fo weak a. Place fo long, againft fuch a ftrong Train ot Artillery and fuperior Numbers ; that the Garrifon might exped: whatever Terms were confiftent with the Service of his moil Chri- Aian Majefty.' During the whole Time of the Siege the Soldiers 4 ■ i I \ CL Bi 0\ Ml '4- k I ii Ui: ^ ■1^ ii: 1 >} fk J' m «■'■ W' M ill J756. Soldiers behaved with a remarkable Refolutlon '""^"^and Intrepidity againft the Enemy, exerting themfelves to the utmoft in the Defence of the Place, in every Part of Duty ; and it was with great Reiuftance, that they were per- fuaded by their Officers to lay down their Arms after the Garrifon had capitulated, fome of them being fo ftrongly bent againft it, as to fuffer themfelves to be knocked at Head by the Enemy, rather than to fubmit to it. * Immediately after the Surrender of OfwegOy the French demolKhed the Works there and embarked with their Prifoners, Provifions, Artillery and Booty for Fort Frontenac in their Way back to Montreal. From this Account of the Siege it appears, that OJkvego would not have been taken by the Forces, which the French brought againft it, without a Train of Artillery. That a Train of Artillery could not have * Soon after the Surrender of Ofwego the following Ac- count of it was fent in a public Letter to be laid before the Afleniblyof \.he AJaJfacbv/ets Bay, viz. " that Fort Ontario " was abandoned after being fired on with fmall Arms two *' Days, without even having one Cannon brought up to it J* Reports were likewife propagated and gained Credit in England^ that the 5Cth and 51ft Regiments confided of tranfported Convidts and Irijh Reman Catholics, who, by their mutinous Behaviour, had contributed to theLofs of the Place i this rrtight be fhewn in eve.'y Part to oe mere Ca- lumny } but the real Behaviour of the Troops in the De- fence of the Place fufficiently confute it. Reports were likewife propagated greatly to thcDifadvan- tage of the Officers of both Regiments j but their known Charadlers, and the Behaviour of feveral of them, upon other Occafions, in his Mojejiys Service, as well as this. ?,re fuiHcient to vindicate their Honour. .^-rttr^ag'^^^irsas^il??!^ fill 'rr iiiiiitiiianiii jMiiiiiiliyiwii litmimttitDmk if<>»i<.i-tiMH CT [ "7 ] been tranfported there but by Ifaier Carnage '75*' acrofs the Lake. That from the Behaviour of the French Veflels upon the Lake, and by the Confefjlon of the French Officers themfelves after the Surrender of Ofwego, the EngUjh VefTels, which were adtually fitted out before the Siege, were of fufficient Force to have pre^ rented the French from tranfporting their Ar- tillery to Ofwego ; and confequently if the new Snow and Sloop Ofwego had been in a Condition to have adted upon the Lake, it would have rendered it abfolutely impradi- cable for the Enemy to have brought their Artillery to OfwegOy even without the occa- fional Affiftance of the Whale-Boats. That at all Events, if, in Addition to the five arm'd Veflels, the Garrifon had been ftrengthen'd with looo Battoe-mcn, and with the Indians depended on from * Sir William yohnfon (all which was the Force defign'd, and preparing by Mr. Shirley for the Protedlion of the Place) or even without thofe Indians-, in all Probability Ofwego would have been preferv'd :. But if in Addition to this Force, the Garrifon had been dill further ftrengthen'd with the 44th Regiment, as it doubtlefs ought to have been upon receiving Intelligence of the Ene- my's intended Attack, that muft have put the Security of the Place out of all doubt, • And with regard to the Expedition again H: * Sir Tfllliam yohnfon did not proceed from Odondago to OJivcgo as he was directed and had promifed to do. Crown '■ji vs. i 'I. 4^r \ vt m If ' 4\ , ;i '75^- Crown Point, it appears, that if the Provincial Troops and * 2 Regiments of Regulars, which was the Force deftin'd by Mr. Shirley for that Service, had proceeded in it by the Middle of yuly, which was the Time when the Pro- vincials aBually begun their March from Half Moon, and the 48th Regiment from Albany (in which Cafe they would have come before Ti- onderoge in the Abfence of Mr. Montcalm and his 4500 Men, that were then upon Lake On^ tario) they would, in all Probability, have been ftrong enough to have fucceeded in their At- tempt againft the Force, which the Enemy could then have for the Defence of their Forts in that Quarter : It is apparent, that the French had fuch Apprehenfions from Mr. Mojitcalms being fo much in hafte to deflroy the Works at Ofwego, and return with his Forces towards Crown Point : — But if the At- tempt againft Crown Point had not been efFe(ft- ed before Mr. MonUalnt's Arrival there to flrengthea that and Tionderoge, yet it muft have drawn fuch a Part at lealt of his Forces from the Lake, as would not only have pre- vented his making any Attempt againft Of- wego, but have put it into the Power of the Troops pofted at Ofwego and the PafTes be- tween that and Albany ^ when ftrengthen'd with the 44th Regiment and Companies of Battoe- men, in conjundlion with our whole Naval * Tho' the 44th Regiment was deftin'd at laft for Ofwegfj^ which would have prevented its proceeding to Crotvn Pointy according to its firft Deftination ; yet, there were OHvays and the Highland Regiments to fupply itb room. Force, m .>■',■,. Mi I 119 ] \' Force, to have made a fuccefsful Attempt at 1756. ; /eafi againft Niagara, if not againft Fort Fron^^ '~ tenac :■ — One of the moft elTential Points in the Plan concerted by Mr. Shirley at New Tork for carrying on one Expedition againft the French upon Lake Ontario^ and another againft Crown Point in 1756 was, that both Attempts {hould be made at the fame Time : And Experience feems to have evinced how right fuch a Proceeding would have been in this Cafe. The Defedion of the Indians of the Five Nations^ thofe of the Mohawks only excepted, who now make but make an inconfiderable Part of their Number, followed the Misfortune at Ofwego fo clofely, that it has been looked up- on as the neceflary Confcquence of it j and imputed to Mr. Shirley by thofe, who have endeavoured to fix the Blame of the Lofs of Ofwego upon him : It is therefore neceflary for his Vindication in this Point to ftate the Meafures, by which thefe Cantons or Tribes of Indians were loft. After the Lofs of Ofwego the Oneida Carry- ing-place was, from its Situation, the principal Pafs below it, not only for covering the Eng- lifh Settlements upon the Mohawks River^ and even the City of * Albany itfelf, but for keep- * The City of Jlbany is fo commanded by circumja- cent Hills in that Part of it, which lies next to the mo- hawks River and Indian Country^ that it cannot be made defenfible againft the Inctirfions of the Enemy from that, Quarter. ing % •I '.; ■^-v.w'l ri b?( M' ^ ii ' f > [ 120 ] 7^^- iiig hold of the Indian Country, efpeclally tnit' of the Oneidas, TufcaroraSy and two Caftles of the Mohaivksy and putting it into the Power oi the Engli/h to recover 0/7£;^^o itfelf : one of the Reafons why the greateft Part of thefe Indians have been of late wavering in the Intereft of the EngliJ/j is, that they had conceived an Opinion, that the French would, by their con- tinual Artifices for gaining Ground upon the Englijb Settlements, finally become Majiers of the Country ; which hath given thefe ///- dians fome Dread of them ; fo that the only poflible Method left for retrieving the bad Ef- feds, which the late Blow fuftained at Of- nvego muft have made upon them, and for pre- ferving them in a Dependance upon the Crown of Great Britain^ was to convince, them at this Crifis, that the Englifi were de- termined to keep PoflTclIion of their Country againft the French^ notwithftanding the late Misfortune at Ofwego^ and efFedtually prote(5l them, if they remained faithful, or if other- wife, to curb them : The general Difpofition, which all thefe Indians had lately manifefted, to put themfelves under the more immediate Protedion of the Englijh by preffing Mr. Shir- ley to have Forts built for them at their re- fpedive Caftles, and garrifon'd with EngliJIj. Troops for their Defence againft the French^ afforded a favourable Opportunity for doiilg this; it was therefore of the greateft Im- portance, ^fter the Lofs of Ofwego^ to have fortified { 121 } fortified And fecured the Pafs at Oneida as lys^- ftrongly as was poffiblc. v-.V*M. t APPENDIX. N^ I. $xfra0 of a Leiicrfrotn Sir William Johnfon to Majot Gefieral Shirley dated, pprt Johft- fon, 2 2d jifril lj$fi* HP, *- ■ ■ cc « I Have agreed with a ferfon to build a Fort for the Cfteidas; and I expe6: it will be foon put in hand ; I am about agree- ing with another Perfon for one for the **. OnondagoSy the SenecaSy the jiugbguageysind, ** Scoharee IndfanSy who have 51 applied to *« me for Forts ; I think with your Excellency ** that they are a necejary^ and v^ill be foun4j| J* I doubt not, a 'isery ufeful Meajure^ I* ■ ll -!?' s^i^; r ' I 126 ] N' II. •? U J* '. if r: The Declaration of James Crawford and Edward Brooks. ' ■ ■ * ^Ames Crawford and Edward Brooks be- ^ longing to a Company of Men employed to clear Wood Creek for making a free PafTage from ScheneBady to Qfwego^ declare that they left Gfiiego the 3d of Jj^ly laft, that there was about fourteen hundred Troops, and about one hundrcid Carpenters there at that Time, and the Garrifon was very healthy, there being riot more than four or five Men then ill; that there was a flrong picketed Fort on the North Siae of the River" Ofwego called Fort Ontario mounted with feveral Pieces 6i Cannon and Swivels, and was garrifoned with about three or four hundred Men : that there was likewife three VelTels in Lake 0«//7r/o well fitted, ani two more to be launched that Day they came away; in three Days after they left Ofwego the Snow then on the Stocks was likewife to be launched, and that at the great Carrying-place was twenty-four Cannon fix Pounders for the aforefaid VefTels which was brought there the twenty-fourth of Juij^ and remained there for •* Colonel "^•Sl!^ [ J"27 T Colonel Bradflreefs Arrival, to be tranfported to Ofwego, Boftoiti Sept. 6th, 1756. •AV" ' * •• ». ' ■'■': " t ■r James Crawford. Edward Brooks. Province of the 1 iSuffolkfs, Majkchufets Bay, i Bofion, Sept 6th, 1756. The abovenamed James Crawford and Ed- ward Brooks perfon^lly appeared before me the Subfcriber, one of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace for faid County, and made folemn Oath to the Truth of the above Declaration by them fubfcribed. Dan. Henchman. t .... . . - N° III. ExtraB of a Letter from Captain Bradftrcet f* Major General Shirley, dated Albany i6th July 1756. " ' I "^He 48th Regiment is gone from hence " X to-day for Fort William Henry; and *' the New England Troops, &c, left the Half '« M(3o« Yefterday." N'' lY. §-, f / *J '<«i«i Wmmmmki, 1 128 ) '■^ •♦ ■ ■ ....... rn .—•■:f.O it N' IV. ExtraB of the Declaration of j\ir, Kirklandii late Surgeon if the sifl Regiment* 'i; cc ^ Marquis de Montcalm com- manding the French Forces at the taking of pfwego, and was by him detained as an HoflagCt during the Ratification oj the Capir tulation, in the French Camf, viz. ■ . .-wf^i. ce re cc tc cc cc C( cc c< cc cc cc THAT he heard the Marquis of Montr calm and feveral other French Of- ficers declare, in the way of Difcourfe with him, that they took the Opportunity of the Englijh Brigantine's being on Ground and the other Veflels being in Harbour to tran- fport their Train of Artillery acrofs the Bay in Battoes, which would have been next to impofUble to have been brought any other way, as they afterwards found, owing to the Shore and the Situation of Fort Ontario^ where they begun the Attack." N° VII. . - s. J.V4i«.~ **» ..,^--.»jC8i!^'>'al ">fr^^^''^»" 1^ X,' 5 . 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