to cover the debarcation of the artillery and troops. The first division reached the same Cove at midnight. A battery from Lake Ontario was forthwith erected there and the troops bivouacked during the night at the head of the batteaux. On the 11th, at break of day the Canadians and Indians advanced to within a quarter of a league of, and invested Fort Ontario, situated, as we have stated, on the right bank of the River Chouaguen. Sieur Decombles, sent at 3 o'clock in the morning to make arrangements for this siege and the attack, was killed, returning from his reconnoissance, by one of our Savages [a Nipissing] who escorted him and who took him in the dark, for an Englishman-a mishap which was rendered of the greatest consequence to us from the circumstance of carrying on a siege in America with one Engineer only that remained. Sieur Desandronius the surviving Engineer, ran a road through the woods, partly through swamps explored the evening before, for the purpose of conducting the artillery across. This road, commenced at 11 o'clock in the morning was finished at night and thoroughly completed next morning. The camp was established at the same time, the right resting on Lake Ontario covered by the same battery that protected our batteaux from attack; the left, on an impassable swamp. The precaution of marching only at night and of entering rivers when halting by which we were concealed, had till then hid our advance from the enemy. It was announced to them only that same day by the Indians who went even to the foot of the fort to fire. Three armed barks which sailed at noon from the River Chouaguen came cruising in front of the Camp, discharged some pieces of artillery, but the fire from our battery forced them to sheer off. Since then, they cruised only at a considerable distance. On the 12th at day break Bearn's Regiment arrived with the batteaux of artillery and provisions. These batteaux were forthwith unloaded in presence of the English barks which cruised in front of the Camp. The battery on the beach was increased-the park of artillery and the depot of provisions established, and Sieur Pouchot, Captain in Bearn's Regiment, who had successfully begun a fortification at Niagara, received orders to act as Engineer during the siege. Arrangements were made to open the trenches that very night; Sieur de Bourlamaque superintended them. Six pickets of workmen, fifty men each, were under orders for that night; two companies of grenadiers and three pickets to support them. Notwithstanding the greatest possible diligence, the work at this trench could not be begun until midnight. It was rather a parallel of about 100 toises', the front opened at 90 toises from the ditch of the fort through ground embarrassed by obstructions and stumps of trees. This parallel finished at five o'clock in the morning was completed by the day labourers who cut the lines of communication and commenced erecting batteries. The enemy's fire which had been very brisk since the break of day ceased about eleven o'clock at night, and it was perceived that the garrison evacuated Fort Ontario and passed over to that of Chouaguen at the opposite side of the river. They abandoned in retiring 8 pieces of cannon and four mortars. The fort having been immediately occupied by the grenadiers of the trench, the workmen were commanded to continue the communication of the parallel to the river side where at nightfall was commenced a large battery placed so as to batter Fort Chouaguen, the road from that fort to Fort George, and take the entrenched camp in the rear. Twenty pieces of cannon were conveyed during the night in men's arms, a labour which occupied the whole army, with the exception of the picquets and the camp guard. On the 14th, at day light, the Marquis of Montcalm orderd Sieur de Rigaud to ford the river to the other side with the Canadians and Indians, to occupy the woods and harrass the communication with Fort George where the enemy appeared making considerable preparations. At six o'Clock we had nine pieces. ready to bear, and though the fire of the besieged, up to that time 2 1. A toise is a French measure of six feet. 2. "Sieur Rigaud executed this order forthwith. Though there was considerable water in that River and the current was very rapid, he threw himself in and crossed over with the Canadians and Indians; some swimming, others in the water up to the waist or to the neck and arrived at their destination without the fire of the enemy having been able to stop a single Canadian or Savage."—Another account. was more brisk than our's, they hoisted the White Flag at ten o'Clock and sent two officers to demand a Capitulation. The celerity of our operations in a soil which they considered impracticable, the erection of our batteries completed with so much rapidity, the idea these works gave them of the number of the French troops, the movement of the corps detached from the other side of the river, the dread of the savages, the death of Colonel Mercer, commandant of Chouaguen who was killed at eight o'clock in the Morning,' doubtless determined the beseiged to a step which we had not dared to expect so soon. The Marquis de Montcalm sent Sieur de Bougainville, one of his aids de camp as a hostage and to propose articles of Capitulation which were to the effect that the garrison should render themselves prisoners of war and that the French troops should forthwith take possession of the Forts. The articles having been accepted by the Commandant Sieur Littlealles, commanding Shirley's Regiment and sent to the Marquis of Montcalm, Sieur de la Paur, Aidemajor to Guienne's Regiment (acting Major General) was sent to revise them; and Sieur de Bourlamaque named Commander of Forts George and Chouaguen took possession of these with two companies of Grenadiers and the Pickets from the trenches. He was entrusted with the destruction of said Forts and the removal of the artillery, Munitions of war and the provisions found there. There were, on our side only about thirty men killed or wounded; on that of the English about 150, including several soldiers who wishing to escape across the woods fell into the hands of the Indians. The number of prisoners was nearly 1700 men; to wit Shirley's and Pepperel's regiments, arrived from old England and who were at the battle of Fontenoy, a detachment of Schuylers regiment, Militia of the Country, about 80 officers, among whom were two artillery, two engineers and 12 navy officers. We captured also 7 vessels of war; one of 18 guns, one of 14, one of 10, 1. This officer was gazetted, 7th Oct. 1754, Lieut. Col. of Sir Wm. Pepperella, or the 2nd American, Regt. He had been previously on half pay. 2. John Littlehales was appointed Major of Shirley's (or the 1st American) Reg't also on 7th Oct. 1754. He had been previously on half pay. |