to their great Joy; and that the People in Garrison were pretty hearty. All Lansing's Provisions are destroyed, as well as the Powder that was in the Garrison, the People laid in Heaps and burnt. John Davids, Henry Dawson, James Tock, George Roberson, John Tayle, John Griefey, John Pain, and Closs Marseillis, went down Wood Creek last Wednesday, whether they are taken or not, we cannot tell. We believe John Davis got safe to Oswego, as the Commissary met him on the other Side of the Lake. Philip Lansing and John Van Alle, are safe here yet, with the rest of of their Men. Just now 70 of our Indians are came in, and acquaints us, that by the Tracts of the Enemy, they imagined: there was at least 500 of them. The Names of the Persons, Residents in and about Albany, and supposed to be killed, are as follow, viz. John, Jacob, and Andries Kidnee, John Vanderheyden, Jacobus Sickles, Wolker Dawson, Anthony Brandt, Peter Giffins, Cornelius Sprong, three Servants & five Negroes.

FRENCH DESCENT ON THE GERMAN FLATTS.

[Paris Doc. XIII.)

Summary of M. de Belletre's Expedition, the 28th November, 1757, M. de Belletre with his. detachment of about 300 men, Marines, Canadians and Indians, arrived notwithstanding all the obstacles of the season and the greatest scarcity of provisions, at the river à la Famine [Black river,] where he met seven or eight Nontagués who on a message reported to them in the General's name, expressed delight in uniting with him.

He continued his route and after inexpressible fatigues and suffering reached the vicinity of the Oneida Castle whither he sent four influential Indians as bearers of the General's Word.

He continued his march as far as the River Corlaer and had the satisfaction of examining five English forts abandoned by command for that erected since the reduction of Chouaguen, on the site of Old Fort Bull.

The Indians, informed that there was a garrison of 350 men in

a Fort named Kouari situate on the said river about a quarter of a league from the Village of the Palatines did not fail to exhibit ear, but M. de Belletre having told them that their Father did not despatch a picked detachment, so well selected, except to make a blow of some interest, they recovered their courage and evince a lively ardor, except some young Warriors and aged men who gave in, already fatigued by a weary march.

The four Savages sent to the Oneidas returned with the six warriors of that tribe who joined our detachment, and told M. de Belletre that they had no other will than that of their Father.

On the 11th November at three o'clock in the afternoon M. de Belletre, preceded as was his custom by the scouts crossed the River Corlaer [Mohawk] with his detachment, partly swimming, partly in the water up to the neck. He encamped at night fall in the woods a league and a half from the first of the five forts that covered the Palatine Settlements.

The 12th at three o'clock in the morning he gave his detachment the order of March and attack so as to surround the said five forts and the entire Palatine Village, consisting of sixty houses.

Though M. de Belletre knew that the English got notice the day preceding, yet that the courage of the Indians may not receive the least check and to show. them he would not rashly expose them, he liberated an Indian of the Five Nations whom he had until then detained under suspicion. But this Savage could not injure M. de Belletre because he commenced at the same time to attack the five forts and the Palatines' houses.

At sight of the first fort he decided to take it by assault. The enemy kept up the most active fire of musketry but the intrepidity with which M. de Belletre, with all the Officers and Canadians of his detachment advanced, coupled with the war whoop of the Indians, terrified the English to the degree that the Mayor

1 This fort, to which so much reference is made in a subsequent paper describing the Valley of the Mohawk, was situate on the South side of the Mohawk River, nearly opposite the mouth of the West Canada Creek, in what is now the Town of German Flatts. It is alluded to by Lt. Gov. Delancey (see post p. 518) as "Fort Hareniger,” and is now known as Fort Herkimer. The settlement de stroyed by the French was on the opposite, or North side of the Mohawk.

of the Village of the Palatines, who commanded the said Fort, opened the doors and asked for quarter.

M. de Belletre lost no time in repairing to the second, the third, the fourth and fifth which were not less intimidated thần the first by his intrepidity and the cries of the Indians. They all surrendered at discretion, and were entirely burnt.

During this time a party of Canadians and Indians ravaged and burnt the said 60 houses of the Palatines, their barns and other out buildings as well as the Water Mill.

In all these expeditions about 40 English perished- killed or drowned. The number of prisoners is nearly 150 men, women and children, among whom is the Mayor of the Village, the Surgeon and some Militia Officers. We had not a man killed; but M. de Lorimier, officer, was wounded in the right side by a ball, and three or four Savages slightly.

The damage inflicted on the enemy is estimated according to the representations of the English themselves, To wit

In grain of all sorts, a much larger quantity than the Island of Montreal has produced in years of abundance.

The same of hogs.

3000 horned cattle,

3000 sheep,

All these articles were to have been sent in a few days to Corlaer (Schenectady.)

1500 horses, 300 of which were taken by the Indians and the greater number consumed for the support of the detachment.

The property in furniture, wearing apparel, merchandize and liquor might form a capital of 1,500,000 livres. The Mayor of the Village alone has lost 400,000.

The French and Indians have acquired as rich a booty as they could carry off. They have in specie more than 100,000 livres. One Indian alone has as much as 30,000. There was likewise plundered a quantity of Wampum, silver-bracelets &c, scarlet cloth and other Merchandize which may form a capital of 80,000

more.

All this damage could not be done short of 48 hours. M de Belletre made provision to be always able to resist the enemy, wi

as has been observed, were to the number of 350 men in the said Fort Kouari, about a quarter of a league from the field of battle.

In fact, on the 13th at 7 o'Clock in the morning, 50 Englishmen accompanied by some Mohawks left the said Fort, but as soon as they were perceived our Frenchmen and Indians went to meet them double quick, and forced them to swim across the river after recaving several discharges of Musketry. The number that perished cannot be estimated. At noon the same day, M de Belletre gave orders to his detachment to commence their return

march.

On the 15th he sent an Oneida, who is much attached to the General, with some Chiefs from the Sault and St. Francis to bear a message to the Oneidas by which he communicated to them the success he experienced; invited them to persevere in their good Sentiments and not to fear the English. Our Oneida delegate rejoined M Belletre at the River Au Sable [Sandy Creek, Jeffer. Co.] and told him that the Five Nations had sent three Belts to the Oneida Villages of which they wished him to take charge as a present to the General. By these they demand assistance to resist the English being about to experience their resentment inasmuch as they refused to allow four of their Chiefs to enter Fort Kouari having fired several shots at them This had obliged the Oneidas to withdraw their women and children from the Lake side, hoping their Father will protect them.

MR. DE LANCY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE.

[Lond. Doc. XXXIV.]

New York 5. January, 1658. It may be proper to acquaint your Lordships that we had the misfortune on the 12th November to loose a valuable settlement on the North side of the Mohawks river opposite to Fort Hareniger, called the German Flatts, the loss is estimated at twenty thousand pounds this money, it is as fertile a piece of ground as any perhaps in the world the settlers were generally rich, and had good buildings on their lands, some of the inhabitants were slain, about one

hundred carried into captivity, their houses and barns with the crops destroyed by Fire. This was done by a party of about three hundred Canadians & Indians; the people there thought themselves in great security and though advertised of the approach of the enemy, they neglected the advices they received and so fell an

easy prey.

MR. DAINE TO THE MINISTER.

[Paris Doc. XIV.]

Quebec, 19 May 1758.

Annexed are two little Relations or Summaries of what has occurred of most interest since the departure of the ships last year. The damage inflicted on the English in horned cattle, sheep and horses has been greatly exaggerated in the Relation of M. de Bellestre's expedition of the 28th November 1757. It must be diminished at least a good half. It is still more exaggerated in regard to furniture, wearing apparel, merchandize and liquors which are carried up to fifteen hundred thousand livres, as well as the loss of the Palatine's village in Indian corn.

Montreal, 28 June 1758. M. de Bellestre's success last autumn in destroying the village of the Palatines and carrying the forts that covered it would have been actually, My lord, a great aid to the Colony, had it been possible to remove the considerable portion of provisions of all sorts found in that village. I had particularly provided for this by the orders I gave that officer. But circumstances were not sufficiently favorable to execute them.

1st, M. de Bellestre being much exposed to be pursued and perhaps cut off by a force infinitely superior to his own was under the absolute necessity of using the greatest activity in his operations, success depending essentially thereon. He was consequently