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IX.

Peter Schuyler a Major of the Militia offered himself CH A P to go with what Force could be got ready for their Affiftance. He went himself immediately to Schenectady, and fent out to discover the Enemy: His Scouts brought him Intelligence, firft, that the French were in Poffeffion of the two smallest Forts, afterwards, that they had heard great Firing at the largest Fort; and at laft, that it was taken. Having received 200 Men, partly regular Troops, but most of the Militia, he began his March on the 12th in Quest of the Enemy; but hearing foon after, that fix hundred Men of the upper Caftles were on their March, 'tis probable he did not endeavour to be up with the French fo foon as he might; for I find by his Journal, that he was nearer them on the fourteenth, than he was two Days after. He had not fufficient Force to fight them: He fent therefore to the upper Indians, to haften their March. On the 15th he was joined by these Indians, in all two hundred and ninety Men and Boys, very ill armed. His Body then confifted of two hundred and fifty Chriftians, and two hundred and ninety Indians, armed fighting Men. They had no other Provifion but fome Biscuit every Man had in his Pocket. the 16th he was informed by an Indian, who pretended to be a Deferter, that the French had built a Fort, where they defigned to wait for him, and fight him; whereupon he fent an Exprefs to Coll. Ingoldefby, then Commandant at Albany, to haften more Men to join him, with fufficient Provifion for the whole. He found afterwards, that this Indian was fent by the French, on purpofe to perfuade the Indians to give over the Purfuit. Major Schuyler came up to the Enemy on the 17th; when he came near them he did not go on ftreight towards them, for Fear of Ambufcades, but marched round. As foon as he came in Sight, he was faluted with three loud Shouts, which were anfwered with as much Noife. The Indians began in their Manner to feL

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CHA P. cure themselves, by felling the Trees between them, and the Enemy fallied out to prevent them, but were foon beat back. The Indians fell to Work again, and defired the Chriftians to affift them, which was done, but in fuch Confufion, that they themfelves were in Danger from the falling Trees. The French fallied a fecond Time with all their Force, crying out, They run, we'll cut them off, and get their Provifions; but they were warmly received, and beat back into their Fort. They fallied a third Time, and were beat back with confiderable Lofs, the Indians bringing in feveral Heads and Scalps. As foon as the Skirmishing was over, the Major fent back an Exprefs, to haften' the Men that were to reinforce him, and were to bring Provifion, fome of the Men having had no Provifion for two Days. The Major then fecured himself, under the Cover of the fallen Trees, and kept out Watches to obferve the French.

The 18th proving a cold ftormy Day, with Snow, he was informed, by a Deferter, that the French were upon their March, it not being easy to follow their Tracks, or to difcover them in fuch Weather. The Officers were commanded to pursue and retard their March, till the Reinforcement fhould come up, but the Men refufed to march without Provifion. The Officers, with about 60 Men, and a Body of Indians, followed the Enemy till Night, when they began to fecure themfelves, by fortifying their Camp. The Officers wanting a fufficient Number to fecure themselves in like Manner, or to fight the Enemy, returned, leaving a bout forty Chriftians, and one hundred Indians, to obferve them. On the 19th the Provifions, with about 80 Men, arrived, under the Command of Captain Sims of the regular Troops. Every Man, as he was ferved with Provifion, marched towards the Enemy. The Van was commanded by Captain Peter Matthews of the regular Troops, who coming

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IX.

up with the Enemy's Rear, would have attacked CHAP. them, to retard their March, but the Mohawks were averfe to fighting. The French dropt on purpose feveral of their Prisoners, who told the Mohawks, that the French were refolved to put all the Prisoners to the Sword, if they should be attacked. The Enemy paffed the North Branch of Hudson's River upon a Cake of Ice, which, very opportunely for them, ftuck there in one Place, while it was open by a late Thaw, both above and below. The Weather continuing very cold, and the Indians. averse to fighting, Major Schuyler gave over the Pursuit on the 20th, having loft only four private Men, and as many Indians, two Officers and twelve Men Chriftians and Indians were wounded. The French loft thirty three Men (the Bodies of twenty feven were found) of whom four were Officers, and twenty-fix wounded, as the Deferters told him. Between forty and fifty Prisoners were recovered. I have been told, that Captain Matthews defired Coll. Schuyler, when he came firft up with the French, to fummon them to surrender; he faid, the French are in great Distress, and this will give them an Opinion of our Strength; but Coll. Schuyler refufed, tho' he was brave, he was no Soldier; and it is very probable, that the French obferving the want of Conduct and Difcipline, were encouraged. ! It is true, the English were in great Want of Provifions at that Time. The Indians eat the Bodies of the French that they found. Coll. Schuyler (as he 20 told me himself) going among the Indians at that Time, was invited to eat Broth with them, which fome of them had ready boiled, which he did, till they, putting the Ladle into the Kettle to take out more, brought out a French Man's Hand, which put an End to his Appetite.

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The French went home as faft as they could carry their wounded Men with them; but coming to a Place, where they had hid Provifions for their Sup

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CHAP. ply in their return, they found it all spoiled. This IX. put them in great Diftrefs, fo that they were forced to eat their Shoes; they fent fome of the nimbleft Men forward to Montreal, that Provifion might meet them. As foon as they came near the Settlements they difperfed, every Man running home to eat, fo that they returned to Canada like an Army routed. The French own they loft eighty Men, and had thirty three wounded in this Expedition.

One may wonder how it is poffible for Men to march feveral hundred Miles in the Wilderness, while the Ground is every where covered with Snow, two or three Feet deep at least; but the foremoft march on Snow Shoes, which beat a firm Track for those that follow. At Night, when they reft, they dig a Hole in the Snow, throwing the Snow up all round, but higheft towards that Side from whence the Wind blows, fo large, as to contain as many Men as can lye round a Fire: They make the Fire in the Middle, and cover the frozen Ground round it with the fmall Branches of the Fir-Trees. Thus they tell me a Man lyes much warmer, than one imagines that never tried it.

When the Information of the French came to Schenectady, an Exprefs was fent to New York to Coll. Fletcher then Governor there; the Express reached New-York, an hundred and fifty Miles from Albany, the 12th at ten in the Night. The Governor got the City Regiment under Arms by eight the next Morning,

He called out to know who were willing to go with him to the Frontiers, they all immediately threw up their Hats, and anfwered one and all. Indeed the People of this Province have, upon all Occafions, fhewn their Courage and Refolution in Defence of their Country; but the Misfortune is, they are under no Difcipline, and have been feldom led by Men that knew their Daty. The Governor or

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dered an hundred and fifty Voluntiers for this Ser- CHA P. vice, and as many more from Long-Iland. The IX. River then happened to be open by a fudden Thaw, which does not, at that Time of the Year, happen once in twenty Years. He embarked three hundred Men in five Sloops, by four in the Afternoon of the 14th, and arrived at Albany the 17th at nine in the Morning. The fame Day the Governor went to Schenectady, and ordered the Men to follow, but before they could get every Thing ready for their March into the Woods, they had an Account, that Major Schuyler was upon his Return. Several Gentlemen of Albany, particularly Mr. Lanflear, a Gentleman of the beft Etate there, went out Voluntiers under Major Schuyler, which I ought not to have forgot.

Coll. Fletcher made a Speech to the Mohawks at Albany, he blamed their fupine Negligence, in fuffering themselves to be furprifed in the Manner they were in Time of War. He told them that they had Reason to be convinced, that the English were their Friends heartily, by the Number of Men he had marched to their Affiftance in a very little Time, upon the first Notice. He promifed to wipe away their Tears in the Spring, by confiderable Prefents and that he would, in the mean while, take Care of their Subfiftence, by providing Houfes and Victuals for them. He told them, he doubted they had fome false Brethren among them, that gave the French Information, and favoured their Designs; and in the last Place, advised them to convince the French, that they had not loft their Courage with this Misfortune.

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The Mohawks, in their Anfwer, called Coll. Fletcher by the Name of Cayenguirago; and he was called fo by the Indians always after this. It fignifies a great fwift Arrow, as an Acknowledgement of the Speed he made to their Affiftance. But they appeared, in their Anfwer, to be quite difheartned; they had not, in the Memory of any Man, received

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