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Putnam capt' red, 175)9. 2. Foar-mile post. 3. Half-way Brook. 4. Road to Luzerne. 5. French Mountain. 6. Port George. 7. Fort William Henry. 8. Rattleanake Hill. 9. Shaw's Bay. 10. Tea l8lan exi)e(i of him is, that he shall faith- fully collect together and chronicle all the existing facts." FOREST ARCADIA. BY H. C J^TTT^I.THR, SECOND EDITION. NEW YORK: G. P. PUiX.AM Ov SON. ALBANY : I ) U K K 1*: i: .\: J ll S K I N S. 18O9. i m UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA LIBRARY Victoria, B. C. J ^ S! E acc( of 1 CoI( kno loca mad also Bel Wa' writ( thee then ever far a langi the s able 1 To throu furnis to Fo being from 1 INTRODUCTION. By a careful reading of the French and English official accounts, as they are placed side by side in that marvel of historic wealth, known as the Documentary and Colonial History of New York, we arrive at a proper knowledge of events, which had either been wrongly located, or exaggerated, or obscured. The author has made this the foundation of the following narrative. He also acknowledges his indebtedness to Bancroft, Kip, Bell, Trumbull, Headley, Graham, Sparks, Watson, Fitch, Van Courtland, the delightful writer of the life and times of Sir William Johnson, the eloquent author of Hochalaga — "and the authorities there cited," not omitting the amiable Dr. O'Callaghan ever ready to assist the anxious inquirer after truth. As far as practicable, he has endeavored to give the very language of the time, thereby rendering more life-like the scenes delineated here, than he would have been able to do in any other manner. To those whose inclinations take them over and through these gate- ways of the country, the guide books furnish accurate and reliable information. The railroad to Fort Edward, and thence the stage-coach, even now being supplanted by the steam-car to Glen's Falls or from Saratoga via the Adirondac or Wilderness railroad > INTIiODUCTION. -f* !'^ to the romantic hills of Luzerne, thence by coach eleven miles over the Indian trail to the head of the Lake ; these are the routes from the South. On the North, c.-ming from Mt. Mansfield, Stowe, the Green Mountains, Adirondacks, Montreal, the lines of travel converge to Burlington, Rouse's Point, or the inimitable Foquets, on the Plattsburgh battle ground. At either of these points, taking the fine steamers of the Lake Champlain company, the traveler passing "through by daylight" looks upon the scenes replete with historic lore. Cum- berland Head, Burlington Bay, Split Rock ( Rock Regio), Chimney Point, Crown Point, Motmt Defiance and Ticondcroga, furnish each its story of interesting events in early American history. • , From the latter place the transition is easy, across the "carrying place," and through the intrenchments of Montcalm, to the limpid Lake George, on which the Minnehaha, under the direcvion of Captain Harris, like a shuttlecock, each day faithfully plies its vocation to and from the laughing waters of Carillon, and the grass-grown ruins of Fort William Henry. The hotels dotted in here and there, like so many icebergs set in a background of emerald, furnish unexceptionable comfort to the sojourner. Every American, at least once in his life, should visit Lake George and Lake Champlain, and view for him- self the scenes made historic by the events imperfectly described in the following pages. B. C. B. Luzerne, June, 1868. .•♦ 1 1 INDEX. iMon. Aborrromble 1!»2, 2-il Ai.\-la-Ch)iiK!llo, poacc of, ... (55 AmhtTHt, Lord 232 Ani,'i'!l,('apt., 1.'38 nnubnssin «)5 Illancliard, Col. Jonhua, 113 Hldody Pond, 12«5 Bourk'inaquc, 15f 238 bradf'tnH't 215, 22!: 227 Brithh claim of country 15 Caimi,'liMioiie (Two llocks), ... fiS Carillon 211, 238 Cnrtior 11 Ciinmplain, 11,15 Chinandoroga, 35 Coili-ar, 20 Coliiinbiero 143 ConochquicHie, 104 Council of the Indians at Al- bany 72 Council of the Indians at Fort .Johnson, 87 Corbicrio, 1.5(5 Crown Point 54, 244 Cruyn Punt 33 Dcllin?, Godfrey, 10 Do Curiiuivillc, 57, 02 Do Courcolki!*'' expedition, ... 19 Do .loumonvillc, 72 Do Traccy's expedition, 20 Dononville, 22 Dicskau 11.5, 123 Doolittle, Captain, 130 1^ P.\OB. Expedition aj^ainwt Fort Wil- liam Henry, 151 Eyre, Captain 110 First American Congress l(i!»0, 27 Fletcher, ( Jovernor, 43 F(mda, Jelles 131 Fort Amhert«t 2.!5 Fort Ann,... 30, 4'J Fort Clinton, 57, 04 Fort Edward 30, 110 Fort Frontenac 228 Fort Miller 211, 100 Fort Nicholson, 49 Fort Oranjj;e, 37 Fort St. Frederick 51, 210 Fort William Henry,. ... 120, 140 Four-mile post, 22^, 2:35 Frontenac, 37 Gahvay, 40 Gatienonde, 61 Gobault, n Glenn, Cai)tain Sanders,. .. 24, 31 (J reenfield Center, 40 Haviland. Colonel 1!»6 Half-way brook, . . 228, 235 Ilebeconrt 104. 2.39 Ilendrick • 80, 119, 127 Ilocquart, 242 Howe, L(>i'd George, 197 Ingoldsbey, Major, 39 Irocoisia, 10 Iroquois expedition, 1687, 23 Johnson, Sir William, 63, 87 \ I :1M i 6 INDEX. PAOK. EaKhewuKlitlona (Red Head), \n\ Kanordoro (The Narrows), ... 83 KayiideroHPeraB 70 Kryn, 23 La Come, 57, Wfl Lake OeorKC, expedition to,. . 107 LaPralrio 88, 86 La Salle 23 Laiulonnlore, 11 Little, Captain IW Luzerne, M Lydlns, John Henry, . 1«, 105, log Marin, 65, ISO, 165, 2:« Maurepas, S-l Montcalm, 151 Monroe, Colonel George 172 Nicholson, 48, 51 Nlcklas, 138 Nonnands, 10 Oyharonde (Wind Mill Point), 83 Oswcgatchie, C9 Parker, Colonel John, 157 Putnam, Israel, 133, 136, 140, 207, 230 QuackenbOBs, Cybrant, 155 Read, Captain, 136 Regaud de V^audreull, 63 Reffio Rock (Regiochne), . 16, 242 Reiteutigny, 56,62 Right of France, 10 Rogers, Rooert,. 132, 135, 141, 141 Rogers 105, 230 Rutherford, Major John, 201 Ryswick peace, 47 Saratoga lake (Kayaderoga), . 34 Saraghtoga fort, 48, 55 PAQR. Scale of prices, 19 Schenectady, massacre of, 2-t Schuyler. John, 32, 33, !«>, 49 Schuyler, Peter,.. 25, 20, M, 30, in Seneca Indians' expedition,.. 22 St. Iloleno 23 St. Sacrament lake, 86, 37, 42, 63, 114 St. Plorro, 70 St. Ours, 154 Staats, Baront, 50 Stark, John, 144, 140 Stillwater, 29 Skeene, Philip, 200 Syms, Captain, 133 TonacharlHon, 70 Thoday, Michael 139 Thompson, Sergeant, 140 Tlconderoga,. . . 31, 84, 85, 143, 217 Tionderosa (Fort Hunter), .... 3S Townshend, Colonel, 839 Two Rocks, 149 Utrecht, peace of, 52 Valrenne, 36 Van Epps, 89 Vaudreuil, 49 Vcrazzani, 11 Washington, George, 70 Webb, Gen. Daniel, 106 Whitehall, 30, 35 Williams, Col. E. P. H.,.. 115, 123 Winslow, Colonel Seth, 131 Wilton, 40 Winthrop, Fitz John, 28, 32 Wood creek, 56 Young, Colonel John, 180 l^ For a. portion of the illustrations in this book, the Author is indebted to the kindness of Harper Brothers, Publishers of Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution. ^1 !•!'! PAOR. .... 18 .... 24 uj, :«>, 4ft M, :)!•, W n... n .... 88 7, 42. B3, 114 .... 70 154 50 144, 146 29 200 133 70 .... 189 140 i, 143, 217 ) :« 239 149 ... 52 ... 86 ... 89 ,.. 49 .... 11 ... 70 .... 106 . 30, 85 115, 123 .... 131 .... 40 . 28, 32 .... 56 .... 180 >ok, the rotliere, >n. » i ■> h^ '^ < EH o > o >^ M '■ I CHAPTER I. From the discovert op the cotrNTBY to ICOO — frencii claims — EARLY NAVIGATORS — BRITISH CLAIMS — DB COURCELLES' EXPEDI- TION — DE TRACEY, LA SALLE, MARQUETTE AND HENNEnx — AN ATTACK OP THE 8ENECAS — IRRUPTION OP THE IROQUOIS — ATTACK OP THE MOHAWKS ON CHAMBLAT — DE BT. HELENS — BURMNG OP SCHENECTADY — PIRST AMERICAN CONGRESS IN 1690. ^^^H AT eventful memories cluster around thy hoary hills, Lake George ! Tliey are interwoven with the earliest history of our beloved country, reaching far back to the time when truth vanishes into tra- dition. Forts William Henry and Carillon, the salients of the two most powerful and most civilized nations of the globe, over whose scarp and counterscarp nature has thrown lier protecting mantle of forest and turf — venerable in your ruins, ye stand at either gateway of these classic waters, monuments of a heroic age, and of the wrestlings of giants for the pos- session of a continent. Beneath your shadow the bones of thousands lie in unrecognized though honorable dust, while every glen, bay, island and mountain, furnishes some legend which lias made their names house- hold words in American homes. :J I 8 LAKE GEORGE AND To-day the shores of Horicon furnish fashion- able resorts for the refined or the curious, who bask away their summer hours, perhaps careless or ignorant of the great events that once trans- pired beneath their feet or within their vision. Yet the possession of these places has engaged the attention of kings, cabinets and parliaments. The best blood of two great nations has been freely spent, and millions of treasure expended, for their conquest and defense. Armies have crossed each other's track upon the ocean, and have pursued strange and varied paths on lake and river, and through forest, to struggle for their possession. Tribes of red men from the far north and the far south, marshaled by civilized genius, have met in hostile array under ihf^iv walls, and around their base. Rival and foreign flags have waved alternately over their battlements. A thousand bugles have called har- monious echoes from the mountains, while Pligh- landers from McGregor's clan, Indian chieftains, royal regiments commanded by high-born noble- men, mingled with the sons of the Green Moun- tain and the Connecticut and New Jersey valleys, have answered to their call. Thy peaceful shore has seen the course of carnage and misery, the butchery of the tomahawk, the wasting of a siege, the wretchedness of woman. It has LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 9 witnessed the feast of human flesh, for wliich these demons had prepared themselves by drink from skulls fresh filled with blood. It has heard the soft voice of the Jesuit priest, as with reverence he elevated the host and perfornicd the most sacred and ancient rites known to the religious world. It has listened to the single prayer offered for the whole people by the ven- erable chaplain of Massachusetts, while the de- scendants of the Puritans stood up uncovered. It has seen the simple rites of Indian sacrifice of first fruits to the Great Manitou, while the forest orator harangued his brethren on the blessings of that heaven which cowards could not enter. Protestant and Catholic, English and French, white and red men, the rifle, the tomahawk, the cannon and scalping knife, the keel boat and canoe, noble and base born, extremes the most opposite, passions the most violent, have met and struggled here for the mastery. They fought for the possession of a continent reaching from the frozen zone to the tropics — extending from ocean to ocean — and in com- parison to which the domain of either power was but " a patch upon the earth's surface." All, all are gone now. From out the ashes a third power has arisen to which the Red Cross of England and the Lily of France are alike ii 1^ I I 1 'HI ii f ID I 10 LAKE GE0B6E AND indifferent. From mountain to mountain the American eagle utters the scream of Liberty. Love in its purity, friendship in its faithfulness, are reflected from the placid bosom of the lake. The early industry of freemen is upon its bor- ders, and the morning sun-beams, which drink the dew-drops from the flowers on the hill-tops, catch also the sounds which thrill the heart of humanity, and proclaim the tidings of equal freedom for the race. A proper history of ^is interesting locality is incomplete without embracing the entire sec- tion of country from Kova Scotia around to the Ohio. Such is too comprehensive for this work. It will be limited to an account of what occurred between Chamblay and the Mohawk Valley. Even then the fear is, that it will be too prolix for the reader. The right of France to the country of the Iroquois, which embraced in part the valleys of Lake Champlain and St. Sacrament, was based on an established maxim existing among Euro- pean nations, that the first discoverers who planted the arms of their government upon aboriginal soil acquired thereby the property of that country for their respective nation. In 1504, Normauds discovered the bank of Newfoundland. the ;rty, QCBS, lake, bor- rink bops, t of qual ility sec- ► the ork. ^red ley. olix the of sed ro- rho 3on of of 4vt' f JXSAK VEBRAZZANI. I .■ -rU LAKE OHAMPLAIN. 11 In 1623, in virtue of a commission from Francis I, Jean Yerazzani took possession of " all the territory between Florida and Hudson's Bay." In 1534, James Cartier, at the inlet of Gaspe, raised a lofty cross which bore a shield with the French arms and an appropriate inscription. He thence discovered the great river of St. Lawrence, and sailed up its channel till he .could discern land on either side.* In 1535, Gebault and Landonniere, having gone to Florida by authority of Charles IX, " to inhabit and cultivate the country," founded the Carolinas, and built a fort on the May river, which they called Fort Charles — now Charles- town. In 1609, eleven years before the landing of the Pilgrims, Samuel Champlain was in com- mand of the Canadian colony. In 1609 he dis- covered Lake Champlain,t Lake St. Sacrament, and, as he says, went as far as the country of the Iroquois, * Bancroft. f The Indian name of Lake Champlain is Canadire Quarante, " The lake that is the gate of the country." " Kan- gatare " is the Mohawk name for lake. I I i»'! ;■ a lif .; n 11 il 12 LAKE GEORGE AND Concerning the first encounter of the Indians with the whites, between Lake George and Crown Point, Cliamplain says : " I left the rapids of the river of the Iroquois on the 2d of July, 1609. All the savages began carrying their canoes, arms and traps overland, about a league and a half, to avoid the current and force of the rapids. Tliis was quickly effected. They reviewed all their force and found 24 canoes with 60 men. After having completed their review, we continued our journey as far as an island, three leagues long, covered with the finest pines I ever beheld. "On coming within two or three days' journey of the enemy's quarters, we traveled only by night and rested by day. Nevertheless, the^ never omitted their usual super- stitions to ascertain whether their enterprise would be suc- cessful, and often asked me whether I had dreamed and seen their enemies. I answered, no ; and encouraged them, and gave them good hopes. Night fell, and we continued our journey until morning, when we withdrew into the picket fort, which they had built, to pass the remainder of the day there. About ten or eleven o'clock I laid down, alter having walked some time around our quarters, and, falling asleep, I thought I beheld our enemies, the Iroquois, drowning within sight of us in the lake near a mountain ; and, being desirous to save them, that our savage allies told me that I must let them all perish, as they were good for nothing. On awaking they did not fail, as usual, to ask me if I had any dream. I told them, in fact, what I had dreamed. It gained such credit among them that they no longer doubted but they should meet with success. ' " At nightfall we embarked in our canoes to continue our journey, and, as we advanced very softly and noiselessly, we encountered a war party of Iroquois on the 29th of the month, about ten o'clock at night, at the point of a cape b LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 13 ie our 388ly, If the cape which puts into the lake on the west side. Thoy and we began to shout, each seizing liis arms. We withdrew toward the water, and the Iroquois repaired on shore and arranged all their canoes, the one beside the other, and began to hew down trees, with villainous axes, which they sometinu'S got in war, and others of stone, and fortified themselves very securely. "Our party, likewise, kept their canoes arranged the one alongside the other, tied to poles so as not to run adrift, in order to fight all together, should need be. We were on the water about an arrow-shot from their barricades. When they were armed and in order, they sent two canoes from the fleet to know if their enemies wished to fight ; who answered they "desired nothing else," but that just then there was not much light, and we must wait for day to dis- tinguish each othei and that they would give us battle at sunrise. This was agreed to by our party. Meanwhile the whole night was spent in dancing and singing, as well on one side as on the other, mingled with an infinitude of insults and other taunts, such as the little courage they had, how powerless their resistance against their arms, and that when day would break, they should experience this to their ruin. Ours, likewise, did not fail in repartee ; telling them they should witness the effects of arms they had ne\ <^t seen before, and a multitude of other speeches as is usual at a siege of a town. After the one and the other had sung, danced and parliamented enough, day broke. My com» pauions and I were always concealed, for fear the enemy should see us, preparing our arras the best we could, being, however, separated, each in one of the canoes. After being equipped with light armor, we took each an arquebus and went ashore. I saw the enemy leave their barricade ; they were about 200 men, of strong and robust appearance, who were coming slowly toward us, with a gravity and assur- ance which greatly pleased me, led on by three chiefs. 2 5* .■:'U. *!> «^ll 14 LAKE GEORGE AND Ours wore marcliinff in simllnr order, and told me that those wlio bore tliroo lofty plumes were the chiefs, and that there were hut th(>se three, and they were to he recognized by those plumes which were considerably larpfor than those of their companions, and that I must do all I could to kill them. I promised to do what I could, and that I was very sorry they could not clearly understand me, so as to fr'we them t!io order and plan of attacking their enemies, as we should indubitably defeat them all ; but there was no help for that ; that I was very glad to encourapfe them, and to manifest to them my good will when we should be engaged. " The moment we landed, they began to run about two hundred paces toward their enemies, who stood firm, and had not yet perceived my companions, who went into the buali with some savages. Ours commenced calling mo in a loud voice, and, making way for me, opened in two, and placed me at their head, marching about twenty paces in advance until I was within thirty paces of the enemy. " The moment they saw me they halted, gazing at me and I at them. When I saw them preparing to shoot at us, I raised my arquebus, and aiming directly at one of the three chiefs, two of them fell to the ground by this shot, and one of their companions received a wound of which he died afterward. I had put four balls in my arquebus. Ours, in witnessing a shot so favorable for them, set up such tremen- dous shouts that thunder could not have been heard ; and yet there was no lack of arrows on one side and the other. The Iroquois were greatly astonished, seeing two men killed so instantaneously, notwithstanding they were pro- vided with arrow-proof armor woven of cotton thread and wood. This frightened them very much. Whilst I was reloading, one of my companions in the bush fired a shot which so astonished them anew, seeing their chiefs slain, that they lost courage, took to flight, and abandoned the field and their fort, hiding themselves in the depths of the TAKE OHAMPLAIN. 15 forest, wl.ithor pursuing them I killed some othore. Our Bjivagos also killed several of them, and took ten or twelve pri8ky tribes. In this the French were tbo most successful, and their influence extended to the end of Lake Superior, and embraced all of the country between the Hudson's Bay and the Onondaga council Are. But while Canada was settled, and its gov- ernment was carried on, as a strictly military colony, the Dutch, and after them the English, were essentially a trading nation. Albany was tlie great center of Indian trade and barter, and its commerce extended to Montreal and the French Indians, to the great grief of the Mo- hawks, who always claimed that by this means their implacable enemies, the Algonquins and Adirondacks, found never-failing supplies of powder and lead. "that thoy had frequently heard, both from tho Mohawk and Caknawaga Indiana, during the previous twonty-five years, that the land northward of Saraghtoga, as far as the Rock Rogeo, did and does belong to the Mohawks, which rock is situated ten leagues north of Crown Point — ' Rogeo ' being the name of a Mohawk Indian who was drowned near that rock long before the Chriatians came among them, from whence the Mohawks called the rock Rogeo." It was a superstition of the Indians that in passing the rock they should cast a stone or other article toward it for good luck. On Tryon's map it is called ''Point RegiocTinp." 2* I! \-i I I ^' 1 :il i I'M < III ill 1 ll •( u n i i 18 LAKE GEORGE AND The following was the scale of prices in the Indian trade at Montreal and Albany, in 1689 : The Indian pays for At Orange. Montreal. 8 pounds of powder, one beaver. four beavers. A gun, two do five do 40 pounds of lead, one do three do Blanket of red cloth, r»ne do two do Four shirts, one do two do Six pairs of stockings, one do two do Six quarts of rum, one do six do For the generation previous to the advent of the European race, the Iroquois had waged a merciless war against the Algon quins on the St. Lawrence. The arrival of Champlain with the hitherto unknown fire-arm turned the for- tunes of war with the northern tribes. The Iroquois transferred their jealousy and their enmity against the French allies, with whom they would never make a permanent peace. Champlain and the succeeding Governors of Canada assisted the northern nations in all their wars, or retained them as allies. It becan-e a great object of the French to get possession of the port of New York. For this purpose cabi- net councils were held and numerous plans laid ; and it is by reason of the eiforts made by the respective nations and their dusky allies, for the purposes of conquest or defense, that the entire ! i LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 19 region, from Fort-^ Orange and Sclienectadj to Cumberland Head, has become the classic ground of America. On the 9th of January, 1666, an expedition was fitted out at Quebec, under the veteran Be Courcelles, with five hundred men, whose object was to proceed to the Mohawk valley and destroy the villages there. They marched on snow-shoes, and each officer and man carried from twenty-five to thirty pounds of biscuit, besides his clothing, arms and ammimition. Sledges drawn by dogs, and carrying supplies, accompanied them. They purposed to give the Indians such a punishment as should induce them to put a stop to their incursions, and live at peace with the French settlements. A more difficult or a longer march than that of this little army is scarcely to be met with in history. In addition to the awkwardnc .« of the snow- shoes, it was necessary to make a journey of over four hundred miles, to cross lakes and rivers, to sleep on the snow in the midst of the forest, and to endure the cold of a rigorous winter. On the third day out, many had their noses, ears, fingers or knees frozen, and some, wholly overcome by the cold, were carried to the place where they were to pass the night. Still they n .i fy .:il H liMlj I: H " :i 1 1 Ii S! "! 20 LAKE GEORGE AND pushed on, untit, on the 9th of February, they arrived within two miles of Schenectady. Here a party of sixty fusileers was drawn into an ambuscade of two Imndred Mohawks, who at one volley killed a lieutenant and eleven men, and wounded seven others. The next day the wounded were sent down to Schenectady, where they were hospitably entertained and cared for by the citizens, through the interposition of Corlear, while wine, peas and bread were obtained for the troops. Grateful for such unexpected, if not undeserved hospitality, Governor Coircclles invited Corlear to visit him at Montreal, which invitation was accepted. On his journey thither he was accidentally drowned in Lake Champlain. He was so great a favorite with the Indians that they were accustomed to desig- nate the Governor of New York by the title of " Corlear." On the twelfth the French camp suddenly broke up, and they fell back to Lake Cham- plain, closely pursued by the Mohawks, who however only took three prisoners. In the same year, on the 14tli of September, an expedition of six hundred, under the com- mand of M. De Tracey, embarked in three hundred light batteaux and bark canoes, with 1 h LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 21 two small pieces of attillery. Notwithstanding the care taken to prevent discovery, tliey found, on their arrival at the Mohawk castles, tlie vil- lages were abandoned, but were full of grain and provisions. At the last was a triple palisade twenty feet high, flanked by four bastions, and stored with prodigious quantities of provisions and an abundant supply of water to extinguish fire when necessary. A few old persons and the remains of two or three savages of anotlier tribe whom they had half roasted, were all that were found. After celebrating mass^ singing the Te Deum and planting the cross, they fired the palisades, cabins and villages, destroyed the stores of corn, beans and other produce, and returned by the route they came. Through the influence of the Colonial Govern- ment, acting under advice from the Duke of York, peace was made between the French and Indians, which continued with but little inter- ruption for a period of over twenty years. This interval was employed by both the French and English in consolidating their settlements and in prosecuting their trade with the Indians. It was at this time that La Salle, Marquette, Hennepin and other Franciscans, bearing the calumet and cross, discovered the prairies of the IlHnois, and ascended and descended the Missis- m-i- m 1 1( •):' 22 LAKE GEORGE AND i :!< '■\ '■'!' sippi. In 1679, La Salle encamped at Niagara, and amid the fire of artillery and the chanting of the Te Deum, first launched a bark of sixty tons on the placid waters of Lake E rie.* In 1685, with a colony of two hundred and ten persons, he landed on the lovely Bay of Matagordo, and in the name of Louis XIY, took possession of Texas, carved upon her stately trees the royal arms of France, and by no treaty or public document was that right ever relinquished, except in the general cession of Louisiana to the United States under the Jeffer- son treaty. " '' In March, 1684, a band of two hundred Senecas attacked and pillaged a party of four- teen French traders who, in seven canoes, were proceeding down the Illinois river to the fort at St. Louis, with sixteen thousand pounds of merchandise. In consequence ostensibly of this, an expedi- tion was fitted out at Montreal, under Gov. Denonville, to attack and conquer the Senecas in Western New York. But the real purpose was for the protection of the trade of the Western Indians in the Ohio and Illinois country, and also " for the establishment of the religion which * La Salle's first vessel was named " La Griffin." Hi il. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 23 will never spread itself except by the destruc- tion of the Iroquois ; and of commerce and the [French] King's power over all North Amer- ica."* In this they were successful, having burned three castles, without suffering much loss, and established the fort at Niagara. In 1687 an irruption of some sixty Iroquois was made down Lake Champlain into the French settlement of Chamblay, which they destroyed, killing many of the inhabitants and bringing away captives. In 1689, in the month of August, a force of nine hundred Mohawks landed on the island of Montreal, and nearly destroyed the whole set- tlement, carrying off one hundred and twenty prisoners, besides killing two hundred, some of whom were bound, roasted alive and devoured. They retained possession of the island till the middle of October. In the month of February, 1690, war having been declared between England and France, a party of two hundred and ten men, under the command of Lieut. Le Moyne de St. Ilelene, left Montreal and passed through the lake to attack Fort Orange. The Indians were led by a great Mohawk chief of the name of Kryn, * Colonial History, vol. iii, page 320. 1 1 i ' ! lit' . '. ) in i ir ij li' .' .1, ^ 1 ( 'M i^ 'I ■ nil: III!' i hi I :: I i 24 LAKE GEORGE AND wlio had removed from the Mohawk Valley t-o La Prairie in Canada, in 1674. Arriving at the place where tlie road turned off to Schenectady, they, imder advice of the In- dian scouts, who were familiar with the passes of the whole country, took the latter road, and arrived at the settlement at 11 o'clock at night of the 9th of February. The town was built of an oblong form, with a wall around it, and to which access was had by two gates, which the squaws pointed out, one of which was found wide open. Into this they entered, and, after surrounding the town they gave the war-whoop and rushed on. M. de Manteth at the head of a detachment, reached a small fort, which, after some resistance, was entered, set on fire, and all who defended it were slain. The sack of the town immediately began, which lasted for two hours, and all who resisted were massacred. The house belonging to the Kev. Peter Tassemaker of the Dutch Reformed Church, was ordered to be saved, but as it was not known, it was burned, and he was killed. The dwelling of Capt. Joannes San- ders Glen, the Mayor of the place was also saved, in consequence of the good treatment the French had formerly received at his hands ; also that of a widow who had six children, to which place M. de Montigny had been carried I*' ■ LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 25 when wounded. All the rest, amounting to some eighty well-built and well-furnished houses, were burned. The return march commenced with thirty prisoners and sixty good horses, of which last sixteen reached Montreal, the rest having been killed for food. The loss of the French was twenty-one, of whom but two were killed at the sack of the town. The number of the inhabitants destroyed was sixty men, women and children. They were pursued to Lake Champlain by Major Peter Schuyler, with about two hundred whites and Indians, who took fifteen French prisoners and carried them off to their castles. H(i Reoicciine. ■*j' ; ii I ( 5? :■', , •> I :ii 1!' 'M .■'I J W' i; ! 1 ! •■' ;|l ill ! I i ; If i i r CHAPTER II. WiNTHKOP'S BXPEDITION, 1690 — CAPTAIN JOHN BOHUYLBR'B ATTACK ON CIIAMBI-AY — MAJOR PETER SCUUTLER'S EXPEDITION — TUE DE BCENT OF THE FRENCH INTO THE LOWER MOHAWK VALLEY — PURSUIT BY SCHUYLER — BATTLE IN WILTON, SARATOGA COUNTY. 'HIED of theso midnight attacks upon defenseless and outlying settlements, witli the attendant barbarities of the merciless savage, the colonists began to see the necessity of union, and to enact measures of common defense. On the first day of May, 1690, in the Fort of New York, the First American Congress was held. It was there agreed, that, while Massachusetts with a fleet attacked Quebec, an army should proceed by way of Lake Champlain to the capture ot Montreal, and thus complete the conquest of Canada. Hereafter the solitudes of the forest were to be broken by the measured tread of civilized armies, not to cease until the cross of St. George or the banner of St. Lou'i should wave over the entire continent ; nor even then until far down in the ages the bird of freedom, from its lonely eyrie, should witness the birth of a 7iew nation^ \m \ 1 LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 27 springing, like Pallas from the head of Jove, armed, full grown, and founded upon the prin- ciple of UNIVERSAL EQUALITY FOR THE HUMAN RACE. The command of the expedition was given to Fitz John Winthrop, of Connecticut, a member of the council of Governor Andros, and who was commissioned to be a major-general for this purpose. On the 14th of July, General Winthrop set forward from Hartford with some troops, and in seven days, through the almost impass- able wilderness, he reached Albany. Two com- panies, under Captains Johnson and Fitch, Iiad preceded him. "Here" he says, he found, the design against Canada poorly contrived, and little prosecuted, all things confused and in no readiness or position for marching ; yet every- body full of idle projects about it." The command was composed of 400 troops from New^ York, three companies of 135 men from Connecticut, thirty River Indians, and 150 Mohawks. What a sorry array compared to the magnificently appointed thousands who, sixty-eight years after, swept through Lake George, under Abercrombie and Lord Howe, and found " glory and a grave " under the bat- tlements of Ticonderoga ! m t'' ; !i 1 ; 't . - im m t i i! I 28 LAKE OEOROE AND i'i( im M' •J On the 30tli the New England troops and the Indians moved np four miles, and encamped upon the flats (Watervliet). August 1, quartered at Stillwater, ''so named because the water passes bo slowly as not to he discovered ; while above and below, it is dis- turbed and rageth, as in a great sea, occasioned by rocks and falls therein." August 2d. The general moved forward to Saraghtoga (Schuylerville), about fifty miles from Albany, where was a block-house and some Dutch soldiers. At this place, he was joined by Mr. Wessels, recorder of Albany, and a com- pany of the principal gentlemen, volunteers from that city. lie here got letters from Major Peter Schuyler, the mayor of Albany, who had preceded him with the Dutch troops, to the effect that he was up to the second carrying place (Ft. Miller) making canoes for the army. Thus far "the way had been very good, only four great wading rivers, one of them (the Mohawk) dangerous for both horse and man." August 4th. Divided the provision, thirty- five cakes of bread to each soldier, besides the pork, and moved up eight miles (to Ft. Miller) ; the Dutch soldiers carrying np their suj^plies in their birch canoes, and the Connecticut troops carrying them on horses. Here "the water p ;tlie J) 111 LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 29 passeth so violently, by reason of the great falls jiiid rocks, tliat canoes cannot pass, so they were forced to carry tlieir provision and canoes on tlieir hacks a pretty ways to a passable part of the river." August 5th. The soldiers marched, with their provisions on horses, about eiglit miles, to the great carrying place (Ft. Edward), the Dutch having gone up in their canoes. August 6th. The command marched -over the carrying place twelve miles, to the forks on Wood creek (Ft. Ann). The way was up a con- tinual swamp abounding with tall white pine. The New York companies excited the general's admiration at the vigorous manner in which, and without any repining, they carried their canoes and provisions across upon their backs. August 7th. Having sent thirty horses back to Saratoga for more provision, under command of Ensign Thomilson, the general passed down the creek with two files of musketeers, in bark canoes,*^ flanked by the Indians marching by the river side, commanded by Capt. Stanton, to the Ilautkill (Whitehall), where he encamped * The nations of the Algonquin family only made their canoes of birch, while the Iroquois made theirs of elm. They bought those of birch from other tribes. Lafiteau. 3* i'.& H II f \ I : ii <■:: ' Ml. m n Ji I it Ml ! II' I ! \ i in 80 LAKE OKOROK AND with Major Selniyler and tlic Mohawk captains, on tlie north side of Wood creek. On tlie 9th of August, information came through Capt. Jolinson, who had been sent to Albany some days since to procure additional supplies of provisions, that the Senecas and other Indians, whom he expected to meet at the Isle La Motte, near the north end of Lake Champlain, had not left their country on account of the small-pox breaking out among tliem. Tlie expression they used was, " that the Great God liad stopt their way." The small-pox had also broken out in the army, and seriously reduced the available force.* In the meantime Major Schuyler had sent forward Capt. Sanders Glen (the same one who had been spared at the Schenectady massacre), with a scouting party of twenty-eight men and five Indians who had proct led as far as " Ticonderoga,"! where he erected some stone breastv/orks, and had been since the fifth of August waiting for the expedition to come up. * It was claimed by the French that, of this expedition, 400 Indians and 200 English died from the sraall-pox. f Tsinondrosa, meaning the " ta:l of the lake," referring to the portion of Lake Champlain south of Ticonderoga; also called by the early Dutch " HantkUl." LAKE OIIAMPLAIN. 81 It wafl now found that the time was eo far spent, the l)ark would not peel, so no more cunoes could he made. The provisions were also giving out, and it was ascertained from the commissaries at Alljany that no further considerable supply could be forwarded. It was, therefore, on the 15th, resolved in a council of war to return with the army. Orders were given to Capt. John Schuyler,''^ brother of the mayor, to proceed with a party of forty Christians and 120 savages down the lake, and inflict what damage he could on the enemy at La Prairie. The troops then moved back to the head of Wood creek, where Lieut. Hubbell died of the small-pox, and was buried with much ceremony. All the forts down to Saratoga were burnt with the boats and stores. On the 20th, the army, from which so much was expected, reached Greenbush, within sight of the city, having been absent just three weeks, and shortly after broke up and the men went home. Gen. Winthrop was put under arrest by order of Gov. Leisler for the failure of the enterprise, which, however, could not well be otherwise, considering the want of a commis- * Grandfather of Col. Philip Schuyler of the Revolution nP !«l^ ill il I' ■.i ■ 'II m %\ *!;; i''"i ? life m 32 LAKE GEORGE AND I il M ii 'liii iiai r p |l!!f ' i|i Ii ;! I III I I sariat, the breaking out of the small-pox, the inadequacy of the transportation, and the *' failure to connect " of the remaining parts of the expedition.* Capt. Schuyler, according to orders, proceeded down the lake. Near the swamps he met Capt. Glen on his return. He enlisted thirteen whites and five savages from this command, and pro- ceeded down to Canaghf ione.f killing on their way a couple of elk for food. On the 15th they encamped a mile beyond Cruyn Punt (Crown Point), 16th. They advanced to Kanordoro (the Nar- rows), where the first guard was put on, and Barent Wemp named as its ofiicer. 17th. Proceeded to Ogharonde (Windmill Point), where the plans were laid for the attack, and the Indian tribes pledged each other in strings of wampum and with a shakt of the hand to stand by each other faitli fully. 23d. They reached La Prairie, and discovered the inhabitants in the fields engaged in the har- vest. The savages, with a war-cry, fell on them and killed twelve persons and took fifteen men *Tlie French claimed tliat the English dare not trust themselves in the elm canoes whirli the Indians had biiiit. f The Two Rocks, ten miles below Whitehall. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 33 and four women prisoners. Having burned six- teen houses and destroyed 150 head of cattle, they sought their boats and without loss returned to Albany. On the 26th they encamped at the "little stone fort," being the first record of any consider- able force that had encamped at Ticonderoga. In the summer of 1691, Major Peter Schuyler, at the head of a party of 260 Christians and Indians, following in the tracl: of his brother above, made a similar descent upon the doomed settlement of La Prairie. From the journal of his expedition, we learn that he marched June 21st, from Albany, twenty-four miles, to Stillwater. On tho 21:th his command pro- ceeded to Saraghtoga, sixteen miles ; and on the 26th, to the first (Fort Miller) and second car- rying places (Fort Edwaiv.). On the 28th they marched twelve miles to the last carrying place (Fort Ann), and immediately commenced build- ing canoes. On the 1st of July they made eight canoes, some capable of carrying seven, eight and twelve men. July 9th came Oerrard Luykosse and Herman Veddev, from a party of eighty Mohawks, at a lake right over Saraghtoga (Saratoga lake^), * The name of Saratoga lake was "Kayaderoga." \i\ \ .1^ , n t ^^'. :V't- ' ■■■. i; ! so H m 1 ? ;Si ii I hh I n t 1: 4\ ii; ■i! ii llllil 84 LAKE GEORGE AND who went by the way of Lake St. Sacrament, and promised to meet lis in six days at " Chin- androga " (Ticonderoga). 14tii. We removed to the Falls (Whitehall), distant sixteen miles, and then encamped. 16th. Moved from the Falls, and pitched our tents in the narrows of the drowned lands, twelve miles distant. 17th. Advanced to Chinanderoga, and two hours after met the Mohauques, eighty in num- ber ; after which we fell to making canoes, the Christians having broken two of theirs coming over the falls.* 19th. Advanced to Crowne Point, twenty miles. Here the Mohawks presented the major with a bundle of ninety-two sticks, to indicate their number; likewise the river Indians (Schagticokes), sixty-six sticks. On the 1st of August, having reached the La Prairie at the break of day, " they said their prayers," and marched over a corn field and along the water side till they came to a wind- mill, when, as they approached, the miller fired and killed an Indian, when one of the whites fired and killed the miller as he was attempting * This is the first record we have of a war party going through Lake George. r':>. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 35 ►ting a, second shot, so that his body hung half in and half out of the window. As they moved toward the fort, they were met by a party of militia, whom they easily repulsed, and who retreated into the fort with considerable loss. The regu- lars, under the command of St. Cirque, a veteran captain, here made an attack, but were received with a sharp lire, which resulted in the loss of the commandant and several other officers. Schuyler then fell back one hundred and fifty yards, into a ditch, which formed a sort of ambuscade, into which the French rushed, but were repulsed with considerable loss. Mean- while M. Yalrenne, with a detachment of one hundred and twenty men, had interposed between Schuyler and the boats. Two large trees which had fallen down, served him for a breastwork. But Schuyler, forming his men, told them that there was no choice but to fight or die, and rushed on. They received the first volley, which killed and wounded the most that were lost in the expedition. In a short time the enemy retreated^ and Schuyler reached the canoes and embarked, reaching Albany on the 9th, with a loss of twenty-one killed and twenty- five wounded. The perpetual alarms which the inhabitants of Lower Canada suffered in these various ' 1 M I, V i '.I !■ !; 36 LAKE GEORGE AND II t; t 'fl' m Hi' I ' ' i h ! * i ili! attacks, who, being taken alive, were tortured, roasted and eaten by the barbarians, or had their houses, cattle and crops destroyed, deter- mined Count De Frontenac, now Governor of Canada, to strike such a blow upon the Mo- hawks as should compel them to sue for peace. Accordingly, in the month of January, 1693, he despatched from Montreal a force of six hundred and twenty-five men, including two hundred Indians, under the command of De Manteth, with orders to proceed and destroy the Mohawk castles, and commit as great ravages as possible around Fort Orange — Albany. The party, like the expedition of 1666, were pro- vided with trains, provisions, ammunition, in short every thing necessary for so long a jour- ney on snow-shoes, through woods and over the frozen lakes and rivers. They were accompa- nied by twenty-five officers, some of whom, being the seniors of the commandant, accom- panied the expedition as volunteers. They crossed over the carrying place at Ticonderoga, and glided over the now silent and ice-bound waters of Lake St. Sacrament to its head. Then passing the base of the Luzerne range, they crossed the Hudson river near the Little Bay above Glen's Falls, and thence moved in the shadow of the Palmert'^n mountain, and LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 37 over th3 Greenfield hills and the Kayaderosseraa range, till, on the 8th of February, they came in sight of the first of the Mohawk castles, situate near Tribes' Hill. The first of them, in which were but five men and several women and children, was easily taken, as also a second one near by, where were still a lesser number. Marching on, they arrived, on the night of the 18th, at Tionderosa (Fort Hunter), where the third castle was, and within which, but unsus- picious of the proximity of their implacable foes, was a party of forty warriors, who were having dances and singing war songs, being about to join a party organizing at Oneida. The noise having ceased, the gates of the fort were easily entered, and it was captured with the loss of but one Frenchman. Some twenty or thirty of the Mohawks, besides several women, were killed in the first assault and subsequent intoxication of the French Indians. Finally, the fort, carbines, provisions and what could not be removed, were destroyed, and the party returned to the first castle. The number of prisoners amounted to three hundred, including over one hundred who were able to bear arms. On the 22d, the lat>t of the castles having been destro^'^ed, including the provisions and clothing stored therein, the expedition retraced their rv !• .'l,.i -.1 : ^i !l|i rrp i i mm 1 ;>!,( i;: f i ! ;. F ' 1! f ' Hi : 38 LAKE OEOKGE AND steps. It was the intention of the French com- mander to push on to Schenectady and Albany, but they were overruled by the Indian chiefs, who represented that the number of prisoners they had, would prevent them from making any further advances. Meanwhile, by the escape of a young Dutchman named Yan Epps, who three years before had been taken a prisoner at the Schenectady massacre, on the first evening of the arrival of the French at the Mohawk fort information came to the English of the movements of the enemy. The whole country was alarmed. The same night, Lieut. John Schuyler and fifty-five horse marched from Albany to Schenectady. These were quickly followed by Major Peter Schuyler, who sent out scouts to watch the enemy's movements. On Saturday information was brought that the Mohawk castle at Tionderosa had been fired, which news being brought forward to Albany, Major Ingoldsbey sent forward a detachment of two hundred men under Captains Matthews, Killian Yan Rensselaer and others, who reported to Major Schuyler about two o'clock p. m. The next day, Monday, he crossed the river and started in pursuit of the enemy with two hun- dred and seventy-three men, and marched twelve miles and encamped. At one o'clock LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 39 the next morning lie broke camp and marched till six A. M., when he had advice that the Cana- dians were eight miles distant. Lieut. Van Slvck and two Indians were sent out to recon- noitre, who, on their return, reported that the enemy had broken up their camp and were on their return homeward. At four o'clock r. m. the command marched to the place where the invaders had lain the night before, near Tribes' Hill. On Tuesday, the 15th, they received a re-en- forcement of 270 Mohawks, who had come down from the upper country, and the united com- mand marched abo^\it ten miles (to near Galway) and sent spies to discover the enemy. Thursday, the 17th, marched in the morning to the place where the enemy had previously encamped (near Greenfield Centre). Two miles further on, they learned through a christian boy, a son of Arn- out, the interpreter, that the French were within three miles. They marched forward and en- camped within a mile of the enemy, and where the French had built a fort, Indian fashion (near Stiles in "Wilton), and preparations had evidently been made to give them a warm reception. The officers were ordered to their posts, and the troops proceeded to fortify; which the French perceiving, with loud huzzns, imme- ! i ■■' 3 ]■: r I f i 11 1! ■| ... ' ^^t I m m m 40 LAKE GEORGE AND M i 'I i ill 'i. ' ] [ li I II I cliately sallied out of their intrenchments, and attacked them. They were beaten back into their fort, with a loss of eight men, when the English troops continued the work at their abattis. At this the French sallied out again, but were once more forced back, with some loss. A third time they atta«'kcd the works, but without success, and with a loss in all of thirty-three killed and twenty- six w^ounded, among the former of whom was the commandant and four other officers. As soon as the engagement was over. Major Schuyler sent back for provisions, the men having had nothing to eat for two days. The next day, there was a storm of snow and wind, which covered up their tracks, and prevented any movement; but at ten o'clock a. m., the enemy broke up their camp and marched till evening. Major Schuyler detached sixty men and some Indians to follow them, which he was unable to do with the main body, by reason of the lack of supplies. The next day, Sunday, Capt. Simms arrived with a reinforcement of eighty men and provisions, which were immediately distributed ; those first served being ordered to the pursuit, with five biscuits per man. About four o'clock the men under command of Capt. Peter Mathews and Lieut. Schuyler came up LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 41 within a mile of the enemy, M'hen the orders were given to fall upon their rear, but the Indi- ans halted and refused to go forward, because they had information that, if they made the at- tack, the French would kill all their women and children, whom they had prisoners. After an hour had been thus wasted, the rest of the men got up, and the march was resumed, with the expectation of overtaking the enemy at the river side ; but a flake of ice, having lodged in the river, formed a bridge, while all was open above and below, across which the invaders passed in safety. The French marched in good order, the wounded and prisoners being in the center, and the picked troops in the rear. They arrived at Lake St. Sacrament on the 22d. The ice here was found to be all rotten, and the men in some places sank up to the waist. The Indians sepa- rated from the French to strike across to Lake Champlain. The prisoners, except about flfty, escaped. Two days after, having reached their depot of provisions, they found them entirely spoiled by the rain. Famine stared them in the face, and they even boiled the extra moccasins for food. They were four or five days without supplies, and two or three died. Messengers were sent to Montreal for assistance, and 150 men, with provisions on their backs, went to 4* •^ .![ ii r ill ■1^ ) w I: .ii !;! 'i IH 42 LAKE OEOKOE AND ^1 11; : :' t H r 'lit their assistance. Finally, on the 9th of March, they reached Montreal, having thrown away arms and blankets, and so wasted by fatigue and exposure as to be scarcely recognized. The pursuit by Major Schuyler was only carried to the river ; the aversion of the Indians to fall upon the enemy, as above stated, the want of pro- visions, and their shoes quite worn out, were the reasons given for their turning back, which they did the next day, arriving in Schenectady the day after. While these movements were in progress on the frontier, an express from Col. Beekman, of Ulster county, had communicated to Gov. Fletcher, at New York, the news of the attack on the Mohawk castles, which reached him about eleven o'clock on the night of the 12th inst. Fletcher was a soldier by profession, and, without delay, sent orders to Col. Courtland, of Kings, and Col. Wilton, of Queens counties, to be forthwith ready with their regiments to em- bark at the ferry. At eight o'clock the next morning, the city regiment being under arms, His Excellency, on horseback, demanded who were willing to follow him to the frontier against the enemy. They unanimously threw up their hats, upon which 150 picked men were detached under the command of three captains. The V,i LAKE CIIAMI'LAIN. 43 next clay, Tuesday, cif^lit sloops with provisions and annnunition were made ready, and at four o'clock the troops embarked witli the Governor and staff. The wind being favorable, they reached Albany at nine o'clock on Friday, when they immediately pressed forward to Schenec- tady. The storm of Saturday, which prevented Major Schuyler from moving out of his camp, as above stated, also prevented the party from crossing the Mohawk river. On Sunday, the ice resettling, enabled them to cross over on foot, when two hours after, the river was open agam. On Monday a further detachment marched over with thirteen horses loaded with supplies, and at two o'clock p. m. Capt. Stillwell arrived with fifty men from Kings county, making in all 208 men, besides tlie guides. Tuesday an express from Major Schuyler announced liis approach ; whereupon the troops were recalled, and the Governor returned to Albany. In consideration of this rapid movement of Gov. Fletcher for their relief, on the 25th of February a great council of the fiv 3 nations was held at Albany, at which the hearth-fire was uncovered, Sadekanaktie, Sachem of the Onon- dagas being the speaker. Go,. Fletcher was christened " Brother Cajenguirage," a word A ;i, .. Ir I, !|' ■ 44 LAKK rrlXUlfJK AM) siLniifVlnj' ''Lord of tlie Great Swift Arrow" becMUSo of liis spet'dy urrivul witli so nniiiy iiicn to tlie relief of their Wagiuis' castles; which name he bore with them forever after.* i^; *Doc. iv, 10; ix, 549. This account seems to have been almost entirely overlooked. The ditt'erence of time in the French and Enpflish accounts is accounted for by the one iisinjif old style and the other new stylo. Reconciling them, and taking Burr's atlas and a pair of dividers, the distances are easily ascertained. ^^^mx Hudson River Crossing. ' , :'i 1 , ! 1 i CHAPTER III. QCKEN ANNE'S WXn — NICHOLSON'S KXPKDITIONS — FOTIT IN00T.D8BT, TOUT NICH0I-80N — IIENDIUCK — TOUT ST. FKEDEUlrK IJUII-T — CAP- TIRE OF 8ARAOHTOOA — FOIIT CMNTON, I.A COHNE'S EXPEDITION AND BATTLE AT FORT CLINTON — TWENTV-SKVEN PETTY PARTIES — WILLIAM JOHNSON'S EXPEDITION TO LAKE ST. SACRAMENT — FORT CLINTON BURNED — PEACE OF AIX-LA-CUAPELLE. 1700. IE peace of Ryswick had been de- clared in 1G95. After a lapse of fourteen years, the war between Eng- land and France, known as Queen Anne's war, broke out, which speedily extended to the colonies, each bent on the extermination of the other. Ingoldsby, who, with tlie rank of major, had come to this country as commandant of Iler Majesty's four companies of regulars, was now lieutenant-governor. Peter (now Col.) Schuyler, was of the executive council, and also one of the commissioners of Indian affairs. He was called by the Indians Quidar, because they could not pronounce his given name. His brother John, who had led the incursion against Chamblay, had been advanced to the grade of lieutenant-colonel. 46 LAKE GEORGE AND ^ I ; Again, a joint expedition was proposed for the conquest of Canada. Five regiments of regulars, with proper supplies, were to come to Boston, there to be joined with 1,200 provin- eials, v/iio were to proceed hj sea to Quebec, while the troops were to rendezvous at Albany for the attack on Montreal. The forces for this latter route were placed under the command of Col. Vetch, a nephew of Peter Schuyler and Gen. Nicholson. The last was tendered the command by Gov. Ingoldsby, Mav 21, 1709. On the 19th, the council gave orders that *' there be sent up forthwith to Albany, a suffi- cient quantity of stores, provisions and all other thidgs necessary for six hundred men, together with carpenters and materials necessary for building store-houses and boats, and making canoes,"* etc. The firet portion of the expedition, com- prising 300 men, with the pioneers and artifi- cers, moved out from Albany about the first of June, under the command of Col. Schuy- ler, and proceeded to Stillwater, where they built a stockade for provisions, which they named Fort Ingoldsby. They also established stockade forts at Saraghtoga, below the Batten- * Journal of the Legislative Council of New York. [ li ii 'i LAKE CHAMPLAIX. 47 kill, and at Fort Miller Falls, and built a road np the east side of the river to the great carrying place. Here they established a post which was called Fort Nicholson, and then pro- ceeded np to ihe fork of the Wood creek (Fort Ann), where they constructed a hundred bark canoes, and a hundred and ten bateaux, which M'ould hold from six to ten men each. They also built a redoubt and afterward a stockaded fort, which was named Fort Schuyler.* Lieu- tenant-Colonel John Schuyler was in command of the place. The number of men was finally increased to eleven hundred and fifty. Fort Nicholson was garrisoned by four hundred and fifty men, in- cluding seven companies of " regulars in s'^arlet uniform from old England." At the fortified house at the next falls below (Fort Miller), were fcrty men ; and at Stillwater, where La Fleuer lived, were seventy men. Meanwhile, De Yaudreuil had moved Uj.- from Montreal to Chamblay with 1,600 French troops, to watch the motions of the invaders The expedition, on the part of the Englisli, however, was simply auxiliary to the fleet. * Doc. ix, 837, 839. When it received the name of " Fort Anne " does not appear. ! I " t 'I \^ i I u ii .1 r;i. ifM 48 LAKE GEORGE AND i M ^ ■ w l! »i ! m m Mi' II As tlie latter failed, notliin'^ farther came of the invasion, and the summer passed away in idleness. About the :first of October, Lt. Barent Staats, a nephew of Col. Schuyler, was captured near Fort Nicholson, and was detained by the enemy till the winter, when he was exchanged. Tlie army retired in November, having first burned the fort, canoes and bateaux, and also all the forts above Saraghtoga. The following winter, Col. Schuyler, with five Sachems, including King Hendrick and Gen. Nicholson, went to England to devise a plan for another expedition for the conquest of the French colonies. In London the Indians were clothed in a gay and showy dress, designed by the costumers of Her Majesty's theatre, being a suit of English small clothes of black, with scarlet ingrain mantles of cloth, edged with gold, foi' their blankets. In this they were con- ducted in state, in coaches, to an audience with Queen Anne ; and, giving her belts of wampum, avo-s^ed their readiness to take up the hatchet and aid in the reduction of Canada. In 1711 a second army was fitted out in a similar manner to the last, and with the same purpose. That for the Albany expedition was organized into three regiments, as follows : ■^ : ll '! LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 49 Col. Ingoldsby, regulars; Col. Schuyler, New York troops ; Col. Whiting, Connecticut troops ; the whole consisting of fifteen hundred men, under command of Lieut. -Gen. Nicholson. They left Albany on the 24:th of August, on which day also the Five Nations, to the number of six hundred and sixty had an interview with the Governor. Gen. Nicholson here presented them with a picture of King Hendrick and the other sachems who had now returned from England. The Governor desired that they should hang on the kettle of war, and presented them with five oxen and a barrel of beer for each of the nations. The Indians replied, desiring that the kettle might not be overset nor turned upside down^ but remain boiling (meaning that the war may continue), " until, if God please to bless, we wholly reduce and sub- due Canada, when we will overset and turn the kettle upside down, and what is boiled in it (meaning the prisoners) will be at the disposal of Annudagarriax " (Gen Nicholson). On the 28th of August the troops were all on their march beyond Albany, They proceeded as far as Wood creek, tr the spot where the fort was which was destroyed the year before, and was called Fort Ann. The batteaux were mainly prepared in Albany and below, and A 1 'I V.\ \ 1 \ : 1 1 '• i ■ 'i ^ ^Iff^ \^ 60 LAKE GEORGE Al-TD Hi ■in Il '. I were transported across the carrying place. The way was three feet foar inches wide, French measure.* Shortly after, intelligence was received that Her Majesty's fleet had been shattered by storms in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with a loss of over a thousand troops, and, owing to the ignorance of the pilots, it was deemed advisable to aban- don the expedition, whereupon the troops were ordered back and were disbanded. Thus the third attempt at the conquest of Canada proved abortive, and shortly after, in 1713, the declar- ation of peace, known as the peace of Utrecht, between England and France, put a stop to further incursions, and closed the series of uni- versal wars for the balance of power. In 1731, in the midst of profound peace, M. de Beauharnois conceived the plan of fortifying a point on Lake Champlain known as ^'Point au Chevelure " f or Crown Point. It was described as at the head of Lake Champlain, about half way from Chamblay to Orange i >i * Holmes' American Annals, and the authorities there cited, state that Nicholson went to Lake St. Sacrament, but there does not appear to be any foundation for the assertion. f So named in 1689. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 61 (Albany). " It is a small strait, separating the lake from the '' Grand Mar ais^ at the head of which is a place called the Little Fall of the River du Chicot (Whitehall). "When in pos- session of Point de la Couronne^ the road will be blocked on the English, should they wish to pass over our territory, and we will be in a position to fall upon them when they least expect it. Beyond a doubt the King of Eng- land has granted Lake Champlain to the chil- dren of Lieut. Peter Schuyler, a well known citizen of Orange. Therefore we must antici- pate the establishment they may found at Crown Point." Their fears in the latter case were a mere pretense, as the patent granted to the children of Schuyler only extended from Saraghtoga patent up to Wood creek.* On the above representations, however. His Majesty, Louis XV, directed the fort to be built, which was accordingly done, and a gar- rison of twenty men was placed within it for its protection. It was first a small w^ooden fort, which in successive years was enlarged and strengthened, until, in 1Y55, it was capable of * Fort Edward. ,t t^ (.1 :i: ai: \ >: m 62 LAKE GEORGE AND :l 1 ^ A''' t ^^i ■] |ii holding five hundred or six hundred men. It was known as Fort St. Fre-^arick.* The following appears to have been its early armament : Two iron cannon, six-ponnders ; seventeen iron cannon, four-pounders ; twent}'- three brass cannon, two-pounders ; one iron can- non, two-pounder; one mortar; eighteen iron swivels ; twenty-five iron shells. The provincials looked with alarm at this menacing demonbtration sixty miles within their * The French name of Crown Point, Fort St. Frederick, is derived from the French Secretary of State, Frederick Maurepas, in whose hands the direction and management of the Court of Admiralty was at the time of its erection. It is to be observed that the government of Canada is sub- ject to the Court of Admiralty, and the Governor-General is always chosen by this court. As most of the places in Canada bear the name of saints, custom has made it neces- sary to prefix the word to the name of this fortress. It is built on a rock consisting of black lime slates as aforesaid. It is nearly quadrangular, has high, thick walls made of the same limestone, of which tliere is a quarry about half a mile distant. On the eastern part of the fort is a high tower, which is proof against bombshells, and is well served with cannon from the bottom almost to the very top, and the Governor, Mr. Lusignan, lives in the tower. In the terreplein is a well-built little church, and houses of stone, for the officers and soldiers. There are sharp rocks on all Bides toward tlie land, beyond a cannon-shot from the fort, but among them are some which are as high as the walls of the fort, and very near them. Kabn's Travels, 1748. LAKE CIIAMPLATX. 53 border, and made the most energetic protests, both at home and to the Lords of Trade, against its continuance. The Earl of Waldegrave, the British Ambassador, made his objection against a continuance of the fort, as in absolute oppo- sition to article XY of ti^e treaty of Utrecht, but no further effort was made for its removal or reduction. In 1744 war was again declared between the Enjjjlish and French. In the month of November, 1745, an expedi- tion was fitted out at Montreal, under the com- mand of M. Marin, comprising three hundred Frenchmen and as many Indians. Their object was to attack and capture the settlements on tlie Connecticut, but on their arrival Lt Fort St. Frederick this purpose was changed, and they went down to Saraghtoga,* which settlement they attacked on the night of the 16th and 17th, plundered and burned about twenty houses, together with the fort. In this affair some thirty persons were killed and scalped, and about sixty were taken prisoners. Only one family escaped destruction, by flight, who, as they looked back, saw the fort in flames. ..Ml el • j;! * Doc. X, pp. 38 and 39. 5* V IV: li. : ill D 1 ' : W i ! i 11 Si IT '11 p 54 LAKE GEORGE AND In the spring of 1746 the English proceeded to rebuild the fort, for the construction of which the Assembly had voted one hundred and fifty pounds. The location was, however, changed to accommodate some wheat fields which were then growing, and to preserve which was the object of its construction.* The name given to the new work was lort Clinton. 1746^ Aug. 29. M. de Repentigny, who, with a party of twenty-six Abnekas, was scouting iiear by, made an attack upo ) a party ot twenty soldiers who wer^' escorting a cart loaded with clay to build a ctiinmey, and killed four men at the gate of the fort (who were scalped hj the Indians), and took four prisoners.f October 24. The same officer, being on the road between Albany and Saraghtoga, attacked the ordnance and provision train which was then moving up to the latter place, and killed two men and upset the wagon.J July 16. De Mery, and a detachment of four hundred and fifty Canadians and savages, came to South Bay, and were employed scouting and working on the river au 0/dcot (Woud *Doc. vi, G30. Called by the French 8a/rasteau. f Dos. X, 35. X Doc. X, 75. if iiii ' * >*;:■ ■t.. LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 55 r > Creek), where they felled the trees on both sides to render its navigation impracticable. The commandant at Fort St. Frederick was M. de Celeron. 1747, June 11. An expedition started fiom Fort St. Frederick, at midnight, for Saraghtoga, to destroy Fort Clinton.* It was under the command of La Corne St. Luc, and comprised twenty Frenchmen and two hundred Indians. June 14. Arrived at the Orange (Hudson) river, whicli they crossed and came down the west side. June 16. The Indians proposed to form an ambuscade on a little island in front of the fort, in order to try and " break somebody's head," but La Corne told them they must go to the fort. The same day, De Carquiville reported that some forty or fifty Englishmen were fishing * Fort Clinton was one hundred and fifty feet long, by one hundred feet wide, with six wooden redoubts for bar- racks. It was situated on a hill south of the Battenkill, in the presv^nt town of Easton, and nearly opposite the present bridge across the river at Schuylerville, as appears by a manuscript map of the province, by Cadwallader Golden. Doc. ix, p. 79. It was armed with twelve cannons, being six, twelve and eighteen pounders, and was built twice the size of the old fort. One hundred bateaux had been built here as well as six hundred at Albany for the second Nichol- son expedition. 50 LAKE GEORGE AND M'l in the Battenkill ; whereupon La Corne offered his double-barrel gun to the iirst man who sliould bring in a prisoner, and told them that after the first volley he should charge the fort, ax in hand. The same day, and the next, the French crossed the river. The next day he sent twenty men on the road to Orange, who returned under the supposition that they were discovered. The Indians now assembled around the ofliicers, and said they must retreat, but these gentle- men told them " it was not the custom of the French to retire without fighting, when so near the enemy, and they were able to defend themselves against this number of men if they should be attacked." The young braves of the Soult, Nepissings, Northern Iroquois and Hurons said they would not desert them. Six scouts were then sent out to the appointed place to lie in ambush, and to pass the night within «ight paces of the fort, with directions to fire on those who, the next morning, should come out of the fort, and try and take a scalp, when if they were attacked they should retreat, pretending to be wounded. This was accord- ingly done. On the morning of the 18th, at the break of day, two Englishmen came outside the gate, and were fired on, when the scouts withdrew. A LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 57 hundred and twenty of the English, headed by their officers, then came out of the fort, and, liaving formed in order, marched toward the French, making a wheel so as to get near them. They halted at the sjiot which the scouts had abandoned, and where they had left a musket and tomahawk. At this, La Corne gave the signal for the French, who were in ambush, to rise and fire, which was accordingly done, and the English fired back, and also opened witli cannon and graj^e from the fort. Tlie Indians, however, rushed on, tomahawk in hand, and routed the English, who had scarcely time to shut their gates. Some threw themselves into the river and were killed by blows of the hatchet and by gunshots. Forty-five prisoners were taken and twenty-eight scalps, besides those who were drowned. ,.. In addition to the expeditions here mentioned, were a large number, twenty-seven in all, of petty excursions, comprising from ten to fifty men each, who were fitted out at Montreal, to take the route of Fort St. Frederick, and com- mit wliat depredations they could on the English settlements. Their object was to harass, murder, scalp, burn and pillage, and this was what they called war. They required but little supplies. They passed easily through the woods by night !i|i III 68 LAKE GRORGE AND III I ■: ) 'f I ! and by day. Their hunting life made tliem familiar with every mountain pasfl, and the neighboring thicket or stream lurnislied the necessary provisions. They privately approached the settlements, lay in wait for their oppor- tuniry, killed or took prisoners, and were off again with such rapidity that pursuit was impos- sible. No wonder the exposed inhabitants looked with dismay upon this fort, as a terrible and perpetual menace, and taxed themselves heavily for its redviction. In New York alone, the amount expended in one year was seventy thou- sand pounds. The following partial account, applicable solely to the locality we are attemping to de- scribe, conveys an idea of the zeal and energy with Which the French authorities pursued this atrocious system of warfare. March 29, 1746. A party set out, consisting of fourteen Indians, belonging to the lake of the two mountains (on the river St. Lawrence), who have been in the country, near Albany, and returned with some prisoners and scalps. 26th. A party of thirty-five warriors belong- ing to the Soult set out. They have been in the neigliborhood of Orange, have made some prisoners and taken some scalps. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 69 27th. A party set out consisting of six war- riors, who struck a blow in the neighborhood of Albany. May 7. Six Nepissings started to strike a blow near Boston, and returned with some scalps. 10th. Gatienonde, an Iroquois, who had been settled at the lake for two or three years, left with five Indians of that village and Lieut. St. Blein, to strike a blow in the neighborhood of Orange. They brought in one prisoner. Gatie- nonde, the leader, was killed and scalped by the Indians on the field of battle. 12th. Ten Indians of the Soult set out toward Boston, and returned with some scalps. 22d. Nineteen warriors of the Soult St. Louis have been equipped. They have been made to strike a blow in the direction of Albany. 24th. A party of eight Abenakis has been fitted out, who have been in the direction of Corlac,* and have returned with some prisoners and scalps. 27th. Equipped a party of eight warriors of Soult, who struck a blow near Albany, and ])rought back six scalps. 28th. A party of twelve Nepissings made an attack in the neighborhood of Boston, and VM *Schenectfrtr. ^'■t%, a 1 ! , ^' i 1 h I ll t! liM 60 LAKE GEORGE AND brought away four scalps and one prisoner, whom they killed on the road, as he became furious and refused to march. A party of Abenakis struck a blow near Al- bany and Corlac, and returned with some scalps. June 2. Equipped twenty-five warriors, who returned from the neighborhood of Albany with some scalpp;. 3d. Equipped a party of eighteen Nepissings, who struck a blow at Albany and Corlac. 19th. Equipped a party of twenty-five In- dians of the Sou.t, who struck a blow near Orange. One or two of these Indians were wounded. They brought away some scalps. 20th. Equipped a party of nineteen warriors of the Soult, who went to Orange to strike a blow. 21st. Equipped a party of twenty-seven of the same village, to go to Albany. Sieur De Carquiville, an officer, was of this party, which has brought in a prisoner that was on the scout to Saristeau,* and some scalps. August 10. Chevalier De Repentigny arrived at Quebec, and reported that ho had made an attack near Corlac, and took eleven prisoners and twenty-five scalps. * Saraghtoga. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 61 Meanwhile this provincials are not idle. On the 4th of August Col. Johnson had sent out two parties of the Six Nations to Canada, who made an attack on Chamblay, but fell into an ambuscade, and were most of them killed or captured, but not till after they had inflicted serious damage upon the Canadians. He also sent a party of twelve men on a scout to Crown Point. On the 19th he writes to Gov. Clinton that one of his parties, on their return from the lat- ter place, had reported that they lay two days in sight of the enemy on Lake St. Sacrament, who, to the number of between five hundred and six hundred men, were encamped upon an island.* This was doubtless a part of the force under the command of Sieur de Kegaud de Yaudreuil, a part of whose command, under La Corne, had been engaged in the affair at Saraghtoga. His he£id quarters were at South Bay. His orders were to protect Fort St. Frederick, which he could only do by having a part of his force at the latter place, and part on Lake St. Sacra- ment.f * Long Island. t Doc. X, 114, 132, 148. 6 Ir .. I ■M ^ 1 4i » : I, lii 62 LAKE GEORGE AND m! ' iii 'I M 'tl!;. i"' ^:li*i ill Aug. 28. Johnson writes that he is about set- ting oif for Lake St. Sacrament, with four hun- dred Christians volunteers, and as many more Indians, and expected to he absent for twelve days. It is possible they took the short route via Fish House and Luzerne to the lake. It is of this party that Sieur Yilliers speaks, on his return from Saraghtoga in the month of November. He says that he sent out a scout to the portage of the lake, and there discovered a large abandoned camping ground. Judging by the size of the cabins and fires, thinks there might have been six hundred men, who were on their return toward Corlac. The force might have been there a month ago. On the 9th of Decembe • Governor Clinton reported that he had been able to raise twenty companies in all for the coming expedition against Crown Point in the next year. They con- sisted of about 1,000 men, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Eoberts ; Mr. Gooch, Lieut.-Gov- ernor of Yirginia, having declined the command. In the fall of 1747 Fort Clinton at Saragh- toga was burned, and the guns and stores removed, by orders of Gov. Clinton. The avowed reason was, uiat the Assembly did not furnish enough troops and supplies to protect it from the attacks of the French and Indians. - m LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 63 May 1, 1748. Hortel Baubassin, in command of a scouting party of fourteen, reported that he had destroyed, in the neighborhood of Orange (Albany), thirty houses, three small forts (stockades), and one mill. The preliminaries of a peace between the high contracting powers were signed at Aix-la- Chapelle, in April of the same year. The pub- lication of this news caused a cessation of hos- tilities throughout the colonies. Again -the hatchet was buried. The pioneer looked out from his cabin upon the green crops, and the hospitable smoke ascended from the deserted chimney. But not for long. Providence had decreed that this whole continent should bo under the dominion of the Saxon, though blood ran in rivulets to attain that end. lit'' 'i ^- Chimney Point. H ! i '?[■ ' I Ipf'i % V '- y ;| t 'T 1 V ^ IK CHAPTER IV. Boundaries hksettlkd — historical question— mr. ■Washington, his interview with st. pierre — tanachirasen — battle op the great meadows — thk c0n0rbs8 of 1754 — council with the five nations. 1754. 'HE boundaries between Canada and the provinces were not arranged by the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. The possession of Crown Point having been passed without dispute, by the English commissioners, for the settlement of the terms of peace, this was construed by the French into an acquiescence in their claim of title to the valley of Lake Champlain. The jurisdiction also of the entire territory west of the Alleghanies w^as left undetermined, and the question here occurs of historical interest as to the right which either nation had to the country in dispute. England vested her claim on her Indian treaties with the Six Nations, who pretended that at some remote period they had conquered all the region west of the moun- tains, as far as the Mississippi river, and on the strength of this assumption, they made treaties gan LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 65 with the English, ceding to them the lands within this space, and confirming their title, according to such forms as were prepared for them. Unfortunately for the validity of their title, these lands were possessed by other Indian tribes dwelling there, and whose ancestors, from time immemorial, had also occupied them. These declared themselves the only rightful owners, and denied that the Six Isations had any authority or foundation of a claim over them. The French insisted as well upon the right of occupancy as that of discovery. Settlements had been made, they said, south of Lake Michi- gan and on the Illinois river, years before any Englishman had set his foot westward of the great mountains ; and the respective treaties between the countries had repeatedly recognized ttie title of France to all her actual possessions in America. So far the position was tenable ; but the French went a step further. They maintained it to be an axiom in the law of nations that the discovery of a river gave the explorer a right to all the countrj'^ watered by the streams flowing into it. Ilence^ the passing of La Salle through the great lakes and down the Mississippi in a canoe, gave to France a title to the immense country bounded by the 6* 11 !• ill :f m\ m i fe-i * -< i^ I II i i : i ^1 !• 'il If 'I ■' 66 LAKE GEOKGE AND i -t i; :■! •• ^d. Alleglianies on one side, and the Rocky Moun- tains on the other. Such a hypothesis may be gravely advanced or ingeniously defended, but its fallacy is too obvious to be pointed out. The truth is, neither of the contending parties had any just claims to these lands. They were both intruders, and it was not strange that the native occupants should look with astonish- ment at the singular spectacle of two nations in distant parts of the world, unknown to them except as traders for skins, entering into a quarrel about the right of seizing upon their property.* The claims of the Aborigines did not affect the movements of either party ; each hurried to possess itself, in advance, of as much territory as possible. The French proceeded to build forts and establish settlements at Oswegatchie,f Toronto, La Boeuf on French creek in Pennsyl- vania, and Duquesne.ij: At the latter place they drove out the English traders who had already settled there, and proceeded to finish the fort which had been commenced by the Ohio company. * Sparks. f Ogdensburgh. X Now Pittsburgh. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 67 Gov. Dinwiddie, throngli Mr. George Wash- ington, complained of these encroachments, but to no purpose. "Washington set out from Wil- liamsburgh, the capital of Virginia, on the last day of October, 1753. The distance was about five hundred and sixty miles, in great part over rugged mountains, and over half the way through the heart of a wilderness, where there were no traces of civilization. He was accompanied by eight persons, among whom was Tenacharison, a sachem of the Delawares, known as the Half King. The party was forty-one days upon their journey. The commandant of the fort was M. de St. Pierre, a Knight of the Military Order of St. Louis, and a polite and courteous oflScer.* The Governor's letter asserted that the lands on the Ohio belonged to the British Crown ; expressed surprise at the French encroachments ; demanded by whose authority an armed force had crossed the lakes, and urged a speedy departure. St. Pierre replied, in the style of a soldier, that it did not belong to him to discuss treaties, refer- red Washington to the Marquis Duquesne, Gov- ernor of Canada, by whose orders he was acting, . !i lii ii I m Hi:' * St. Pierre served under Deskau, and was killed at the battle of Lake George. n •••I « « liij 1 i ; ^ villi f!f''t '3i -..ii'l ^■'il. 68 LAKE GEORGE AND and that tlie summons to retire could not be complied with.* After a stay of two days, Washington started on his return, provided by St. Pierre with a canoe, whi' 'i wa^ oh iitifully stocked witli pro- visioi^, liqu >n.; ;mfi every other supj^ly the fort could affo d. With this he proceeded to Yenango, one hundiot and thirty miles, and performed the rest of the journey home by land. On the 27th of May, 1754, at the Great Meadows, in the valley of the Kanawha, Col. "Washington, aided by the Mingo chiefs, made * The following is an extract of the speech made by Tan- acharison to the French commander: " Fathers, both you and the English are white. We live in a country between. Therefore the land belongs to neither the one nor the other, but the Great Being above allowed it to be a place of resi- dence for us. So, fathers, I desire you to withdraw, as I have done our brothers the English, for I mean to keep you both at arm's length. I lay this down as a trial for both, and whichever has the greater regard for it, to that side we will stand and make equal sharers with us." These are the sentiments of a patriot and a hero. But this high-minded savage was not aware that, so far as his race was concerned, there was no difference between his professed friends and open enemies. He had never studied in the school of poli- tics, which finds in the laws of nations an excuse for rapac- ity and injustice, nor learned that it was the prerogative of civilization to prey upon the ignorant and the defenseless. Spar/cs. J. t LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 69 a attnr^k upon a French force under the com- m; nd of De Joumonville. Perc iving the French a; proa' h, "Fire," said Washington, and with 1. is own musket t^ave the example. That word of cominaiid kinaled the world into a flame. It was the signal for the first great war of revolu- tion. There in the western forest began the battle wJiich was to banish from the soil and neighborhood of our republic the institutions of tlie middle age, and to inflict on them fatal wounds throughout the continent of Europe. In repelling France from the basin of the Ohio, Washington broke the repose of mankind, ana waked a struggle which could admit only of a truce till the ancient bulwarks of Catholic legiti- macy were thrown down.* On the 19th of June, there assembled, at the court-house in Albany, the memorable congress of commissioners from every colony north of the Potomac. The most illustrious names of that day are found among its annals. DeLancey,the Lieutenant-Governor of New York; Hutchin- son, the historian, of Massachusetts ; the patriot Hopkins, of Hhode Island ; Tasker, of Marj^- land ; the liberal Smith of New York ; William Johnson lately appointed one of the government ■: '1 M 5 ' tW;, ! i^ ■■ i ■ i] * Bancroft. l^ 70 LAKE GEORGE AND councilors, and Benjamin Franklin, of Penn- sylvania, who had already " projected " a plan of a Constitution for a perpetual covifedera(;y of the continent, and had brought the heads of it with him. They met to concert measures of defense against the incursions of the French on the north, and to treat with the Six Nations and the tribes in their alliance. For nearly a quarter of a century Fort St. Frederick, built far within the English territories, on ground ceded by the Six Nations to the Crown, was a standing nuisance to the colonies, repressing all settlements in that direction, and threatening devastation and ruin to every in- habitant north of Albany. The reasons for the appointment of the con- vention at the above city, are set forth in a communication from Gov.DeLanceytothe Board of Trade, of the 24th of December, 1753. " Here was the usual place of holding general con- ferences with the Indians. Here they had had a fire burning ")ince the earliest settlement of this country. It was situated in the highest part of the Hudson river, navigable for vessels of any considerable burden, and through which all intercourse between Schenectady, a town sixteen miles westward, and the western settle- ments, is carried on with New York. Again, LAKE CHAM PLAIN. 71 the Indians, by coming down to Albany upon their public business, contract habitudes and acquire friendsliips with some of the inhabit- ants, and a kind of rights of hospitality ; and, if treated with any sort of civility, will always be ready and willing to protect and defend the place." During the discussion of the federative com- pact, the representatives of the red men assem- bled to the number of one hundred and ftfty. The Six Kations comprised the Moliaw^ks, Onei- das, Onondagas, Senecas, Tuscaroras and Cayu- gas. They occupied the lands lying between the Kock Regiochne and the Potomac river, and claimed those extending westward for an indefi- nite distance, but so as to include the Ohio val- ley. Persons wishing lands usually purchased them from the Indians, and then took out a patent for them from the Crown. The main bodies of the tribes resided along the valley of the Mohawk, and extended west to Lake Erie. By their friendships and good will the western side of the settlements of Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Virginia, were protected from the incursions of the French or hostile Indians. While, therefore, at all times, it was necessary to propitiate their good will, it was particularly desirable to now cultivate with them 1 I" ^.;,: iu' rm ! Y2 LAKE GEORGE AND ' II lii a good understanding, by reason of the contem- plated and simultaneous attacks to be made upon the French forts at Duqucsne, Niagara and Crown Point. Nothing can exceed the decorum with which the Indian public councils were con- ducted. Their assemblies were composed of men, women and children. The business was arranged by two or three sachems, selected for their abilities. They usually formed in a semi- circle, the old men and the sachems in the front rank, the warriors in the next rank, and the women and children last. It was the business of the women to take exact notice of what passed, imprint it in their memories — for they had no writing — and communicate it to their children. They were the records of the council, and they preserved the traditions of the stipula- tions in their treaties for a hundred years back, which were always found to be exact. "All being seated and in order, he that would speak rises, the rest observing a profound silence. When he has expressed a point, one or more strings of wampum are given in order to enforce the memory. When he expresses another point, another string, or perhaps a belt is given, de- pending upon its importance, and so on until the discourse is finished. A day or more is then taken for the consideration of the address, when II 111' 1! I LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 78 the answer is prepared and delivered in tlie sanio manner.""* The first audience seems to have been granted to a deputation of tlie Stoekbridge or River Indians, who luid not been invited, and with whom it was at first uncertain wliether an audience sliouhl bo granted or not. Their com- phiints related to the sad effects arising from tho sale of rum in their respective countries, and the systematic overreaching of tho whites in relation to the sales of their lands. The Gov- ernor, in reply, promised to see the laws in rela- tion to the trafHc in liquor enforced, and to examine into the alleged frauds in regard to the sales of their lands. The next audience was given to a deputation of the lower castle of the Mohawks, who stated, through Canadagara, their speaker, that they came by God's will and His Honor's order ; that this was their old meeting place, where they expected a redress of their grievances, that so they might part good friends. They then went on to specify that a large tract of land called the Kayaderosseras, had been taken u^. commencing at the Halfmoon, and so up along the Hudson river to the Third Fall, thence to the Cacknowaga or Canada hii * Franklin. 14: LAKE GEOEGE AND creek, which, upon inquiry among their old men, they could not find was ever sold.* Tlie Governor replied it was agreeable to justice to hear both parties before a judgment was given, and he would send for the patentees or persons claiming the land, and hear what they had to say, whsn justice should be done. On the 22d of July the Governor wrote to the Board of Trade that he had sent for some of the owners of the Kayaderosseras patent, who produced an Indian deed and a patent granted in November, 1708, but the bounds seemed to be larger than the Indian deed. All this was preparatory to the great council of the sachems of the Six Nations, who were received the next day. After some prelimina- ries, the Lieut.-Governor stated that the French, while professing to be in perfect friendship, were making continual encroachments in the most insulting manner, both to the north and west. " Your fathers," he said, " by their valor, above one hundred years ago, made a conquest of the country, which they afterward, of their own accord, put under the protectio:* of the *0n Montrose's map, date 1775, the creek is spelled " Canidadrosseras " and " Coniaderosseras,' also spelled " Cayaderossera." Vol. xxxii, Land Papers. LAKE riiiAMPLAlN. 76 King of Great Britain. The French are endeavoring to possess themselves of this whole country, although they have made the most express treaties with the English to the con- trary. Brethren, it appears to us that these measures of the French must necessarily soon interrupt and destroy all trade and intercourse with tlie English and the several Indian nations on the continent. We want to know whether these tilings appear to you in the same light as they do to us, or Avh ether the French building forts and taking possession of your country be done with your consent and approbation. Brethren, open your hearts to us ; deal w^ith us as brethren ; we are ready to consult with you Jiow to scatter these clouds that hang over us. This is a niatter of so great weight that y^e think it best to defer mentioning any other affairs till you have considered this, lest they should take away part of that attention which is necessary on so extraordinary an occasion." [Gives a belt.] But it seems that the Six Nations had some other grievances to be settled before they would enter UDon the main business which the Gover- nor and commissioners had so much at heart. '' Last summer," says Hendrick, their speaker, " we of Canajoharie [the upper castle of the > f'l hf'V i i: I:« T6 LAKE GEORGE AND f • I hi ;: I j . I- 1 ' '•! Mohavrks] went down to New York to make our complaints, and we then thought the cove- nant chain was broken, because we were neglected ; and when you neglect business, the French take advantage of it, for they are never quiet. It seemed to us that the Governor had turned his back upon the Five Nations, as if they were no more; whereas the French are doing all in their power to draw us over to them. We blamed the Governor last summer for this neglect, while the French were drawing the Five Nations away to Oswagatchie, which might have been prevented if proper use had been made of that warning, but now we are afraid it is too late. In former times Col. Schuyler used frequently to come among us, and by this means we were kept together. Brother, we, the Mohawks, are in difficult cir- cumstances, and are blamed for things we don't deserve. There are some of our people who have large ears, and talk a little broken English and Dutch, so that they sometimes hear what is said by the Christian settlers near them, and by this means we came to understand that we are looked upon to be a proud nation, and therefore stayed behind." The Governor made a fitting reply, caution- ing them not to hearken to common reports, ! : alec )ve- the 3ver had 3 it- are r to mer nng liicli had are Col. us, her. cir- on't ^ave and said this are fore ;ion- orts, I ft! m m "(I ill 1 i-l > 1^ 1. ll : :i; t ^iS: »' ■ !^ '• I Ml I HETTrRICK. ' H ' ;»i| 1% Ij H jflR 1 I^Ib^H^h II ' H '' : t "' LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 17 " but to Apen their hearts to each other, and go remove any je.Joiisies that may exist among us." On Tuesday, July 2d, in the presence of the several Governors and councilors, the answer of the Six Nations was made to the general speech of the Governor. All being seated, Abraham, a sachem of the upper castle, arose and said ; " Brethren, you, the Governor of New York and the other Governors, are you ready to hear us ?" The Governor replied they were ready. Then Hendrick rose up and spoke as follows: " Brother Corlear and bi >thers : Saturday last you told us that you came here by orders of the great King, our common father, and in his name to renew the ancient chain and friendship between this and the other governments on the continent and the six united nations. We rejoice that by the Iling's orders we are all met liere this day, and are glad to see each other face to face. Brethren, we thank you in the most hearty manuer for your condolence to us. We also condole all your friends and relatives who have died since our last meeting here." [Gave them strings of wampum.] " Brethren we return you [holding up the chain belt given by His Honor] all our grateful acknowledgments for renewing and brightening the covenant chain. We will take it to Onondaga, where '7* m I i.i ■:l \ ,! i i il ; li' ! I ; i lii^ 78 LAKE GEORGE AND N:i "! f& S our council fire always burns, and keep it so securely that neither thunder nor lightning shall break it. There we will consult over it, and as we have lately added two links to it [referring to two more nations who had joined their league], so we will use our endeavors to add as many more links to it as lies in our power. We now solemnly renew and brighten the covenant chain with our brethren here pres- ent, and with all our other absent brethren on the continent. Brethren, as to the account you have heard of our being dispersed from each other, 'tis very true. You have asked us the reason. The reason is, your neglecting us for these three years past." [Then taking a stick and throwing it behind him.] " You have thus thrown us behind your back and disregarded us ; whereas the French are a subtle and vigi- lant people, ever using their endeavors to induce and bring our people over to them." [Gave a belt.] "As to the encroachments of the French, we have made a strict inquiry among all our people, and we cannot find that either any sale has been made or leave been given; but the French have gone thither and built their forts and occupied the land without our consent or approbation. Brethren, the Governor of Vir- ginia and the Governor of Canada are both ^ LAKE CHAMPLAIN, 79 quarreling about lands which belong to ns, and Buch a quarrel as this may end in our destruc- tion. Brethren, it is true, as you told us, that tlie cloud hangs heavy over us, and 'tis not very pleasant to look up ; but we give you this belt to clear away all clouds, that we may live in bright sunshine and keep together in strict union and friendship." [Gave a belt.] " Brethren, this is the ancient place of treaty, where the fire of friendship always used to burn, and 'tis now three years since we have been called to any public treaty here. 'Tis true there are commissioners here, but they lir^ve never invited us to smoke with them, bu^ '^i3 Indians of Canada come frequently and smoke here, which is for the sake of their beaver ; but we hate them [meaning the French Indians] ; we have not as yet confirmed the peace Avith them. 'Tis your fault, brethren, that we are not strengthened by conquest, for we would have gone and taken Crown Point, but you hindered us. We had concluded to go and take it, but we were told it was too late, and that the ice would not bear us. Instead of this, you burned your own fort at Saraghtoga, and ran away from it, which was a shame and a scandal to you. Look about your country and see. You have no fortifications about you ; lo, not even in this ii II fl iil 80 LAKE GEORGE AND 1 I % HI I XUi^ (!! ':. ' («l I ,1: \ 1:! • ! i i M : " - s city. 'Tis but one step from Canada hither, and the French may easily come and turn you out of your doors. Brethren, you were desir- ous that we should open our minds and our hearts to you. Look at the French. They are men ; they are fortifying everywhere ; but, we are ashamed to say it, you are like women, bare a;id open, without any fortifications." Here Hendrick ended his speech, when the sachem Abraham arose and stated that when Col. Johnson had laid down the management of Indian affairs it had caused them a great uneasi- ness. They desired that he be re-instated, for they all lived happy under his management. "We love him and he us, and he has always been our good and trusty friend. Brethren, I for- got , omething. We think our request about Col. Johiison, which Gov. Clinton promised to carry to the King, our father, is drowned in the sea." To this the Governor the next day replied to the effect that it gave the commissioners great pleasure to see them so ready to renew and brighten the ancient chain of friendship. They were sorry any neglect had been shown them, and hoped nothing of the kind would happen hereatler. They were glad they gave no coun- tenance to the French, and were surprised to hear that the Governor of Yirecinia and Canada LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 81 were fighting about lands belonging to them. Here Mr. Wiesar, agent for Virginia and Penn- pylvania, made satisfactory explanations to the effect that the road they had complained of had been traveled by the traders to Ohio for thirty years, when the Governor said : *' Brethren, you told us we were open and defenseless. We are consulting how far it will be necessary to fortify our frontier, at the same time we expect you to take care to keep .your people from going over to the French." The rejoinder of the Six Nations was spoken by Ilendrick, on the fifth of July. After expressing his pleasure at the mutual and satis- factory arrangements of their respective differ- ences, he said : "Brethren, we put you in mind from our former speech, of the defenseless state of your frontiers, particularly of this city, of Schenec- tady, and of the country of the Five Nations. You told us yesterday you were consulting about securing both. We beg you will resolve upon something speedily. You are not safe from danger one day. The French have their hatchet in their hands both at Ohio and in two places in New England. We don't know but this very night they may attack us. Since Col. Johnson has been in this city there has been a ' 1 'iii'i : .- ' r 82 LAKE OEOKGE AND French Iiulian at his house, who took measure of the wall around it, and made vorj narrow observations on every thing thereabouts. We think Col. .Johnson in ver}^ great danger, because the French will take more than ordinary pains to kill him or to take him prisoner, both on account of his great interest among us and because he is one of our sachems." [Upon tins they gave four strings of wampum.] " Brethren, there is an affair about which our hearts tremble and our minds are deeply con- cerned. We refer to the selling of rum in our castles. It destroys many, both of our old and young people. We are in great fears about this rum. It may cause murder on both sides. We, the Mohawks of both castles, request that the people who are settled round about us may not be suffered to sell our people rum. It keeps them all poor, and makes them idle and wicked. If they have any money or goods they lay all out in rum. It destroys virtue and the progress of religion among us. We now have a friendly 'request to make to the Governors here present, that they will help us build a church at Canajo- harie, and that we may have a bell in it, which, together with the putting a stop to the sale of rum, will tend to make us religious and to lead to better lives than we do now." LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 88 The Governor promised satisfaction, and then stated, before he covered up the tire, tliat he had ordered thirty wagons to carry up the presents to Schenectady, also some provisions for tho journey, with wliich tlie conference, so far as regarded the Indians, broke up. AfttT some weeks of deliberatii .i the "Plan of Union " was completed. It was not satisfac- tory, however, either to the Crown or to tho people. It was reserved for another day and place — twonty-two years after, at Independence TIall, in Philadelpliia, on the fourth ^''ay of July, 1776 — to complete those " Articles of Confed- eration," which formed the United States of America, • ■ i River Batteau. Ir ' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) h y. 1.0 I.I 1.8 IL25 i 1.4 1.6 -► Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^/^ recited that the governments of Mas- sachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York, had raised, re- spectively, a body of men, amounting in all to about four thousand, to be employed "in an attempt to erect a strong fortress upon an emi- nence near the French fort at Crown Point, and for removing the encroachments of the French upon His ]![*^ajesty's lands in that quarter." The quota to be raised by the respective colonies was as follows : New Hampshire, six hundred; Connecticut, one thousand; Rhode Island, four hundred ; New York, eight hun- dred ; Massachusetts, twelve hundred. The expenses for the expedition were £20,000, which appear to have been furnished by the British jtive , six liode hun- The [hich litisli LAKE CHAMPLAIX. 85 government on the credit of Gov. Braddock, to l^e assessed on the colonies in about the above proportion. The appointment of Johnson to the command of the expedition was in consequence of a coun- cil of Governors held at Alexandria, in Virginia, April 14th, of the same year. This meeting was presided over by Gen. Edward Braddock, Commander-in-chief of Ilis Majesty's forces in North America. The council expressed their approbation of the attack proposed to be made by the General upon Crown Point and Niagara, as being " un- doubted encroachments made by the French upon His Majesty's dominions," and gave it as their unanimous opinion that Col. Johnson was the " properest person to have the command of the expedition to Crown Point." Gen. Johnson proceeded to make adequate preparations for the campaign. On the 29th of May, he writes to Gov. De Lancey that" the six eighteen-pounders and the four field pieces are too few for the number of troops destined for this service," and requests four more of each kind ; also a quartermaster and an engineer for the artillery. June 18. Mr. George Banyar, colonial secre- tary, on behalf of the Governor, reports that he 8 3 r t 11 ii •i; is 'ii,_ ^f!- I ^''3 t' 'I! I it 86 LAKE GEORGE AND i \'.(.: Mlmk Mi i 1 ■^'i \ P .i iyi? would liave the carriages for the ten heavy guns made in New York, while Johnson should have the carriages for the brass field-pieces made at Albany. " Capt. Eyre, being on the spot, will give the proper directions to the workmen. If you have not sponges, saddles, etc., mention what is wanted, and we will endeavor to have them sent with the other things. If there be not enough ball, send down one of the shot that is a pattern. The ten large bateaux for the cannon must be made at Albany. The carriages we saw at Alexandria had apart- ments in them for powder and shot, which 1 think very necessary, as the guns may be used on the march. Those made at Albany were done by Garret Lansing, and Mr. Dies desires me to caution you against making them too heavy." The artillery train appears to have been a source of equally anxious care on the part of the provincial authorities. On the 5th of July tlie assembly ordered the sum of nine hundred 8Tid forty-four pounds to be paid toward the train, in addition to two thousand pounds pre- viously advanced for the same. One thousand pounds was also advanced on the security of l^art of the provisions allowed by the colony of Pennsylvania. Gov. Shirley also furnished fifty- LAKE CHiVMPLAIN. 87 one Imndred and fifty-two pounds for the same service, wliicli completed the whole estimate for. the train of artillery.* The ammunition for the same not being suf- ficient, fifty-two barrels of powder additional were taken from the Niagara expedition, and placed at the disposal of the commander. An allowance was proposed to be made to Gen. Johnson of but £25 for his personal expenses, which he claimed was not enough. " I am far from intending or desiring," writes Johnson, " a support for a vain or useless osten- tation, but the council will, I presuvne, think it necessary that I sustain the honor conferred upon me with a decent dignity. The troops * The subsequent history of Johnson's park of artillery possesses some points of public interest. It was turned over to the victorious French troops at the disastrous surrender of Monroe to Montcalm ; abandoned to the English at the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by Lord Amherst ; subsequently captured by Cols. Ethan Allen and Arnold, in 177i>, "in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Conti- nental Couf^ress." Finally, in the dead of winter, in 1770, under Gen. Henry Knox, commander of artillery during the Revolution, through the woods on long trains of sledges drawn by oxen, fifty pieces were transported to Boston. There it did good service in the siege and bombardment of that place, until the city was evacuated by the British troops. I ii ' I 1, H l'5 « If II ^'4! I m i ! '■I ■.It' i: m '■ ":i r, h- 88 LAKE OEOROE AND will naturally expect to see it, the officers to feel it. Neither my policy nor my sj)irit will allow me to disgrace the character I am placed in. The province of New Jersey liave agreed to give Col. Peter Schuyler, wlio commands hut five hundred men, three hundred pounds cur- rency for his table. Is not a secretary, are not aids-de-camp necessary about me ? Is there to be no establishment for them ? They must always l)e of my table." In consequence of these representations, an allowance of fifty pounds per montli was made to Gen. Johnson for his table, and four hundred and fifty-seven pounds foi* the service of the Indians. On his return from Albanv, Gen. Johnson sent messages, with belts and wampum, through the several Indian nations, acquainting them with his appointment, and calling for a grand council, to be held at his house (Fort Johnson), for which vast preparations had been made. The conference was opened with due solem- nity and the observance of all the ancient forms, at Mount Johnson, June 21. The nations rep- resented were the Senecas, Cayugas, Oneidas, Tuscaroras, Onondagas, Tiedrigoes, Schnadari- ghroes, Dela wares and Mohawks. In all there were eleven hundred, men, women and children, LAKE Cir AM PLAIN. S9 being a greater number tlian were ever assem- bled before at any pul)lic meeting."'^ The representative white men present were Hon. William Johnson, the Kev. Mr. Ogilvio, the Indian missionary (afterward tran "jrred to Trinity Church, New York), Peter ^^Vraxall, secretary for Indian affairs; four intei jreters ; Mr. Ferrall, Capt. Stoddert, Capt. Butler and John Henry Lydius, who was in the interest of Gov. Shirley, and appeared by accident here, as he was on his way to Oswego. The speeches had previously been written out and translated into Indian by Daniel Clans, a German gentleman of education, who had lived for some time with the upper Mohawks, assisted i)y the other interpreters, and by them read to two eminent sachems of the Onondaga and Oneida tribes. At the app« inted hour all were seated and the tribes arranged in order in the open air. The address was first made by Johnson in Eng- lish. This was repeated in a low tone, para- graph by paragraph, by Clans, the interpreter, and was then spoken by the Onondaga sachem, I I •i. ' i ■:i ' ;^ i h t "• i.i ip ':k 'ii * The General wa^ distressed where to get food for sucli numbers, as they " destroyed every green thing upon hig estate, and all his meadows." 8* I I V ^.t 90 LAKE GEORGE AND .1 >'♦ B Ivagliswnghtiona (" Red Head "), to the whole body of Indians, with their consent and appro- bation. "Bretliren of the confederate nations hero present : With this string of wainpnm I wipe away all tears from your eyes and clear your throats, that we may cheerfully look one another in the face, and that you may, at this meeting, attend and speak without constraint." [Gave a string of wampum.] Johnson then stated that he had attended a great meeting of the Governors of the States, with Gen. Braddock (a great warrior), where many things were considered and agreed upon, among which were some concerning the welfare and interests of his brethren, the Indians, and regarded more particularly the insults and encroachments of the French. He then pro- ceeded : " Brethren, the tree which you have so often and so earnestly desired might be again set up, is now raised and fixed in the earth by so pow- erful a hand that its roots will take a firm and deep footing, and its branches be a comfortable and extensive shade for you and all your allies to take shelter under it. I do, brethren, at the same time, remove the embers which remained at Albanv, and rekindle the fire of council and LAKE CIIAMn. VIN. 91 friendship at tliis place; and tliis tire I shall make of such wood as will <«;ive the clearest li^ht and greatest warmth, and I hope it will prove comfortable and useful to all such as will come and light their pipes at it, and dazzle and scorch all those who are or mav be enemies to it. I expect, brethren, that you will, on your parts, increase the luster and benefits of this fire by keeping it dressed up and tending it with such diligent zeal as may render it not. only a blessing to yourselves but to your posterity. Brethren, with this string of wampum I make this council room clean and free from every thing oflfensive, and I hope that you will take care that no snake may creep in among us, or any thing which may obstruct our harmony," [Gave a string of wampum.] He also informed them that he had. been appointed superinteiident of Indian affairs, and then advised them to cast away all discord, jealousies and misunderstandings. "Consult together," he said, " with that love and confi- dence which becomes brethren. Let your ge7ie- ral interest be the desire of every man among you. Unity among brethren is the best and surest defense against every enemy. Brothers joined together are like a great bundle of sticks which cannot be broke whilst they are bound 92 LAKE OKUROE AND !' fni togetlier, but wlien separated from each other n chikl may l)reak tlicm." [Hero a bundle of Bticks, bound together, were deliwred by Col. Jolinaon to tlie sachem, Red Head, who, with a very lively a^^tion and in an animated manne**; exemplified the metaphor, and gave the bundle of sticks to a sachem on the front bench. Upon this, a universal shout of applause was given by the Indians.] " So will it be with you. If you keep in union you will bo strong, but if divided, you will easily be destroyed. To fix in your hearts and to render this advice, which I have given you, efiectud, I strengthen it with this belt of wampum." [Gave a belt.] The General t\um informed them he had done for this time, bui*: would give them another speech the day after to-morrow, when affairs of the greatest importance would be opened to them. On the morning of the 23d a council of the sachems was held to consider of the reply, and Hendrick was nominated for their speaker, but he declined the honor in favor of " Red Head," which was at last agreed to. The latter had been much under French influence, but had been won over by Col. Johnson. In the afternoon, the assembly being convened as before, Hendrick, the Mohawk sachem, first rose up and said : ■\i LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 93 " Brother "VVariaghoja^hc [Col. Johnftoira Indian name] : The confederate nations aro now ready to make their rei>ly to your speech to them on last Saturday. Arc you prepared to hear what wc have to say ?" Col. Johnson told them that he was. Ilendriek then said : *' Brotlier sachems and you warriors, my chil- dren : According to the customs of our fore- fathers on these occasions, the sj)eaker was chosen from the Mohawks, Senecas or Oiionda- gas, they being the elder l)rother8 of the confed- eracy. Nor was any preference given to either of the thrc '', as from whichever of them a speaker wkj chosen, there was no fear but every thing would be regularly conducted. You warriors and young men take notice and remember this custom. Brotlier Kaghswugh- tiona the Sachem, of Onondaga, is chosen for our speaker at this meeting." Kaghswughtiona then rose up and said as fol- lows: "Brother Wariaghejaghe : We, the confed- erate nations now assembled, do, by this string of wampum, return you our brotherly thanks for the ceremony of wiping our tears, etc. We do the same to you for every cause of grief you may have had, and we also clear your throat and heart that you may speak to us with an uncon- t i I. i ' P I I' If' f. I I 94 LAKK (JKOKOK AND m •4M '!li lit P i %'. ! ! ■- ! 1 ; 1 ' ; \ ' I i Btniincd tVecdom. "Wo condole with our brotli- reu, the Knj^lisli, for all the l>lood whi(th has been si)illed hy the French and all other eneiniefi." [Gave a string of wampum.] Ked Head thanked him for the relation given of the journey to Virginia, and of what passed at the council there, and then said : " We are also rejoiced to see the tree replanted, and that in so strong a manner. We hope it will be nourished by refreshing streams, that it may grow up as high as the hea^'ens, and be proof against every envious wind ; that its branches may be large enough and numerous enough to afford sufKcient shelter for us and all our brethren to come and consult under it, and that our children's children may bless the hand that planted it. Brother, we have been long in darkness, and we are extremely obliged to the King for now restoring us to that clear and comfortable light, which in old times cheered our fathers, by appointing you to the sole man- agement of our atFairs, whom we look upon as our own flesh and blood. You, last year, made up the fire at Onondaga, of such wood as will iiever burn out. As to the fire at Albany, it was so low and bad that we could not find even a spark to light a pipe at it. But here we have a fire that will never be extinguished. This ^m^:: LAKE CHAMl'LAIN. 05 fire, as well as tlmt at Oiiondaira, we will clie n") i>*h, and all other tires we thus kick away [here the speaker kicked with his toot], as unnatural and hatetnl to us." [Gave a helt, and the Indians gave a shout.] "Brother, we thank you tor renewing our ancient forms. You have records of these things, and we thank you for putting us in mind of them by cleaning this council place, and we assure you we will endeavor to keep it clean and free from - every thing hurtful. We also thank you for advising us to be sincerely and attectionately united together, in so expressive a manner as you did by the bundle of sticks. It hath warmed our hearts, and we are sensible that if divided we shall be like this single stick, easily destroyed, and we are determined to support that strict union which rendered our forefathers formidable and happy." [Gave a belt of wampum.] Col. Johnson here expressed his thanks for their affectionate answer, and having given notice that he desired their attendance the next day, and that two cannon would be fired as a signal, the assembly broke up. The same formalities were observed the fol- lowing day, when Col. Johnson spoke as follows : " Brethren, sachems and warriors of the con- federate nations : AVith this string of wampum (■ : ! i 96 LAKE GEORGE AND h i! f'tl^ I pick your ears, and desire your serious atten- tion. Behold, brethren, tliese great books [four folio volumes of the records of Indian affairs, which lay upon the table]. They are records of the many solemn treaties and transactions which have passed between your forefathers and your brethren, the English, also between many of you here present and us, your brethren, now living. They testify that it is now almost a hundred years since your forefathers and ours became known to each other. That upon our first acquaintance we shook hands, and finding we should be useful to one another, entered into a covenant of brotherly love and mutual friend- ship ; and though at first we were only tied by a rope, yet lest this rope should grow rotten and break, we tied ourselves together by an iron chain; lest time and accident might rust and destroy this chain of iron, we afterward made ' one of silver, the strength and brightness of which would be subject to no decay. The ends of this silver chain are fixed in the immovable mountains, in so firm a manner that the hands of no mortal enemy might be able to move it. By keeping it bright and unbroken we have never spilled in anger one another's blood to this day. From the beginning to this time, we have almost every year strengthened and i and LAKE CUAMPLAIN. 97 brightened this covenant chain in the most public and solemn manner. You know that we became as one body, one blood and one people, the same king our common father ; that your enemies were ours, and whom you took into your alliance and allowed to take into their hands this covenant chain as brethren, they have become so to ns. Brethren, you also know that from the beginning the French were your declared and most cruel enemies." The Colonel then proceeded to detail their endeavors to burn the settlements ; their sup- plying their enemies with ammunition ; their spoiling the hunting grounds by building stock- ades; their pretended peace when war was in their hearts ; their treachery in obtaining leave to found trading houses, w^hen they immediately built forts; until finally, when six years ago they sent a body of armed men to cut oif the brethren at the Ohio, which they would in all probability have succeeded in, had not Johnson prevented it by giving the Indians timely notice of their danger. "And now, my brethren," he continuec" " I ask you, and I desire every man present to ask himself; the question, Who have been — who are the friends and brethren of the five confederate nations and their allies? the English or the 9 u P., Lit ' t .1 . / 1 1 «. ^■ >r * i 'rrm ' 1 o ! !- ; b ) ■' '|S 5 '-' i, 1 1 1 ',1.' 98 LAKE GEORGE AND French ? Whatever the reports the French may artfully spread among you, to alarm or excite jealousies in you against the English, believe me they are false and raised only to ruin and enslave you and establish their own power. I call tliat Almighty Spirit above to witness, who made us all and knows our hearts, which created the sun which shines upon us, and in whose hands are the thunder and the lightning, that we, your brethren, have no ill designs whatever against you. If you will continue to be dutiful and faithful children to the King, and enter into no engagements with the French against your brethren the English — if you will do this with sincerity, I am ready with this belt to renew and make more strong and bright than ever the covenant chain of love and friendsliip, that our friends or enemies shall be yours, and that your friends or enemies shall be ours." [Here the union belt was gi ven.] '^Stand hy your hrethren^ the English. They have, indeed, been long asleep, but now they are thoroughly awake. They are slow to spill blood, but when they begin they are like an angry wolf, and the French will fly before them like deer. Now is your time to choose. I am ordered to go myself, with great guns and other implements of war, to drive the French from their encroach- LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 99 meiits on your hunting grounds in this province. If you will be dutiful to the King, if you will be faithful to your brethren, if you will treat me as your brother, go with me. My war ket- tle IS ON THE FIRE ; MY CANOE IS READY TO PUT INTO THE WATER ; MY GUN IS LOADED ; MY SWORD IS BY MY SIDE, AND MY AX IS SHARPENED. By this large belt, therefore, I call you to rise up like honest and brave men, and join your brethren against our common enemy ; and by it I confirm the assurances I have given you." [Here he gave a war belt to Abraham, a brother of Ilendrick, a sachem of the upper Mohawk castle.] The next day Johnson gave them the speech sent to them by Gen. Braddock. On the 29th of June the sachems were pre- pared with their reply, which was delivered by Red Head, stating that they accepted his terms, and that a certain number of the braves would go from each castle ; but as they left their families unprepared for this event, they were desirous their young men should first go home and settle their affairs properly. Johnson replied, stating his satisfaction at this determination. In the evening the war kettle was put on, and the war dance was performed. Col. Johnson began it, and the ^1 'II- hi 'i i 100 LAKE GEORGE AND Bj)eakers, sachems and warriors joined in the solemn ceremony. A number of days more were consumed at this celebrated conference. On the first of July, the presents being set out in the middle of the yard, Gen. Johnson again addressed the Indians to the effect, that as they had engaged themselves to assist their brethren in the undertakings now on foot against their enemies, the French, he hoped they would fulfill their engagements like honest men ; that some of their young men should go down and join Gen. Braddock; that Gov. Shirley was going with an army to Oswego and Niagara, and he desired they should give him their presence and assistance in his undertakings ; that he would shortly march with the forces under his command to Crown Point, and he desired they would have some warriors from each nation to attend to his directions. The reply was again given by Red Head, who seemed to have been the chief orator for this occasion, in which he promised that they would persist in their engagements; that the Plalf King had already Joined Gen. Braddock with several of their people ; that where John- son went they were ready to follow, and there would be people to join and aid Gov. Shirley. L UNIVERSITY OF ViaORIA LIBRARY Victoria, B. C. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 101 ,»i^ He then took in his hands a harge belt of wam- pum, witli a smaller one tied to it, and said: " Brother : As every thing has gone in a friendly way between us at this meeting, and we are now united together in the most intimate manner, let us not have the devil to join with us, and that is the rum. We desire you will stop up the bung, and let none come to be sold to our people. Let us be content with the drink which God gives us from the heavens. Rum is not necessary for our lives, but, on the contrary, is the occasion of our losing them. We have never any difference but through this cursed liquor. " Brother, we must correct you a little. You desire us to unite and to live together, and to draw all our allies near us ; but we shall have no land, left, either for ourselves or for them. When your people buy a small piece of land from us, by stealing they make it large. Some- times it is bought of two men who are not the proper owners of it." * * * Conochquieaie, the Oneida sachem, then rose up and said : " Brother, you promised us that you would keep this fire-place clean from all filth, and that no snake should come into this council room. That man sitting there (pointing to Col. Lydius) 9* ' I II' I i 1 , I 4 ] i^ i|r'i i %• h\. Si, r I I. • ^, I; ^: I I ;1 102 LAKE GEORGE , !• . i is a devil and has stolen onr lands. He takes Indians slyly by the blanket, one at a time, and when they are drunk, pnts some money into their bosoms, and persuades them to sign deeds for our lands upon the Susquehanna which we will not ratify, nor suffer the lands to be settled." In his rejoiner Gen. Johnson said : " That if the coming of Lydius was any offense to the Indians, he was sorry for it. Lydius came to Mount Johnson of his own accord, and without any invitation from him. If Col. Lydius has done as you represent, which I am afraid is in a great measure true, I think he is very faulty — and nobody should attempt to settle lands on such unfair purchases." The General having further wished them a safe return to their homes, the Conference — the most celebrated in Indian history — broke up, having been in session fourteen days. >'. ' f SIB WTLIilAM JOHNSON. > '« i ft. 1^ mn ^ I I :m HI i '%' ;i ] ', li. .' Till li' Li P( Jui me J Lyi De .5 Lie Fit J Lie Wl Lie Nic CHAPTER VI. !■, The expedition to ,ie georoe — composition of the regi- ments— fout HARDV — FORT MILLER — COUNCIL OF WAR — PORT LYMAN — ARRIVAL AT LAKE PT. SACRAMENT — NAME CHANGED TO LAKE GEORGE — DEISKAU — BATTLE OP LAKE GEORGE — BLOODY POND — T:IE CAPTURE OP CROWN POINT POSTPONED. 'LB ANY was selected as the plnce of rendezvous for the troops destined for the Crown Point expedition, who ^^^ began to assemble about the last of June. It was composed of the following regi- ments : I^i7'st Connecticut — Major-General Phineas Lyman, Lieut.-Col. John Pitkin, Major Robert Denniston. Second ConnectictU — Col. Eloaznr Goodrich, Lieut.-Col. Nathan Whiting, JMajor Eleazur Fitch. First Massachusetts — Col. Timothy Euggles, Lieut.-Col. Thos. Gilbert, Major Jonathan White. Second Massachusetts — Col. Moses Titcomb, Lieut.-Col. Jonathan Bagley, Major Ebin Nichols. I 1 I. fii- ^, . 1 m \ i ;i i' : ■ 'f ii ■Il t .1 it I 104: LAKE GEORGE AND 1 t - Third Massachusetts — Col. Epliriani Wil- liams, Lieut.-Col. Setli Ponieroy, Major Noah Ashley. First Rhode Island — Col. Wm. Cockroft, Lieut.-Col. Edward Cole, Major Robert House. To these were added, on their arrival at Fort Edward, Col. Joshua Blanchard's regiment of New Hampshire. In addition to the above regiments were the following companies : Capt. Phil John Schuyler, Albany, 87 men. Capt. Edmond Mathews, Albany, 97 men. Capt. Isaac Corser, Westchester, 95 men. Capt. Peter Vandenburgh, Dutchess, 78 men. Capt. Wm. McGinness, Schenectady, 89 men. Capt. Samuel Dimock, Seabrook, Ct., 97 men. Capt. John Slap, Durham, Ct., 97 men. Capt. Street Hall, Wallingford, Ct., 97 men. These companies were organized into the New York regiment, which was placed under the command of Major Fitch, of Connecticut. About the first of August Gen. Lyman moved up the river with the advance, building store- houses and opening the road. At Saraghtoga he constructed a block-house, to which he gave the name of Fort Hardy, in honor of the New Gov- ernor of New York. This fort was located on the north side of Fish creek, on the west side el V, LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 105 of tlie river. It was protected on two sides, hy the creek and river, and on the remaining sides hy a deep ditcli, wliich was crossed hy a draw- hridge. Store-houses were also erected at the second carrying place, to which the name of Fort Miller was given. They were on the west side of the stream, and were huilt npon the flat at the head of the falls. This flat is protected on three sides, by the river, wliich curves around it in a horseshoe form, and one-third of the remaining side by a narrow bay. To com})lete these natural defenses a parapet of timber and earth, with a fence in front of it, was extended across the neck of land from the head of the bay to the river bank. The road was continued up the west side of the river to the great carrying place and there on the site of Fort Nicholson, and subsequently of the fortified house of Lydius,* a large and * John Henry Lydius was a man of extensive acquire- ments and prominence. He was a son of John Lydius, the second Dutch Reformed minister of Albany, who succeeded Godfrey Dellius in his ministrations of the Holland church, and from whom Lydius street (now Madison avenue) was named. He died March 1, 1709. Jolin Henry, the merchant and Indian trader, was horn 1693. From 1725 to 1730 he resided at Montreal, and mar- ried Genevieve Masse, a half bre jd. While hero he carried on a trade and clandestine correspondence with Boston. i 1 < i!'! 3 1. I ■ 1 I l!" t n n i •If. V a ': Mi 106 LAKK OEOUGE AND expensive fort was laid out, whidi was called Fort Lyman. It was built iindor the direction of Capt. Eyre, who kept three hundred men constantly at work upon them until the army marched to Lake St. Sacrament. It was fifteen hundred and sixty feet in circumference and of an irregular quadrangular form. Two of its sides were protected by Fort Edward Creek and the river. Its rami)arts were sixteen feet high and twenty -two feet thick, which were guarded It is not true as has been stated, that ho abjured his relijjion. On the contrary, he wan tried for heresy and tnni- perinj? with the Indians. It was shown that he received the Indians at his house, painted them, teliing them that thus they should go to war. Ho also represented that the Catholic mysteries which the missionaries were announcing to them, were pure imiwsitions, which they ought not to believe. He had objected to have his child baptized, anc. secretly had exhorted an Englishman, at the point of death, to persist in his heretical opinions, had assisted at his inter- ment, and peribrmed the ceremonies according to the man- ner of English ministers. In consequence of this h(^ was tried by a court-martial, and was condemned to pay a fine of three thousand livres and be banished the colony forever. In 1744, on the 20th of February, Beaubassin visited Lydius at his fortified house, at the great carrying place (Fort Edv^ard), and slept there. Lydius then stated to him that in the spring two Englishmen intended to build a grist and a saw mill at the Little Fall (Whitehall), for the pur- pose of locating a company of Scotchmen (Capt. Laughlin's emigrants). c5*^V^,-^^ '■<*»^: OUTLET OF FORT EDWARD CREEK. } t r t( h tl bi ca 8a Sh fee H€ tin ha a E Sti as pr( hi^ hal He BOS tra loti Bin >l ;-i- i! I LAKE CilAMPLAIN. 107 by six cannon. Lient.-Colonel Bagley built a bridge across the creek, whicli was known as Bagley's bridge. The fort contained magazine, barracks, store-honse and hospital, in addition to which large store-houses and barracks were reared on the island opposite, in the river. It took several years to complete the fort, which, when finished, was named Fort Edward, in honor of the Duke of York, brother of George the Third. Mk in I In November, 1745, Lydius' house was plundere(' and burned by the Indians, under M. Marin, on their way to the capture of Saraghtoga. His son was taken prisoner. The Bame winter Lydius went to Boston to represent to Gov. Shirley the necessity of taking Fort St. Frederick. In 1750 he was a citizen of Albany, and engaged in per- fecting the exchange of prisoners between the two nations. He excited the jealousy of Sir Wm. Johnson, who at one time considered him a dar ^erous man, and charged that he had sent a packet of letters to Canada, with an account of a skirmish which the Indians had had with the Albanians. Still he was recommended by Johnson, on his resignation as superintendent of Indian affairs, in 1757, as the most proper person to be appointed in his place. Lydius stood high in the confidence of Gov. Shirley, who was in the habit of intrusting to him his negotiations with the Indians. He effected the purchase whereby Connecticut became pos- sessed of the valley of the Wyoming. He owned extensive tracts in, and settled the town of Durham, county of Char- lotte. He removed to Lngland. 1776, and died near Ken- sington, 1791, aged ninety-eight years. 1 i il !! 1 V ")-.,: r !"i ! m l± I ft; 108 LAKE GEORGE AND n h *! I I : i II I' ^il! i \i \ i i 110 LAKE GEORGE AND - n, ,! i! by a thickly wooded swamp, "where," he writes, " no house was ever before built, nor a rod of land cleared ; and the lake which the French call St. Sacraraent* I have given the name of Lake GEOEGEjt not only in honor of His Majesty, but to assert his undoubted dominion here." The plan of the General was, after building the fort, to cause the bateaux, about six hun- dred in number, to be brought up from Fort Lyman, and proceeding to Ticonderoga, there await re-enforcements, and then proceed to the attack on Crown Point. Sept. 3d. Gen. Lyman arrived, bringing up with him the rest of the troops and the heavy artillery. He left Col. Blanchard in com- mand of the fort, with the New Hampshire Eangers and five companies of the New York regiment. * Literally " Lake of the Blessed Sacrament," which name it obtained in 1646, from Father Joques, the Jesuit, who, on his way to the Iroquois country, passed through it on the festival of Corpus Christi. f The andent Iroquois name of Lake George is Andia-ti- roc-te — "There the lake shuts itself." lis arriverant, la Veille du S. Sacrament au bout* du lac qui est joint au grand lac de Champlain. Les Iroquois le nomment Andia- TiROCTE comme que disact la on le lac se feme. La Pere le nomma le lac du S. Sacrament. * 5oM<— The extremity as opposed to the other end. w LAKE CHAMPLAIN. Ill In the montli of March, 1755, a commission was issued by Louis XI to the Baron de Dies- kau,* appointing him to the command of the French troops in Canada, and giving him six battalions of 3,000 regulars, in addition to the troops already there. M. de Yaudreuil, a Cana- dian by birth, and lately Governor of Louisi- ana, was appointed Governor of Canada, to succeed Duquesne, and accompanied Dieskau. May 3d. They embarked at Brest in a fleet of fourteen ships and two frigates, and reached Quebec on the 26th of June, with the loss of two vessels, which were captured by the English cruisers off Newfoundland. On the 16th of August Dieskau moved up to Fort St. Frederick. Ilis army for this purpose consisted of the regiments of La Heine and Languedock, amounting to 720 regulars, 1,500 Canadians and 760 Indians, in all 3,000 men. Sept. 3d. The Baron moved down to Carillon (Ticonderoga), for the purpose of building a fort and occupying that important pass. On infor- mation received here from a prisoner, it was resolved " to turn the defensive into the offen- sive," and attack and overwhelm the camp at Fort Lyman. * A lieutenant-colonel of cavalry under tlie celebrated Marshal Saxe. ■ 1 ]| 'H h '!■►• 1 1 i If i ■ji -' 1 -il 'S ^! 1 ! i ! i ! i - i 1 i 1 1 1 l 1, \ i : I' ' k If! \[ ■ ij D' 1 1 i i 112 LAKE GEORGE AND In consequence of this, there were ordered out a detachment of 218 regulars, 600 Cana- dians and all the Indians, making a force of 1,500 men. By advice of the Indians, they resolved to go up Lake Champlain rather than by Lake St. Sacrament. The first night they encamped at the Two Rocks, and September 5th moved to the head of South Bay. 6th. They left the bateaux under a guard of one hundred and twenty men, and marched three leagues toward Fort Lyman, the detach- ment carrying eight days' provisions on their backs. 7th. Marched six leagues through the woods, and encamped within a league of the fort, intending to attack and carry the place the next morning, by a " couj? de main.^^ Thereupon the commander called together the Indian chiefs, to explain to them his plan, and to assign to them their positions. After a delay of an hour or two, the chiefs returned to the Marshal, and stated that the Iroquois of the Sanity to the number of 300, had refused to join in the attack, and as they were the oldest, the rest of the Indians would be obliged to follow their example. They had resolved " not to act against the English on their own territory^ hut if the General would lead them against the i I LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 113 English camp at St. Sacrament, which was undoiihtedbj on French soil^^ they would follow him there.* In consequence of this determination, the General changed his plans, and the next morn- ing at day-break moved toward Lake St. Sacra- ment, on the road which Johnson had built. The troops marched in three columns, the Cana- dians on the right, Indians on the left, and the regulars in the center. After a march of some hours a prisoner was brought in, who stated that Gen. Johnson had been informed of the march against Fort Lyman, and had detached 1,000 men from, his camp to re-enforce that place. Upon this information, Dieskau ordered the Indians and Canadians to move about three hundred paces in front, there to lie flat on the ground, so as not to be discovered, and not to make the slightest noise or discharge a gun until the French column had first fired, then to rise suddenly so as to take the English on both flanks. The center column having come to a * Rev. Courtlandt Van Rensselaer, in his historical dis- course on the battle of Lake George, states that the reason why the Indians refused to go on with the attack, was on account of their dread of cannon. But the above is from the oflBcial return. 10* M '•■■ t . I ,U^ , ) ( 1 ■::• I f i ■ ■; ! : ■ ! 1 1 114 LAKE GEORGE AND halt, the plan of attack took the form of a cid de sac / and, had the orders been obeyed, there is not a donbt but the whole of the English detachment would have been captured. Unfor- tunately, some of the Iroquois, more curious than the others, rose up, and, perceiving that the English were accompanied by a party of Mohawks, notified the rest, whereupon the Iro- quois fired their guns in the air, as a warning that there was an ambuscade. Turning to the movements of the provincials, we find that Sunday evening, September 7th, the English scouts discovered the roads which the French had made about South Bay, and gave in- formation of their movements. One Adams, a wagoner, volunteered to ride express with John- son's orders to ^ol. Blanchard, directing him to withdraw all his troops into the walls. The wag- oner was captured by the French Indians, and his dispatches carried to their commander. m LAKE CITAMPLAIN. 115 , On the morning of the 8th a council of war was called, in consequence of which one thou- sand men* were detached, under the command of Col. Williams and Lieut.-Col "Whiting, witli two hundred Indians, led by Ilendrick and Capts. Farrell, Stoddard and McKinnis. They marched between eight and nine o'clock. Meanwhile Johnson ordered a rude breast- work to be constructed of felled trees and the wagons and bateaux. lie also hauled .the can- non around from the lake, and placed them in position pointed toward the river road.f The command of Col. Williams marched in two divis- ions, the first led by himself, the second under Lieut.-Col. Whiting. They proceeded to Rocky Brook, about two miles, where Williams halted until the other division came up, when the * It was at this council, first proposed to send five hun- dred men. Hendrick, when he was asked his opinion in re- gard to the number to be sent out, is said to have presented an arrow to Gen. Johnson, which he desired him to break which was of course easily done. Then he offered a bundle of arrows, with a similar request, which the general was unable to do. " If," says Hendrick " you propose to have them slaughtered they are too many, if to succeed, they are too few. f This and the action which followed was on the site of Fort George, and between that and the site of Fort Wm. Henry. If 1 i '()- m li 116 LAKE GEORGE AND l^i^ 1 1^ y entire column moved on, preceded by the Indi- ans, led by Ilendrick, who was riding on one of Gen. Johnson's horses. Unsuspicious of the proximity of the enemy, they press forward and enter the fatal defile, the Canadians and Indians being concealed on either side by thickets, trees and rocks. Suddenly they were stopped by the discharge of musketry and the terrific war- whoop. The fire was immediately returned, and Williams ordered his men to spread out upon the hill on their right. Here, however, they were met by the French Indians, who all, except the Iroquois, poured a volley into them. Col. Williams was, early in the action, shot through the head.* Hendrick had his horse shot under him. Being unwieldy, he was not able to disengage himself, and was stabbed with a bayonet. * Col. Epliraim Williams was a prominent actor in the scenes we commemorate. In the former war of 1744, he commanded the line of forts on the western side of the Con- necticut river, and resided principally at Fori M"- dsachusetts, which was about three miles east of what is now Williams- town. In passing through Albany, on his way to the seat of war, he made his will on the 22d of July. After giving certain legacies to his relatives, he bequeathed the remainder of his property to the founding of a free school on the western frontiers of Massachusetts, at a place which received the name of Williamstown in honor of the donor. In 1790 the le to :)8 Q- d IV ^ as :)f le ot h- riorjx-i;ff -t::.'L^'-:y rrsy^te^*- 'I 5^3;!ra5!a»sra«BaBsiEnw* I ' t'lifs T l\.\'UMit:.\n:s r / ////• I'ooil .' f-'i'fui h iV- /tntnin.v. .1 tiriiilni h nil IhiM-hiirh i I'innniiiils I ./ Mnll4IH'l\ ,s J ,». V J» • I i,r Si FI„J»'a. , i*' tviiJ Sr "^A ■ JTS> "^"^ ,&■ > ^t V.-- ■ 'tiny-"- ATltai of' Xymaiu «/'if culled Fort Edward M tTS « leg pn fro nax LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 117 Dieskau having ordered a general attack, tiie English were doubled up like a pack of cards, and hastily retreated. As the firing approached nearer the camp, Johnson beat to arms, and detached Lieut.-Col. Cole, with 300 men, to cover the retreat. About ten o'clock the troops came in in bodies. The breastwork was manned by the whole army, and a field-piece advan- tageously posted on the left flank on the rocky eminence. The following is Gen. Johnson's own description of the battle : ^'About half after eleven the enemy appeared in sight, and marched along the road in very regular order, directly upon our center. They made a small halt about 150 yards from our breastwork, when the regular troops (whom we judged to be such by their bright and fixed bayonets) made the f!jrand and center attack. sum had accumulated to nearly $20,000, $6,000 of whicli was used, with a similar amount from other sources, in erecting a large building for the academy. In 1793 the academy was chartered by the State as a college, and was called Williams' College. It was a great thought in the mind of Williams to establish an institution of learning. His fame rests upon a more enduring rock than the reconnoitering 8+ , le of a military officer, and his monument ib seen, not merely by glances in a mountain ravine, but on the high- way of nations, and in the heathen as well as the civilized world. Van Pensselaer. iiJ * '■ I m 118 LAKE GEORGE AND The Canadians and Indians squatted and dis- persed upon our flanks. The enemy's iire we received first from the regulars, in platoons, but it did no great execution, being at too great a distance, and our men defended by the breast- work. Our artillery then began to play upon them, and was served under the direction of Capt. Eyre during the whole engagement, in a manner very creditc-ble to him and those con- cerned in its management. The engagement now became general. The regulars kept their ground and order for some time with great reso- lution, but the warm and constant fire from our artillery and troops put them into disorder. Their fire became more scattered and unequal, and on our left became very faint. They moved then to the right of our encampment, and attacked Col. Ruggles'. Col. Williams' and Col. Titcomb's regiments, where they maintained a warm fire for near an hour. The three regi- ments on the right supported the attack very resolutely, and kept up a strong and constant fire upon the enemy. About four o'clock our men and Indians jumped over the breastwork, pursued the enemy, slaughtered numbers, and took several prisoners, among whom was Gen. Dieskau, who was brought to my tent about six o'clock, just as I was having a wound dressed. m H^% LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 119 The engagement and pursuit ended about seven o'clock." The capture of Baron Dieskau is thus described by himself : " In moving toward the left so as to make signs to the Indians to advance, I approached unconsciously so close to the intrenchment that I received, in a moment, three balls in my legs, and one across mv right knee, which precipitated me near a tree, beliind which I crawled with the assistance of Chevalier de Montreuill, who had followed me. As this gentleman was the next to me in rank, and was unwilling to leave me, I ordered him, in the King's name, to go and assume the command, and, should he see its necessity, to make the best retreat he could, but to send me some men to remove me. Shortly afterward came two Canadians from him, one of whom was killed outright and fell on my legs, to my great embarrassment ; and as the other could not remove me by himself, I told him to bring me some more men ; but soon after I heard the retreat beaten, without see- ing any thing, being seated on ground somewhat low, with my back leaning against a tree. Having remained in that situation about half an hour, I saw one of the enemy's sol- diers within ten or twelve paces of me, taking aim nt me, behind a tree. I made signs to him with my hand not to fire, but he did not fail to do so. The shot traversed both my hips. Leaping on me at the same time, he said (in very good French), ' Surrender !' T said to him, ' You rascal, why did you fire at me? You see a man lying on the ground bathed in his blood, and you fire, eh V He answered, ' How did I know but you had a pistol ? I prefer to kill the devil than that the devil kill me.' ' You are a French- man, then ?' I asked. ' Yes,' he replied, ' 'tis more than ten years since I left Canada.* Whereupon divers others fell on rc.e, and stripped me. I told them to carry me to !► !*■ If. s II it \r'§ ii ITl f .'IT ):! iff ' Ili> ^u *,fc N 'J 1 iiil I 120 LAKE GEORGE AND their general, which they did. On learning who I was, he had me laid on his bed, and sent for surgeons to dress my wounds, and, though wounded himself, he refused all attend- ance until mine were dressed. " Several Indians entered his tent soon after, who regarded me with a furious look, and spoke to him a long time, and with much vehemence. When they had departed, I observed, ' Those fellows have been regarding me with a look not indicative of much compassion.' 'Any thing else but that,' he answered, ' for they wished to oblige me to deliver you into their hands, in order to burn you, in revenge for the death of their comrades and of the three chiefs who have been slain in the battle, and threaten to abandon me if I do not give you up. Feel no uneasiness ; you are safe with me.' " The same Indians returned, some time after, to the tent. The conversation appeared to me animated at first, and became more moderate at the close, when, smiling, they took my hand in token of friendship, and retired. Gen. Johnson afterward told me that he had made my peace with them, and that they had abandoned all their pretensions. I observed, that as he was wounded himself, I was afraid I incommoded him, and requested him to have me removed elsewhere. * I dare not,' he answered, ' for were I to do so, the Indians would massacre you. They must have time to sleep.' To- ward eleven o'clock at night, I was removed, under an escort of a captain and fifty men, to the tent of a colonel, where I passed the night. The guard had orders not to Buffer any Indians to approach ^me Nevertheless, one of them came next morning near the ^ent, and the sentinel, seeing that he was not armed, allowed him to enter, but the moment he was in, he drew a naked sword from under a sort of cloak he wore, and approached to stab me, where- upon the colonel, in whose tent I ..as, threw himself bet^veen us, disarmed the Indian, and put lam out. LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 121 "I remained nine days in the English camp, and Gen. Johnson, having caused a litter to be made, had me removed to his house at Orange,* and at the end of four weeks to New York, where I fell into the hands of very bad surgeons. " This is all I can tell you about my unfortunate expedi- tion, which has been unlucky, not for me alone, the English having lost a much greater number of men than I, without gaining an inch of territory." Shortly after the commencement of the action Gen. Johnson received a painful wound, which obliged him to retire to his tent, when the com- mand devolved on Gen. Lyman, who behaved with distinguished bravery. The misfortunes of the French were not over. Col. Blanchard, at Fort Lyman, having heard the firing, dispatched a party of two hundred and fifty men of the New Hampshire and New York regiments, under Capt. Maginness of Schenectady, with orders to proceed to the as- sistance of the General. Having arrived to where the action took place in the morning, they discovered the enemy's baggage lying in the read, and at some distance, on the top of a hill, five or six men keeping a lookout. They got between the baggage and the men, and, advancing up the road, discovered a party of ' I '^ * Albany. 11 ''■'';,! i; El < I'i '; P M I ■Mi;- V W- : .v#> 122 LAKE GEORGE AND Canadians ai^d Indians to tlie number of three hundred, sitting by Rocky Brook and the marshy pond refreshing themselves from tlieir packs. They attacked and defeated them, killed num- bers and put the rest to flight. The number that fell at this engagement was so great that the brook issuing from the water was the next morning observed to be discolored with blood. Hence the name of Bloody Pond was given to the pool. Thus closed the battle of Lake George, com- prising three engagements in one day. The French loss was about four hundred men. It included La Gardeur de St. Pierre, the same who had defeated "Wasliington the previous year on the Ohio. That of the provincials was two hundred and sixty-two, besides officers, and thirtj^-eight allied Indians. Among the losses, in addition to Col. Williams and the great Hen- drick, was Col. Titcomb, Major Ashley, Capts. Keys, Porter, Ingersoll and twelve other officers. The brave Capt. Maginness died two days after, of his wounds, in camp. The result of this action, being in glorious contrast to the disasters elsewhere, caused great rejoicing among the English. It was the event of the campaign of 1755. " Solitary in the honor of its military triumph^ and shining fi U- i1, BliOODY POND. f I I 1 LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 123 out bright as Mars from the clouds of night."* The House of Lords made an elegant address. Parliament voted a gratuity of five thousand pounds to Gen. Johnson, who was also made a baronet. The Governor appointed Thursday, the second day of October, as a day of thanksgiving for the defeat of the enemy. Two days after, the General received a depu- tation from the Six Nations, who informed him that pursuant to their custom after an engage- ment, they now intended to return to their homes, as their loss was very considerable, both in numbers and in the personal consequence of the slain.f * Rev. C. Van Rensselaer. \ Rev. Mr. Hartwick, missionary to the Mohawks, writing to them under date of Jan. 15, 1756, in regard to the death of the great Hendrick, says : " Let it be to your comfort that he died in a good cause as a faithful ally and a brave cap- tain, and sleepeth on the bed of honor, where his name will be a good savior as long as a free Englishman and a faithful Mohawk remains ; and as he hath been your brother, your father and your captain, it is your duty to be a guard to the bed whereon he sleepeth, that no perfidious Frenchman may disturb the rest of his bones and ashes ; and if the French and their slaves will not rest satisfied with the little revenge you have taken from them, and desist from their encroach- ments and cruel ravages, and restore what they have unjustly taken, then stand up for your and your brethren's rights, and revenge the dear blood so unjustly spilled." I 'I II 1^ !' u i;| li ' i|i| '' .! .'; 124 LAKE GEORGE AND On the 16th of September Gen. Johnson writes to Gov. Hardy that the expedition " was likely to be distressed for the want of wagons. Most of the wagoners taken into the service have deserted, the horses are quite jaded, and some few killed by the enemy, ^/liile several have ran away. Most of the provisions are at Albany, a great part of the ammunition at the lower camp (Fort Lyman), and all the boats, except about 120. We have only sixty wagons, and had not two days' allowance of bread when they arrived. To bring up a sufficiency of pro- visions will require 500 wagons at least." Meanwhile the breastwork was strengthened, and carried quite around the camp, the ground cleared, and a picketed fort built, which Col. Williams had in charge till the visit of the enemy put an end to his life. Flat bottom boats were also built for the transport of the artillery and stores. Johnson has been blamed for " not moving directly upon the enemy's works ;" but the rea- sons why he did not proceed must be obvious to every military (or unmilitary) mind. 1. The French outnumbered him at St. Frederick, 2. They occupied and were fortifying the pass at Carillon. 3. He had neither provisions, ammu- nition or transportation. & LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 125 By the time the re-cnforccments and supplies liad come up, tlie cuuncil of war, consideriug the advanced period of the year, decided that it was not advisable to proceed further this season. Sept. 10th. The General ordered up Col. Blanchard, with his regiment, from Fort Lyman,* in wliich were Capt. Robert Kogers, John Stark and others of revolutionary fame. After the fort was constructed, which was named "William IIenry,f the troops, except six hundred who remained in garrison at the two places, were withdrawn to Albany and dis- banded. . *Dr. Fitch states, on the authority of Timothy Eddy, that Catharine, daughter of John Henry Lydius (referred to at page 109, ante), was born at Fort Edward, about 1744, and was the first child born of civilized parents in Washington county. She married Henry Cuyler, and died about 1818, at Greenbush. f it was named in honor of the Duke of Cumberland, brother to George III. Mi IV i HH U H; 126 LAKE OEOBQE \% References to Samuel Blodgett's map of the Second Engagement. 6. Canadians and Indians, 7. French regulars attacking the center, 8. The road. 9. Provincials in action posted in front. 10. The trees felled for the breastworks. 11. Cannon. 12. A cannon posted " advantageously " on the eminence. 13. Place where Dieskau fell. 14. 15. Canadians' attack. 16. The man that shot Dieskau. 17. Reserves. 18. Woods and swamp. 19. Morass. 20. Cannon defending the flank. 21. Baggage wagons. 22. 23, 24. Stores and ammunition. 25. Mortars. 26. Road to the lake. 27. 28, 29. Store-houses. 80. Mohawks. 31. Gen. Johnson's tent. 32. Lyman's regiment. 33. Col. Harris' company. 34. Col. Cockroft. 85. Col. Williams. 36. Col. Ruggles. 37. Col. Titcomb. 38. Col. Guttridge. 39. Officers. The map, besides being very unique, possesses great his- torical value. Blodgett appears to have been a sutler for the rangers. His name occurs three years after. e I — )o- KK 'A !l 1: 1 m ! 1. •'■IP m\ h e- d a d IS Pii'i fl I,' it ! • . •tmTO i V ii. ! s»(uk ■. L. ;; fl'! Nil Hi ii! 11 ! 126 ^1, Refer* Secoind 6. Cani 7. Frei 8. The 9. Pro\ 10. The 11. Cam 12. A ca: 13. Plaa 14. 15. C 16. Thei 17. Resei 18. Woo< 19. Moral 20. Canm 21. Baggi 22, 23, 24 25. Morta 26. Road 27, 28, 29 30. Moha^ 31. Gen. J 32. liymai 33. Col. Hi 34, Col. Cc 35. Col. "W 36. Col. Ri 37. CoLTl 38. Col. Gt 39. Officere The map, I torical value. the rangers. ^ V \ CHAPTER VII. WiNSLOW'S EXPEDITION — BUILT A FORT AT 8TILLWATEH — JOURNAL OF THE NRW HAHPSHIKE SCOUTS — ROGERS ~ PUTNAM — 8 YMS — DOOLITTLE— ROGERS' SKIRMISH WITH THE FRENCH PICKET — HENDRICK AND NICHLA8 — CAPT. ANGELL — CAPT. CONNER — TUODAY — THOMPSON — PUTNAM AND SCHUYLER — FALE8 — ROG- ERS' WINTER EXCURSION — HIS NAVAL ENGAGEMENT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN — DE LA COLUMBIERE — TICONDEROGA, PORT BUILT — ROGERS' AND STARK's WINTER EXPEDITION TO CROWN POINT — FRENCH WINTER EXPEDITION AGAINST WM. HENRT —CAPTURE OF A TRAIN AT HALFWAY BROOK — PURSUIT BY ROGERS. 1756. 'N the summer of 1756, six thousand troops were collected under Col. Seth Winslow, who commanded the expe- dition which the previous year had reduced Acadia.* At Stillwater he built a stockade known as Fort Winslow, which served as a depot for supplies.f He advanced with his ■ *Bep. isley Glazier was made the adjutant-general of the forces, and Col. E'eazur Fitch the third in command. f The fort was on the elevated ground at the north end of the villagro, about where the Presbyterian church now stands, and on the flat below this, a few rods froin the river, were the store-houses, two long buildings, which were kept in good repair and continued to be used for the public l . • nee through the revolutionary war. Dickinson. Ml ill. ! ■;'i^ ':r; <^ 128 LAKE GEORGE AND army as far as Fort Edward and Lake George, but his orders did not permit him to go further, and the tide of war swept over other portions of the continent. The two nations having now each a fort upon either extremity of Lake George, and but thirty miles apart, the same became a scene of petty warfare, that has clothed every pass, island, river and bay with some tradition of hair-breadth escape, heroic endurance or startling incident. 1. From the journals of the New Hampshire scouts we learn that as early as September 24, 1755, Capt. Robert Rogers commenced his fa- mous partisan career, by setting forward with two men to reconnoiter Fort St. Frederick, the new works at Carillon, and the army there. He returned on the 25th. 2. September 27, p. m. He set forward again in a birch canoe, with five men, to reconnoiter the encampment at *' Tirondarogue ; " past sundry In- dian fires (their spies) by the side of the lake ; put ashore seven miles from the carrying place and went forward on foot ; about ten a. m. they came in view of an encampment, on the lake, of about one thousand men ; " we crawled through their guards to within about thirty or forty rods of the encampment ; there was no fort or artil- lery there; we retired and went about a mile ]\ \ if 11^ > k:r. t If' M- i ISBAEIi PUTNAM. I 1 LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 129 and a half further and discovered their grand encampment; crept tlirough their guards to within about sixtv rods ; found a fort building there and cannon mounted ; by the appearance of the tents we judged there might be three thousand troops ; ihe situation commands the passage at the carrying place and also up and down Lake Champlain ; on our return waylaid a canoe with one Frenchman and nine Indians ; disabled six and chased the remaining four." 3. October 7th. Went out with a party of fifty men, including Capt. Israel Putnam ; saw twenty-three of the enemy and made a decoy for them, of one canoe, but they would not fol- low it ; returned on the 11th. 4. Oct. 13th. Capt. Syms went out with fifty men, about three miles on the west side of the lake. Toward evening he posted a sentry, who was shot and scalped, and a hatchet left in his head. The enemy were probably four or five Indians. Capt. Syms ordered all to arms, and proceeded to the place, when, to his astonish- ment, he had but fifteen men with him. On looking back, they cried, " For God's sake call us together, or we shall be cut ofi*," upon which " I ordered tliem to spread out in the form of a half moon in order to discover the enemy. I was deserted by all but five or six men except 1 i 1' ? ■ '•' I tJ' r : A 130 LAKE GEORGE AND the lieutenant. On my return to camp wo found tlie men in great distress, tying up their packs, upon which I doubled the guard, and ordered all to stand their ground, upon their peril. I could prevail upon but thirteen men to proceed further, and therefore judged best to return. I now stand ready upon ?11 orders to pursue your coinmands to r. tittle on my part, provided I can have such materials as are fit for the purpose; and whenever I fail, let me be stigmatized."* 5. Lieut. Jelled Fonda, with a sergeant and twelve men, ha^ ing orders to go forward on the scout, came upon a party commanded by Lieut. Yan Schaick, and on asking the reason why he returned so soon, or why they had not pro- ceeded, stated that one of their men was sick and unfit to proceed. He then came up with the party above, commanded by Capt. Syms. He gave them orders to march forward, which they all, excepting two, refused to do. He then directed hk own party to take their blankets and provisions and go forward, which they refused to give up excepf-, to their owr oflficci's. Fonda says • " I then called and said, ^All you that are cowards rome and I will take yon • * Syms' report t'^ Gen. Johnpon. 't.-i iff I, ^ I,' LAKE OIIAMPLAIN. 131 names clown ;' and they came so thick that I could see but ten or twelve left of the wliolo party, who were mostly New Yorkers. I then asked the commander what he would do, or whether he understood me that he was to go forward. He said he believed he would come back, so we returned to the camp." 6. October 14. Capt. Rogers and four men embarked in a birch canoe, sailed twenty-five miles, landed on the west side of the lake, then traveled by land, and on the 18th arrived on the mountain on the west side of Fort St. Frederick, lay there that night and the next day, and ob- served the enemy's motions. In the evening I went down to the houses that were built upon the lake, and went into a barn filled with wheat, and proceeded with one man to make further discoveries ; ambushed within sixty rods of the fort until ab^ut ten o'clock ; judged the number in the fort to be about five hundred ; at length a Frenchman came out without his gun and came within fifteen rods of us when I, with an- other man, ran up to him to capture him ; he refused to surrender, so we killed him, and took off his scalp, within plain sight of the fort, and then ran and made our escape ; the same night came in sight of *' Tianarago," and upon a mountain in plain sight of their fort, we saw t ( it ' ii ¥ ■' '; 111 '•;: -n 132 LAKE GKOKOE AND large encampments and judged tliere were two B.t . » thousand men got to our canoes about elcrlit o'clock in tlie morning and found all safe and well. 7. October 24. Capt. Doolittle went out to Carillon and found that the advance or flying camp of the French, comprising about one hun- dred men, was on the west side of the lake, below the narrows. 8. October 26. Capt. Eeed passed over to South Bay, but made no discovery. Rogers' skirmish. 9. October 29. Pursuant to orders, went down the lake with the party ordered to me, and on the thirty-first discovered their fires situated on a point of land on the west side of the lake,* upon which we landed, on the same side, about a mile and a half distant from their encamp- ment, and the next morning sent out scouts for further discovery ; in the evening Capt. Fletcher, one of the scouts, returned and reported that there were four tents and srndry small fires on the said point ; I then took a bateau, with five men, and went down within twenty-five rods of their fires and discovered a small fort with seve- ral log camps within it, which I judged to con- * Probably at Friend's Point, in Hague. t n t t: u t] LAKE CIIAMPLAIN 133 tain about a quarter of an acre. The next morning Capt. Putnam returned and gave pretty much the same account ; for a more critical ex- amination of the enemy's proceedings he went forward until he was so nigli that he './as tired upon by a sentry within a rod of him ; but, unfor- tunately, Putnam, upon preparing to fire back, fell into a clay pit and wet his gun ; hearing the enemy close upon his heels, he made the best retreat he was able, and luckily escaped safe to our party ; soon after there was a discovery made of two Frenchmen upon a hill a small distance off, which overlooked our ambush, who called to us, but in a few minutes they retreated. Two canoes then appeared and went by us, and lay in the middle of the lake, about forty rods distant from each other; so that finding there was a party coming by land, I lay between two fires ; on this, I ordered two bateaux into the water, put Lieut. Grant, with six men, in one and I went with six men in the other ; we ]3ut them to rout, and surprised them so that they made for the shore where Capt. Putnam, with the rest of our party, lay. He was prepared for them and shot and killed the cockswain, and bv our wall pieces, we killed divers of them ; but upon Putnam's firing into the boats, the enemy that was upon his back fired upon him, and he 12 ' < ivh lU LAKE GEORGE ANT) had but just time to shove liis l^ntcau into the water and j'ct into it heforc tlio cnemv wero upon the water's edge and opened a brisk fire upon him ; shot through his blanket in several places, and through the bateau. We pursued their canoes to within about eighty rods of their fires; discovered a number of men within forty rods of us on tlie shore, on each bide, gave them each a broadside which sent them into the bushes, and gave ns a clear passage homeward. Had ono wounded after an enfrhijiement which lasted two hours. 10. Nov. 2. Hendrick and T^icklas, two Mo- hawks, went upon a scout toward Crown Point and Carillon, but made no fresh discoveries; returned on the 11th. 11. Nov. 3. Capt. Angell put out from the camp, and about seven miles out saw a fire on the east side of the lake, on a neck of lowland. About fourteen miles, on the west shore, saw another fire, which he passed at two or three miles distant. The wind blew fresh, and it rained and was very dark. Landed and went on to a very high mountain; saw no smoke, only at a great distance, toward Carillon, and returned. 12. Nov. 6. James Conner, with five men, went out to discover the position of the enemy's LAKi: CHAMPLAIN. 135 he on incl. iaw ^'ee it rent )ke, land advanced camp. Lay at the inontli of the Nar- rows that night. All ne\t day lay still till even- ing, about seven o'clock, then went on, and about ten o'clock came in between two of their flank fires, and saw them relieving their guard. A breastwork was around their encampment, with pickets, and several log-houses ; judged it might contain 150 men. Joined the other men at the bateau; lay still till about twelve o'clock at night, then set oft*; at three o'clock in the morning struck up a little fire upon a small island about twenty miles from home ; half an hour afterward heard a whooping of Indians on the west side of the lake ; kept a strict watch till morning, and then returned home. 13. Nov. 8. Michael Thoday* was sent out on a scout to South Bay and the falls of Wood creek (Whitehall). Discovered four Indians and three Frenchmen by the rise of smoke from a little hut on a side-hill; lay in ambush; shortly the sentry discovered four of them coming within a rod or two of him, but having a great cold he was seized with a fit of coughing, although he put his hand to his mouth ; upon II len, 'fl * Thoday's name appears as a mustering officer in Aber- Cf.T.nbie's expedition, in 1758. 136 LAKE GEORGE AND wliich, thinking he was discovered, he fired upon them; one dropped and screamed out bit- terly. The party then returned. 14. 'Nov. 13. Sergeant Thompson, of the Rhode Island regiment, with four men, went down ths lake at seven o'clock in the evening. Landed on an island about eight miles off; struck up a fire and had supper, when Conner joined them, and they set oif to a small island* about a mile this side of the Narrows; went ashore and r<33onnoitered ; then went around the island tvAce in a bateau, by which time it was sunrise, and immediately a large white flag was hoisted on a point of the main-land on the east side of the lake, supposed to be a signal of the enemy. 15. 15th. Capt. Israel Putnam and Stephen Schuyler passed over to South Bay ; went down the lake ; saw a large body of ducks and geese, but no enemy. 16. 17th. Capt. Tales, with a party, went down the wagon road about three miles, turned to the east and north, and returned to the camp. 17. Jan. 29, 1756. Capt. Kobert Rogers set out with a party of fifty men on snow-shoes, to look into Fort St. Frederick. The first day d * Possibly Dome island. # LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 137 1 tliey marched eighteen miles, and so proceeded till February 2d, when they " clambcied up a great mountain west of Crown Point, and gave it the name of Mt. Ogden. Took a particular view of the fort and redoubts, and in the even- ing came down ; marched through a small vil- lage to about lialf a mile of the fort to the southward ; then lay in ambush till nine o'clock in the morning, when a Frenchman came along, whom we captured. Two more came along, but discovering our ambush, made their escape. So, being discovered, we immediately set fire to the barns and houses, where there was an abundance of wheat and other grains. We killed their cattle, horses and hogs, in number about fifty, and about eleven o'clock of the 5th of Febru- ary, set out homeward." 18. June 20. Pursuant to an order from Major-General Shirley, Capt. Rogers set out with a part}^ of fifty men, in five whale-boats, and proceeded down Lake George about twenty- five miles, then landed* and took their boats six miles over a mountain to South Bay, where they arrived July 3d, and passed down Lake Cham- plain to within six miles of Ticonderoga. July 4th, in the evening, they set out again, and * At Bosom Bay. 12* i Jts 138 LAKE GEOKGE ANL passed by Ticoncleroga, altlioiigli they went so near ab to hear the sentry's watchword. Judged the number of the enemy to be about two thou- sand ; " hauled up at daylight five miles from the fort; lay quiet all day. 6th. Saw near a hundred boats pass, seven of which came near us, and asked to land at the point where we lay, but their officer went further on, and landed about tiventy-five rods from us, and dined in our view. About nine o'clociv p. m. set out again ; passed the fort at Crown Point about ten miles, and hauled up the boats at break of day 7th. Set out again ; proceeded fifteen miles further down, and went ashore upon a point upon the east side (Otter creek), and sent a party further down the lake for discovery. About three o'clock two lighters came up the lake, who we found intended to land where we were. We fired upon the vessels, and off'ored them quarter if they would come ashore, but instead they put off in their boats to the oppo- site side, but we intercepted them, and found twelve men, three of which were killed and two wounded. One of the wounded could not march, therefore i ut an end to him to prevent discovery. As soon as the prisoners were secure, we employed ourselves in sinking and destroy- which were chieflv ing vessels and cargoes, LAKE CHAjVirLAIN. 139 wheat, flour, rice, wine, and brandy, except some few casks of the wine and brandy, whicli we hid in very secure places, with our whale- boats, at some distance on the opposite shore. On the morning of the 8th we set forward on our return, and pursued our march till the 12th, when we arrived on the west side of Lake George, about twenty-five miles from the fort. Here we sent Lieut. Rogers for bateaux and provisions to carry us in by water." Meanwhile the French were not idle, and up to the close of June had brought in seventy-five prisoner" and forty-five scalps, two of whom were oflicers. 19. At the end of July, a Canadian officer on a scout, near Fort Wm. Henry, met two English bateaux with thirty-five men ; killed thirty and captured five. 20. Aug. 6. Capt. De la Columbiere, at the head of sixty men, stopped sixteen English horsemen, on the road near Lake George; killed nine ; took seven prisoners ; and brought horses and plunder to Carillon. During the year the French, under the direction of their chief engineer, M. de Lot- biniere, completed their fortress at Ticonde- roga ; although it was claimed that it was improperly located and faulty in construction. fi:, MO LAKE GEOKGE AND |i In October "Winslow retired from Fort Echvard, and the troops, except what were required for garrison duty, were disl)aiided. De Levi also withdrew his outposts from Lake George, and broke np his encampment at Carillon, not, how- ever, before the snow was a foot deep, and retired to Montreal. 21. January 21, 1757. Major Rogers, with Lieut. Stark, of Blanchard's regiment, set out on a reconnoisance and for the purpose of taking some prisoners at Crown Point or Ticonderoga. At a place since known as Putnam's Creek, on Lake Champlain, they ambushed a merry-making party who were convoying some provisions from St. Frederick to Carillon ; seven of the sledges were captured, with twice the number of horses. The news was borne down to M. de Lusignan, the commandant at Carillon, who ? wiftlj^ sent out an avenging party of two hundred and fifty men to intercept them ; they overtook the in- truders about three o'clock, who retired to a rising ground ; they received the first fire when not twenty feet from the enemy ; Rogers was wounded on the wrist and also on the head, and the command devolved on Stark, who kept up a steady fire from two o'clock until sunset. While encouraging his men a bullet struck the lock of his gun and shattered it in pieces. LAKE CHiUIPLAIN. 1-il ( 1 on to a 1 was an< up liset. the ices. Springing forward on a reeling Frenchman, lie wrenched his piece from his dying grasp and resumed the fight.* Thus they stood, in snow four feet deep, until, in the cold of that January night, the French withdrew with a loss of eleven killed and twenty-six wounded. f The provin- cials now retired, with a loss of forty-two killed and missing. All night they marched through the woods to the borders of Lake George. Here, leaving the command, Stark, with two companions on snow-shoes, pushed forward to "William Henry. Having obtained sleds for the wounded, and refreshments, he without delay set out for his companions, reaching their bivouac the next morning, having traversed to and from, a distance of forty miles. Finally he drew a loaded sled back to the fort. He thus stood out three days and two nights of excessive toil, four hours of which was in the excitement of battle, thereby presenting such a case of heroism and physical endurance as has been rarely equaled. 19. In the month of February an expedition was fitted out at Montreal for an attack on Fort * Headley. f This battle is said to have been fought near the residence of M. B. Townsend, in Crown Point. I!' i I m . ti i i ! 71 1 i! 142 LAKE GEORGE AND William Henry. It was composed of five com- panies of picked men, from the regiments of regulars, three hundred of the Colonial troops, six hundred and fifty militia and three hundred Indians ; the whole comprising fifteen hundred men, under the command of Recazzd De Yau- dreuil, brother of the Governor-General of Canada; they marched in four divisions and rendezvoused at Carillon. March 15. The entire body of troops moved out *' on snow-shoes, cairying their provisions on sleds, drawn by dogs, and sleeping in the enow upon a bear skin, under a simple sail to keep off the wind."* On the 17th, at seven o'clock in the evening, they arrived witliin a league of William Henry.f Captain Poullan- ing, with two other officers, was dispatched to reconnoiter the fort, from a hill by which it is commanded. J * Montcalm to Argenson, Doc. x, 547. f Probably Rattlesnake Hill. Ed. :{: While going his rounds, on the evening of the sixteenth, Capt. Stark overheard a squad of his men, who were of the Scotch-Irish race, planning a celebration in honor of St. Patrick, for the next night. He afterward said he had then no presentiment of approaching danger, but disliked these wild Irish demonstrations. He therefore called for the ranger sutler, Samuel Blodgett, and gave him directions to LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 143 to is ith, of St. len iem Ithe to On the 19tli Yaudreuil set fire to some of the bateaux. deliver the rangers their regular rations of grog until tho evening of the seventeenth, and after that no more without a written order from himself. On that evening he retired to his quarters, directing his orderly-sergeant to say to all applicants for written orders, that he was confined to his bunk with a lame right hand, and would not be disturbed. The Irish troops (regulars) secured an extra supply of rum on the night of the sixteenth, and commenced their carousiJ.l, which they carried on with unabated vigor through the night and during the ensuing day in honor of St, Patrick and his wife Sheelah. They drank so freely that the officer of the day could find none of them fit for duty as sentinels, and the rangers who were sober supplied their places. Tho rangers, seeing the Irish thus enjoying themselves, desired the same privilege. The sutler informed them of his orders, and the captain's quarters were beset to obtain a written order. The sergeant refused to disturb his officer, as he was confined w:ith a painfully lame right hand, and could not write. The soldiers felt somewhat cross, but bore their disappointment like philosophers. At two o'clock on the morning of the eightetnth, a ranger sentinel on the ram- parts, observed a light upon the lake, and soon afterward became a>v?re that a large force was advancing in the direc- tion of the fortress. Notice was at once conveved to the ranger captain. The lame hand was instantly restored to health, and he was among his soldiers. The commander of the fort was quietly notified, and the rangers silently mustered. The near approach of danger d'ssipated the fumes of liquor from the brains of the regulars, and the gai risen wasi soon in condition for a rigorous defense, Caleb Stark. ' ^ :n ^1 ;.h '' A ' Ill lU LAKE GEORGE AND n 20th. He invested the fort and detached a party of Indians on the road leadinj^ to Fort Edward to cut oft' the communication. On the nights of the 20th and 21st they burnt all there was on side tUe ramparts, consist^rg of three bundled ) I'^mx, four sloops of ten and sixteen gunsj ^.wt 1 :;i^ boats of fifty oars, a saw-mill, a large pile of ba^iJing timber, three hundred cords of fire-wood, two magazines full of provis- ions, including four hundred barrels of flour, military stores and effects, and a small stockade w^itli a dozen houses, which served as a hospi- tal.* They retired with a loss of Ave killed and two wounded. The fort at the time was under the command of Lieut.-Col. Eyre, " en- gineer in ordinary," who built the same. Julv 21. Chevalier La Corne and M. Con- treveur took their departure from Carillon, at the head of a flying camp of 500 Canadians and 200 Indians, and moved up to South Bay to observe the motions of the English troops between Fort Edward and Lake George. At Half-way brook they fell upon a train of w^ag- ons, under convoy of a body of troops, who * The remains of one of the schooners can now be seen on a still day, at the north-east of Fort William Henry, in about twenty feet of water. ! ! I I ' 'on- at lans At seen m i' I : '^i: '.( ' ' ! 1 ill I *r::^'JV^-;¥. , , s?^ m*m.^<^:^. ■..K-?"' ^z-^'.'^^: CANAGHSIONB, OR PUT'S ROCK, ON LAKE CHAMPI.AIN. LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 145 LIN. were transporting supplies, for Winslow s iirniy, to Fort William Henry. The soldiers made but little resistance, the train was plundered, and the marauderr^ escaped with their booty down toward Ticonderoga. Capts. Kogers and Put- nam, with a hundred men and twenty-iive small cannon, were immediately dispatched to inter- cept them. Proceeding down the lake, they hastened overland to the Two Rocks, about eight miles below. Here, while concealed, they espied the bateanx, laden with plunder and unsuspicious of danger, approaching them. On reaching the Narrows the rangers poured into them a well-directed fire, by which many of the boatmen were killed and some of the boats were sunk, but, driven by the south wind, the remainder swept through the passage, and escaped to Carillon with the intelligence of the disaster. The rangers now hastened back to their boats, reaching them at the close of the day. The next morning they embarked, and at Sabbath-day point discovered the French and Indians eagerly approaching them, and antici- pating an easy victory. No resistance was olfered until the enemy "svas within pistol shot, Avhen from the cannon and muskets was sent forth such a shower of balls as threw them into confusion. Men were seen dropping overboard 13 li- ' i I ,.!S 1 11!^ il If ll' 140 LAKE OEOUOE from the cneniy's boats, and of twenty IiKliiina in one, only five remained. Tliey soon drew back, and the rangers passed on without further molestation, with a loss of one man killed and two wounded. 22. A considerable detachment of Canadi- ans and Indians, under Caj^t. De la Pierre, caused the provincials to abandon some of the islands in Lake George where they had estab- lished themselves. 23. Lieut. Marin, having been detached with one liundred men to reconnoiter the camp at Fort William Henry, captured and killed a party of fifty-two men and three officers, only one of whom escaped. ^ m CIIAPTEIl VIII. Montcalm's kxpedition — comi'09ition of his armt — srouTiNo PARTY op ST. OUUa — MABIN SENT TO FOHT KDWAUO — NAVAIi TICTORV OVER COL. PARKER— TUB MARCH AND BAIL TO FORT WM. UENRT — INCIDENT — THE 8EI0E — INDIAN Bl'RIAL — THE SURREN- DER— THE MASSAt'UE — THE l'Hl5*ONER8 — SENT HOME — FORT DI8- MANTLED AND DESTROYED — MONTCALM RETIRES TO CARILLON. ■HE cotninission to tl)e Marquis de Montcalm, apj^ointing lii'm to the com- rnaiid of the troops in Canada, which became vacant by the capture of tlie Baron Deiskan, was issued Marcli 1. 1756.* He was accompanied by the Clievalier de Levi, brigadier-general, and Col. Sieur Boulimaque ; * Louis Joseph Marquis de Montcalm, was bora at the Chateau of Candiac, near Nianus, 1712. At the affe of fourteen he commenced his military career. He became colonel in 1745. Received three wounds in the battle of Placensia, in Italy, June 16, 1746, and two at Piedmont, 1747, in which year he was appointed brigadier. In 1756 he wa^ appointed major-general, commander of the order of St. Louis in 1757, lieutenant-general in 1758, and was mortal V wounded before Quebec, September 13., 1759. His remains were interred, by torch-light, in the church of the Ursuline convent. It is said he was buried in a hole made by a shell — "a fit tomb for a warrior who die'l on the field of honor." m •: nr ' II' iH frt i;i.i in:! i ! i!'! II ■ 1, 1 I I' •Hi i 'I \i! m In;' I II': 148 LAKE GEORGE AND also by two additional regiments, which arrived at Quebec by tliree sliips of war, and tliree frigates, on the 12th of May. August 10th. Montcalm invested Oswego. In his train of artillery were six brass pieces, captured from Gen. Braddock. Col. Mercer, the commander of the fort, was iiilled on the thirteenth, and the next day the garrison sur- rendered. Hardly had the fort capitulated, when the French Indians, exasperated by the loss of some of their braves, nttered their territic \var-cry, and with the tomahawk and knife were about to tall upon the unarmed prisoners. The massacre that would have ensued was, however, prevented by the prompt action of Montcalm, who ordered out a file of men and commanded them to iire upon his red allies. Six of the savages fell dead upon the spot, and the remain- der, uttering threats of vengeance, sulkily put up their knives, and skulked back to their quarters.'^ The fortresses were leveled to the ground, and Oswego was left a solitude, unbroken, save by the hooting of the owl or the scream of tlie panther. Keturning triumphant, Montcalm lost no time in arranging for the expedition against Fort William Henry. At Montreal he held a * Stone's Life of Sir Wm. Jolinson, ii, 28. LA.KE CIIAMPLAIN. 149 council of Indian tribes, gathered from Nova Scotia to Lake Superior, mingling in their dances and chanting their war-song. July 12th lie proceeded up Lake Cliamplain to Fort Car- illon, accompanied by warriors of the following tribes : Algonkins, Ayetois, Foxes, Iroquois of the Soult. Micmacs, Kepissings, Ouillas, Poutouatomes, Santanes. In all thev numbered 1,806. As they traversed the lake, their dexterity in fishing furnished an interesting spectacle. Stand- ing up in the bow of the canoe, with spear in hand, they darted it with wonderful address, and struck the large sturgeons [muscalonges — Ed.] without their little skiff (which the least irregular motion w^onld have overturned) appear- ing to lean in the slightest degree either to the right or the left. Yet, useful as the fishing was, it was not necessary to suspend the march to favor it. The fisherman alone laid aside his paddle, and in return was charged to provide 13* Abenakis, AmeleciteSj Folles, Huron s, Loups, Mirames, Ottawas, Puans, Sacs, ' I ■'1 k m 1 Im .1 1 1 Ii":f vV m^ ill!; hi il ill: j! !■ m ? p iti: i.- lai 150 LAKE GEORGE AND for the subsistence of all the others, an office in whose duties he fully succeeded.* After being six days on the route, they reached Fort Carillon. But scarcely had they begun to distmguish the summit of the fortifications, wlien the Indians arranged themselves in order of battle, each tribe under its own ensign. Two hundred canoes, thus formed in beautiful order, furnished a spectacle which caused even the French officers to hasten to the banks, judging it not unworthy of their curiosity. In addition to the Indians, the Royal army was composed as follows : Regulars, seven regi- ments, 3,081 ; militia (Canadians), 2,946 ; artil- lery, 188 ; total, 6,215. Deducting the sick, the non-effective, and the garrisons left behind, the effective force amounted to 5,500 men : addins: the Indians, 1,806, made the whole force 7,306. July 21st. A Canadian officer, M. de St. Ours, who was scouting on Lake George in a canoe, with ten men, in doubling a point of land was ambushed by two English boats near Harbour island, south of Sabbath-day point. He gained the island, where the English eagerly pursued him, but he made so vigorous a defense that he was allowed to embark and i ( * Jesuit Missions, by Bishop Kip. 11 MoNTCALM'S Attack. EXPLANATION. A ArtUkry C«v«. B R«a4 to Treneii. C fint Batt«r)r— length, 10 yard* ; kreMltli, 16 feet ; h^lglit, 7 fMk. : eiibrMnrea, 8 feet. C D Lln« of Tr«Behei, t18 yardt. D Second Bntlery -Icngitli, 14 yards ; brwidtk, M Met ; helgiit, 8 feet ; embrasartti, 10 fcot. B €1 IitB« of Approach, S20 yards. F Third Battery— not opened. H Line ap the Hill and at the crest of the tardea. I Clardea. K rort WlUiam Heary. L Maraaa. H La Come aaid Caaadlaaa. If Fort fleorge. O iohaioa's BncaapMcat, Sept. 8, IIS*. P Docks. <} Fort WlUlam Henay Hotel. R Lake Haase. m^ m^:-^. f^mm^' m-^: ,^s^ » '.•vvk \ m • 111 '<'-nnH>'itMMffW«0MUJM« ^N OF THK Sll,:^^., Ironi Actual Sur\^ey by a.c . B u T L j:: r^ ■',,y. •^, ■.5&. ■i. 0^ MoNTCALM's Attack. EXPLANATION. A Artillery C«v«. B R«.i4 to Troueb. C tXrtt B«tt«r]r— iMftli, 10 jw** ; lire»4tli, le Kmi « brlfht, 7 fM>t « ftabrMnrMi, 9 feet. C D Une of Trrncbpi, (78 yardi. D SMOBd Ratlwy -Icagiii, 74 yards ; hrcMlii, t* iMt \ brigbv, 3 re«t ; ckibranam, 10 fc«t. ■ <1 Llae of Approarh, 190 y ardn. r Third Batt«ry -not op«nM. H Uaa ap the Hill aad at tb^ tre«t af the flardea. I flardea. K roH WilUav Heary. L Beraaa. ■ La Carae aad C^vadlaaa. K r*rt (le«rg«. O bH^a'* KaeaaipMeat, gept. 8, lltC. P xhs. <) rt WlUiaai Hrkiy R ake Maaac. ftS?^ ^j^i m^.- ^>---- ^i'-^i iS&V- w^y 'J"' ■^"' LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 151 quietly regain liis camp, with a loss of one killed and three men woimded.* On the 23d, M. Marin, a celebrated partisan, made a bold iash at Fort Edward. lie arrived in the morning, and first cut off a patrol of ten m6n, who were all killed. The party then came up with the guard of fifty men, whom they swept away like a wafer. lie then advanced boldly up to the fort ; but the English army then formed in line of battle, to the extent of two thousand men, and, marchiv^ out of their intrenchments, advanced to the ^ . rders of the woods where Marin was in ambush, who retired in good order, losing but a single man. He returned with thirty-tw'O scalps. " He was unwilling to amuse liimself making prisoners, and so brought in but one." The following statement is made by Dr. Fitch, w-ho refers to Dr. Silliman : John, Bon of Cybrant Quackenboss of Albany, was im- pressed, with his team and wagon, to convey a load of pro- visions to Lake George. He was captured by a formidable party of Indians, who previously had waylaid sixteen others. Tlie prisoners were taken to where the village park in Sandy Hill is now situated, but which was then a secluded spot in the woods. Here they were securely tied and seated upon the trunk of a fallen tree, with two or three Indiana left to guard them ; Quackenboss being at one end, and a ifP lojr, in an endeavor to break his bonds — but in vain, In^'tantlv, on everv side, a dozen tomahawks were u[)lifted ; but the poor fellow, lying upon his back and si)inning around like a top, thrust his murderer off with his feet, till, hacked and mangled, his eff'orts became more feeble, when a blow was aimed at his head, and all was over. The teamster now only remained. Already the fatal hatchet was raised for the lasi and final stroke, when the arm by which it was wielded was suddenly caught aside by a squaw, who exclaimed : " You shan't kill him. He's no fighter. He's my dog." He was unbound and taken in charge by his Indian mistress, and the party started off for Canada. He was shortly after purchased from the Indians and brought to Montreal. Desiring to communicate with his family, he gave a letter in charge of a trusty Indian, who brought it as near Fort Edward as he dare venture, and here, making a slit in the bark of a tree beside a fre- quented path, inserted the end of the letter therein. It was speedily discovered and forwarded to its destination. Fro7n Ms nephew, Jacob Quackenboss, Schaghticoke. 25th. Lieut. Corbierie, with a force of fifty Canadians and three hundred Ottawas, lay in ambush, above Sabbath-day point, all day and all night. At break of day they discovered a body of three hundred English in twenty-two barges, who had left Fort William Henry the night before. They were under the direction LAKE CIIAMrLAIN. 153 of Col. John Parker and eleven officers. Parker liad succeeded Co). Schuyler in command of the New Jersey regunent, Schuyler having been taken prisoner at the Oswego surrender. The engagement was commenced with great reso- lution on both sides, but the French and Indians, being in their frail canoes, could liave no reasonable hope of victory except by boarding ; but the English no sooner saw tliem at hand, than terror caused them even to drop tlieir arms. " It ceased to be a conflict, and became only a flight." In an instant they were seen pulling in the greatest liaste for the bank, while some, to reach there sooner, threw themselves into the water for tlie purpose of swimming ; but all in vain.* The speed of the rowers could not in any way approacli the swiftness of a bark canoe. The latter sails, or rather flies, over the water with the velocity of the arrow. The English w^ere, therefore, almost immediately overtaken. In the first heat of the conflict all were massacred without mercy. Those who had gained the woods had no better fate. The woods are the natural home of the Indian, and they can run there with the sw^iftness of the deer. At length I ! I I 1 Jl» \h- 'ij iii |. H !; * Doc. X, page 591. I: !:'H -I- 154 LAKE GEORGE AND If !! the Ottawas tlioii<^lit of malting prisonors. The number amounted to one hundred and fifty- seven, while one hundred and thirty-one had been killed — twelve only escaped. On the French side the losses were nothing, only one Indian being slightly wounded. At night the Indians, h:iving freely partaken of ardent spirits, cele- brated their victory with one of those ferocious orgies at which the heart of humanity sickens.* * My tent liad been placed in the middle of the encnnip- inent of the Ottawas. The first object \\^hich presented itself to my eyes on arriving there, was a larg-e fire, while the wooden spits fixed in the earth gave sii^ns of a feast. Indeed, there was one taking place. But, O, heaven, what a feast ! The remains of the l)ody of an Englishman was there, the skin stripped off', and more than one-half the flesh gone. A moment after I perceived these inhuman beings eat with famishing avidity of this human flesh. I saw them taking up this detestable broth in large spoons, and appa- rently without being able to satisfy themselves with it.- They infonued me that they had prepared themselves for this feast by drinking from skulls filled with human blood, while their smeared faces and stained lips gave evidence of the t uth of the story. What rendered it more sad was, that they had placed very near them some ten Englishmen to be spectators of their infamous repast. I thought by making some mild representation to these inhuman monsters I might gain some hold upon them. But I was only flatter- ing myself. A young man with a resolute air took up the conversation, and said to me, in bad French : " You have French taste ; I have Indian ; this food is good for me." He accompanied his remarks by the oiBfer which he made me of ■! 11 II: LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 155 I \ jm >a- kiis ile Ihe liat ing Tliecampai^.Jiaviiigtlins opened a\i8pi'M'onsly for tlie Freiiel), no time was lost in enibarldrii^ the jirovisioiis and artillery. Tin* distribution of the army was as follows : lligand, the same who had led the expedition of the winter before against William Henry, occupied the head of the carrying place with the battalion of the marine, the militia and the Indians. The regu- lars were at the Water Fall, in command of Chevalier De Levi, and two battalions were still at Carillon with Bourlemaque. Montcalm was at the head of the carrying place, superintend- ing the transportation. The artillery, the muni- tions of all descriptions, provisions to victual a piece of the broiled Englishman. I could make no reply to this ariTunient, which was so worthy of a savage, and it may easily be imagined with what horror I turned from the scene. * * As I approached the English prisoners, one of their number, by whose military decorations I recognized an officer, arrested my attention. My purpose was imme- diately formed to })urchase him, and thus to secure for him both his liberty and his life. With this vi w I approached an aged Ottawa, believing, that the chill of age having moderated his ferocity, I should find him more favorable to my designs. I extended to him my hand, saluting him politely, in the hope of gaining him to me by kindness of manner. But it was not a man with whom I was dealing. It was something worse than a ferocious beast, who was not to be softened by these caresst*. " No " said he, in a thun- dering and menacing tone, " No, I do not at all wish your v: ™ '.I hir t'ii»' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) fe ^/ / 5r /^ 1.0 I.I 1^1^ |2.5 J50 "^^ Mm L25 i i.4 18 1.6 Va ^ /a .^' V Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 k -n^ ^ o "% s M lljii ]| 150 LAKE GEORGE AND the army for a month, two hundred and fifty bateaux and two hundred canoes, were bi'ought over by men's labor, without either oxen or horses, and in the last days enta*e brigades, headed by their lieutenant-colonels, relieved each otlier at this work. As the number of boats was not sufficient for the passage of the entire army, and besides it was necessary that the forest, as well as the landing, should be reconnoitered, the Marquis arranged to move a body of two thou- sand troops and a portion of the Indians by land, in command of De Levi, and under the guidance of Kanactagon, a celebrated Iroquois hunter. Their orders were to march two days favors. Begone." I did not think it necessary to wait till he should repeat a compliment of this kind. I obeyed him. * * * Next morning on awakening I supposed that nc vestige of the repast of the previous evening would remain about my tent. I flattered myself that, the fumes of their liquor being dissipated, and the excitement insep- arable to action having passed off, taeir spirits would have become more; settled, and their hearts more human. But I was acquainted with neither the genius nor the taste of the Ottawas. It was through choice, through delicacy, through duintiness, that they nourished themselves with human flesh. Since tlie earliest dawn they had done nothing but recommence their execrable cookery, and now were waiting with anxiety for the desired moment when they should be able to glut their more than canine appetite by devouring the sad relics of the body of their enemy. Roxibard. i|:i! li LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 157 But I of the hrougli j human \ng but waiting lould be rouring ill advance of tlie remainder of tbe army, in order to arrive simultaneously at the bay of Gaiious- kie.* 27tli. Montcalm held a general conncil of the Indians, at which the nations took their places according to their rank, when he presented to them, in the King's name, the great union belt of six thousand beads, to bind all the tribes to each other and to him, so that they might act together, and not quit him until the close of the expedition. 29th. De Levi moved off with his division at night, and encamped about half a league beyond llie portage, at a place called the " Burnt Camp," on the western shore of Lake George. This detachment was composed of twelve companies of regulars ; two of the marine, La Corne's, Yas- saur's, and Repentigny's and Yillieur's regiments of Canadians, and six hundred Indians. On the 30th, in the morning, the detachment left the Burnt Camp without tents, kettles or equipage, Villieur's volunteers and some Indians forming the vanguard, the regulars in the center and the Canadians and the rest of the Indians marching as flankers. The same day the brigades of La Reine and La Sarre occupied the Burnt Camp, ' !l ii^ * North-west Vay. H * *:\ ■^,-l iM i« ^, i^M ! 158 LAKE GEORGE AND while the troops under Bourlemaqne encamped at the head of the Portage. On Sunday tlie 31st, the Indians who were to go by water set out at night, under command of St. Luc, accompanied by Marin, Neverville, Langlade, Laplante and Herbin, and moved to a point above " Isle a la Barfju^j''^* where they landed and encamped. There they saw the proofs of the naval victory they had gained over Parker, in the abandoned English boats, which, after having for a long time been the sport of the winds and waves, had at last been thrown upon the shore, and also in the great number of the bodies of the English extended on the banks or scattered through the woods, some cut to pieces and all mutilated in the most frightful manner. The place assigned for the camp was the side of a hill covered with bram- bles and the haunt of a prodigious number of rattlesnakes, which the Indians hunted out and caught, August 1. At two o'clock p. m., the army embarked in two hundred and fifty bateaux and set sail in the following order : A pontoon, con- sisting of two boats united together by a plat- form, and mounted with a twelve-pounder, the * Odell Island, near Sabbatli-day Point. mped ere to inaiid rville, iioved where y saw gained boats, en the it been e great :tended woods, le most for the bram- iber of Dut and B army mx and on, con- T a plat- der, the :H V \.\'\ It 1 II 11 »■-# £■' i' LAKE CIIAMPLAIN. 159 MA regulars, the militia, the artillery, with a brig- ade of lioyal Rousillon as an escort, the provis- ions, manned by the Gaspd brigade, the field liospital, and lastly the rear guard. The guard left at Carillon comprised two hundred men, under the orders of Captain Dalquier, of the grenadiers, fifty men in possession of a redoubt at the falls, erected in the middle of the rapid, and a hundred and fifty men at the liead of the carrying place where there was a supply of pro- visions. Halted at five o'clock, at the point where the Indians had encamped. These last who lay waiting now took the lead, and the four hundred boats, covering the waters from shore to shore, swept majestically up the lake, until, per- ceiving upon the mountain the three fires placed in the form of a triangle, M'hich De Levi had lit as a signal, at three o'clock a. m. they landed at Ganouskie Bay,* to the left of the land detachment, and proceeded to cook their breakfast. The Chevalier had arrived at four o'clock of the afternoon previous, after a march which the excessive heat, the continual moun- tains, the fallen trees, and the necessity of carry- ing every thing on the shoulders, had rendered fatiguing even to the Indians. At ^cn o'clock * Bolton Landing. to r r I 1 ■ I i t ; I ili' T'i ili'^ \V\ ' I :Mi ; 1 r