heretofore; for we are assured from good Authority, that some white People are returned to Albany, who were despatched to Oswego, in order to reconnoitre the Woods, and, if possible, to get a View of the Place, who report that they lay two Nights there, where every thing that could be of service to the French was carried away, and the Forts and Houses entirely demolished, that no signs of Murder or Massacre was to be seen, and that they found only three Graves, which were very handsomely made up, and one in particular, which they imagined was Col. Mercer's.

'Tis also said, That a Negro Fellow, who made his Escape, after the Garrison of Oswego was taken, is lying sick at Onida Castle, and says, that immediately after Col. Mercer was killed, the Place was given up to the French, by Order of Lieutenant Colonel Littlehill; that the Number of the Besiegers were but little superior to those of the Besieged; and that the Enemy had no other Cannon, than those they got at Fort Ontario.

A Letter from Oneida Carrying Place dated August 18 saysThat John Gall who belong'd to one of the Vessels on the Lake, and made his Escape reports, That on the 11th instant the Row Galley went out on a Cruise, and return'd in 10 Minutes, first giving a Signal that he had discovered the Enemy: Upon which the two other Sloops with Part of the Regiments on board immediately went out, and in about a Mile from the Fort discovered the Enemy's Camp. The 12th the Enemy engaged Ontario Fort, with Small Arms only, the Fort returning the Fire very smartly with their Cannon and Small Arms, all that Day and Night following. The 13th a Council of War was held at the old Stone Fort, and two Shells and one Ball thrown, which was a Signal for the Troops to quit Ontario Fort and join those at the old Fort, the opposite side of the River, where Col. Mercer was, which they immediately did: That at Night the Enemy hove up a Fachine Battery and Entrenchment on the Edge of the Bank, opposite the old Fort. The 14th in the Morning the Enemy began their Fire on the old Fort, which was warmly returned till Col. Mercer was killed by a Cannon Ball as he was in the Camp encouraging the Men about 11 o'Clock: That the Fire continued very hot about an Hour after, when Lieutenant Cook with a Flag of

Truce was sent to the Enemy; and upon their return all the Indians came in with him. That Orders were immediately given for every Man on board the Vessells to lay down their Arms take 1 Blanket and 2 Shirts and narch Prisoners into the old Fort, That Shirley's & Pepperell's Regiments were ordered to march to Fort Ontario, to be sent Prisoners to Frontenac (500 Indians being to Guard them) in the Vessels which they took from us in our Harbour, being 2 Sloops 6 Guns each, besides Swivels, and 2 Hoies; 2 Schooners, one of them with Swivels; and a Brig lately built, with 14 Carriage Guns, and the same number of Swivels That Col. Schuyler and his Regiment were carried away Prisoners also. That by the best accounts he could collect

there were but five Men Killed besides Col. Mercer.

SIR CHARLES HARDY TO THE BOARD.

[Lond. Doc. XXXIII.]

Fort George N. York Sep 5th 1756.

My Lords-I enclose for your Lordshipps information the Declaration sent me from Albany of the Soldiers who were originally Deserters from the French, & had taken on in Generals Shirley & Peperells Regiments this paper did not come to me from any publick authority, as Lord Loudoun could not then have time to copy papers. One of the Sailors that belonged to the Ontario Capt Lafory, I have seen he gives this information that to the best of his memory on the morning of the 10th of August a small Schooner was sent from Oswego to make discovery, that she returned off of the Harbour again in about two hours, informing them that they had discovered a large incampment of the enemy about three miles to the Eastward of Oswego, upon this information Captns Lafory & Deane sailed in two sloops to attempt cannonading the Camp, before they could reach the shore where the enemy lay they were fired upon with Cannon very briskly, that four shot struck the Ontario, three of them stuck in her side, which they cut out found them to be Balls of twelve pound weight with the Kings broad arrow on them, that they did not think it

adviseable to make any further attempt, but returned to Oswego, & sail'd again the next morning as [and?] observed the encampment as before. By this time the enemy had marched Bodys of their Forces & attacked Fort Ontario with Musquetry which they continued for two days, when the English Garrison abandoned it, first spiking their small Cannon, threw their Powder into a well, & retired into the old Fort, soon after the enemy drew up their Cannon to Fort Ontario in number 8 or 9 and cannonaded the old Fort, which continued for 24 hours when Lieut Col Littlehales, who succeeded to the command upon Lieut Coll Mercers being killed sent out an Officer & Drum with a white Flag, soon after the surrender took place, & the French possession of the Fort, that the Garrison were made prisoners of War & well used, that the vessels which were all in Port, was soon after taken possession of by the French. during the siege was killed Lieut Coll. Mercer Capt Hind of the Train of Artillery and eight or nine private men, & one Engineer wounded, he further says that the Enemy's force was reported to be three thousand Regulars & a great number of Indians, These two accounts tho' not materially different are greatly so from an account sent me from Gen: Willi's Camp. An Onandaga Sachem came to them the 25th in the evening with strings of Wampum and declared. That two of their young men that had been sent to Oswego returned to their Castle & reported that Oswego was not taken till six days before, that the enemy had put the whole to the sword, except 150, sailors carpenters & artificers included, That they had den olished the works & evacuated the place carrying away the shipping Guns ammunition &c, That they had laid the Dead in Banks with their heads in the Water, & scattered a great quantity of Provisions about the Place. That they told the Indians upon their leaving the place, You see we do not want to seize your Lands, only to drive the English away whom we are much obliged to for supplying us with Artillery & Tools which we were in want of to take their Forts, the Sachem added that those that gave us the former accounts were deserters who went away before the affair was decided,

These are all the particulars I can furnish your Lordps with, with respect to the loss of Oswego.

Declaration of a Soldier in Shirley's Regiment.

Albany Aug the 21, 1756. Past 8 o clock

The following account is given by 5 other men who had deserted from the French and were in Generals Shirley & Pepperel's Regiments and escaped with the Declarant.

Claude Frederick Hutenac of Major Gen' Shirley's Regt declares that on Monday the 9th of Augt a Prow Galley went out of the harbour of Oswego, & discovered the French Camp about a mile from Fort Ontario, the next day two sloops sailed out of the Harbour who were fired upon from that Camp & brought in two of the Bullets one of them an eighteenth and the other a twelve Pounder. That on Wednesday & Thursday the enemy continued to fire with Small Arms only from the tops of the Trees & behind bushes upon a rising ground which commands Fort Ontario, which is no more than stockaded with a ditch of 14 feet wide and 10 deep but not quite finished. That on Thursday night the enemy opened Trenches within Pistol shot of the Fort, & on Friday the 13th between one & two in the afternoon, the whole Garrison consisting of 300 men of Pepperells commanded by Capt Barford of that Regiment haveing first spiked their Cannon consisting of two Six Pounders and six four Pounders-abandoned their Fort & embarked aboard Whale Boats and got into the old Fort Oswego, without suffering any loss, that during the time they remained in Fort Ontario, they had only 3 men killed & Ensign Ting of Major Gen1s Pepperells Regiment, wounded, that they neither wanted ammunition or Provisions, & that the enemy never fired any cannon at this Fort That soon after they arrived in the old Fort Oswego, Lieut Coll Mercer marched Pepperell's Regiment with 100 of Shirley's to reinforce Coll Schuyler who with his men were posted at a small unfinished redoubt upon a rising Ground about 600 yards to the Westward of old Fort Oswegoe, this Post had been deserted for some months past, and made use of only in keeping Cattle, this detachment was employed that afternoon in cutting down the Bushes near that Fort and making fascines, That on Saturday morning early the 14th the French opened a Fascine Battery of 5 Pieces of Cannon before the Gate of Fort Ontario, & played upon the old Fort Oswego,

across the mouth of the Harbor, that the Garrison on their side continued to fire above 4 hours with 12 Guns and 4 Mortars whereof one of the latter burst, that between 8 & 9 o clock that morning Coll. Mercer was killed at the Battery upon which the command devolving upon Lieut Coll. Littlehales, he sent for Coll Schuyler & the detachment from the Redoubt who on their marching to the old Oswego Fort had two men killed upon Coll Schuyler's arrival a council of War consisting of the Field Officers & Captains was called and presently thereafter orders was given to cease firing upon which Lieutt Montcreif of Shirleys and an officer of Pepperels with a Sergeant & Drum went out of the Works with a White Flagg in order to cross over at the mouth of the Harbour, upon which this Declarant said to Coll Littlehales that if you are to give up the Fort you must suffer me who am a deserter from the French to make the Best of my way, because they will have no mercy upon me, the Colonel replyed that he expected to march out with the Honors of Warr, & consequently he the Declarant would be safe, not trusting to this, he with seven more who had formerly deserted from the French had leave to make their escape, but before they got quite clear they saw the French from the opposite side of the Harbour getting into Boats, and amongst them some cloathed in Red faced with Green which he immagines belongs to the Irish Brigade, that about 20 of the Garrison of old Fort Oswego were killed and wounded, and that no officer was killed except Lieut. Coll. Mercer, nor any wounded but Lieut de la Cour of the Artillery. That the Enemys battery was raised so high that their shott plunged in amongst them and the only cover they had towards the side of the Lake upon which the Enemys Battery chifly pointed, were from Barrels of Pork placed by way of parapet, with embrasures through. That one Saturday morning the 14th a Party of the French forded the River about Cannon shot from the old Fort who remained in the Woods. without coming near the works. That there was no sortie made from any of the Forts and that all the vessels were in the Port when the Place was given up. That from the report of the Seamen who saw the French Camp they judged them to be about 4000 regulars, besides Canadians & Indians. That the Garrison