for securing his Rear, and preventing the Enemy from Surrounding his whole Party.—Nor did he receive any Help from our Indians.-The whole Number he had with him, was only Twelve.-Nine of these (such is the State of our Interest with them!) could not be brought to engage.-One went immediately over to the French, and informed them of our Numbers & Disposition. An Oneida Indian fought bravely thro' the whole Dispute but another Indian escaped to the Onondaga Castle, and spread a Report that Capt. Bradstreet was killed, & all his Battoemen defeated.-I hope we shall in the ensuing campaign, fully avenge the loss we sustained on the banks of Monaungahela

DESCRIPTION OF OSWEGO, 1756.

[Paris Doc. XII. ]

It con

Fort Ontario is situate at the right1 of the River in the middle of a very high plateau. sists of a square of 30 toises [180 feet a side, the faces of which, broken in the centre, are flanked by a redan placed at the point of the break. It is constructed of pickets 18 inches in diameter smooth on both sides, very well joined the one to the other and rising 8 @ 9 feet from the ground. The ditch that encircles the fort, is 18 feet wide by 8 deep. The excavated earth had been thrown up en glacis on the counterscap with a very steep slope over the berm [covered way]. Loop holes and embrasures are formed in the pickets on a level with the earth thrown up on the berm and a scaffolding of carpenter's work extends all around so as to fire from above. It has eight guns and 4 mortars with double grenades.

The old Fort Chouaguen, situate on the left [or west] bank of the River, consists of a house with galleries (machecoulis) with loop holes on the ground floor and principal story, the walls of which are three feet thick and encompassed at a distance of three toises [18 feet] by another wall 4 feet thick and 10 high, loopholed and flanked by two large square towers. It has likewise a trench encircling, on the land side, the Fort where the enemy had placed 18 pieces of cannon and 15 mortars and howitzers.

Fort George is situate 300 toises beyond that of Choauguen on a hill that commanded it. It is of pickets and badly enough entrenched with earth on two sides.

JOURNAL OF THE SIEGE OF CHOUAGUEN.

COMMENCED THE 11th AUGUST 1756, AND CONCLUDED THE 14th AT NIGHT; BY THE MARQUIS OF MONTCALM.

[ Paris Doc. XII. ]

On the arrival of the French Troops in Canada in the month of May, every disposition having been made for the Campaign, the Marquis of Vaudreuil Governor General of New France detached a body of Colonial Troops and Militia towards the St. John River to harrass the English and receive

1 That is, the East Bank.

the remains of the Acadians driven from their Settlements, of whom those who had not been transplanted to the more distant English Colonies were wandering in the woods. Another detachment of observation of about 500 men was in the direction of Fort Lydius. The Queen's battalion and that of Languedoc were encamped in front of Fort Carillon. Barn was destined for Niagara; Guyenne for Frontenac, and Sieur de Villiers Captain of a Colonial Troop, hung on the enemy and watched his movements towards the river Chouaguen, with a corps of 700 men, Canadians and Indians. The defence of Fort du Quesne and the Belle Riviere (Ohio) was confided to a somewhat considerable party of Canadians and Savages, and Sieur Dumas, Commandant in that Quarter, had orders to retain with him all the Indians of the Upper Country whose rendezvous was at Presque isle, in case his posts were threatened; if not to send a part of them to Montreal.

Reinforcements having arrived from France, Royal Rousillon was sent to Lake St Sacrement and La Sarre to Frontenac with the two French Engineers, also arrived this year, to the order of Sieur Colonel Bourlamaque, to erect new fortifications at that place, or rather an entrenched Camp which would have placed them beyond insult. Chevalier de Levis, Brigadier, was destined to command on Lake St. Sacrement, and the Marquis de Montcalm, Field Marshal, to proceed to the quarter which may apparently be most threatened by the enemy.

Thus every thing seemed arranged for defence in different parts; on Lake Ontario, Lake St. Sacrement, and the Belle Riviere. Some parties only of Canadians and Indians succeeded each other without intermission on the English frontiers exposed to their ravages, and they laid waste more especially Pensilvania, Virginia and Maryland.

Toward mid-June it clearly appeared from the report of the Indians sent out as scouts; from the depositions of several prisoners; from the vast preparations made at Albany and Fort Lydius, that the English had offensive intentions in the direction of the Point of Lake St. Sacrement. Upon this intelligence, the Marquis de Montcalm proposed a diversion towards Lake Ontario, for the purpose of attracting a portion of the enemy's forces thither, and consequently relieving La Pointe. This diversion was to be made, however, in such a way that the defensive could be changed into offensive, according to circumstances.

The Marquis de Vaudreuil had never lost sight of the siege of Chouaguen, a post most important by its situation at the Mouth of the River of that name on Lake Ontario, the key of the Upper Country by its communication with the Five Nations, Albany and the River Hudson; defended by three forts-Fort Ontario on the right bank of the River, Forts George and Chouaguen on the left bank, as well as a species of Crown work, in earth serving as an intrenched Camp, having also a good port and a well sheltered harbour. But this siege so important to the Colony did not seem feasible this Campaign, the season being already far advanced, the preparation which this expedition required, being very great, the distance considerable and transportation not being accomplished except with difficulties and endless delays across a country having no other roads but rivers, filled with falls and rapids, and lakes rendered frequently impassable to batteaux in consequence of the violence of the waves.

Sieur Bigot, Intendant of Canada, arrived at this conjuncture at Montreal; took upon himself the collection of munitions of war of all sorts, and of provisions--the despatch of convoys and their uninterrupted supply. The diversion towards Chouaguen was then determined on with the design to besiege it, if the condition of that place, or the carelessness of the enemy permitted.

Sieur de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, Governor of Three Rivers, was accordingly sent with a fresh body of Colonial troops and Indians to assume command of Sieur de Villiers Camp, established at Niaouré bay about 15 leagues from Chouaguen; Sieur de Bourlamaque received orders to commence at Fort Frontenac whatever preparations he may deem necessary; Sieur Decombles, Engineer, to proceed with a detachment of Canadians and Savages to reconnoiter Chouaguen; and to conceal the project

from the enemy, the Marquis de Montcalm departed 27th June with Chevalier de Levis for Fort Carillon. The defensive positions to be adopted in this quarter; the fortifications erecting at Carillon; the movements of the enemy at Fort Lydius and Albany; all these reasons justified the Marquis of Montcalm's presence at Lake St Sacrement. This General remained there only long enough to make the necessary arrangements and put the English on the wrong scent. He placed the defence of that frontier in the hands of Chevalier de Levis with a corps of 3000 men; returned on the 15th July to Montreal where he arrived on the 19th; received there his last Instructions and set out again on the 21st and arrived at Frontenac on the 29th. Bearn's battalion had already received orders to repair thither from Niagara, and Sieur Mercier Commander of Artillery had arrived there two days before.

Having made those preparations inseparable from a new expedition in this country, which consequently presents difficulties unknown in Europe, and provided every thing necessary to secure a retreat in case superior forces rendered this inevitable, orders were given to two barks—one of 12, and the other of 16 guns-to cruize in the latitude of Chouaguen. A corps of Scouts, Canadians and Indians, were sent on the road between the latter place and Albany, to intercept Runners. The Marquis de Montcalm left Frontenac on the 4th August with the first division of the army consisting of De la Sarre's and De Guyenne's battallions and four pieces of cannon.2 He arrived on the 6th at the Bay of Niaouré, which the Marquis de Vaudreuil had designated as the rendezvous of all the Troops, and where the second division composed of Bearn's battallion, of the Militia, of 80 batteaux of Artillery and provisions arrived on the 8th. The number of troops destined for the expedition was nearly 3000 men-to wit, de la Sarre's, Guyenne's and Bearn's battallions amounting to only 1300 men; the remainder, soldiers of the Colony, Militiamen and Indians. Sieur de Rigaud's corps, destined as the vanguard, set out on the same day to advance to a cove called, L'anse aux Cabanes (Wigwam Cove) within three leagues of Chouaguen. The first division having arrived there on the 10th at two o'clock in the morning, the vanguard proceeded four hours afterwards across the woods to another Cove situated half a league from Chouaguen 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.

3

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. 1 Supposed to be a part of the celebrated Irish Brigade, then in the French service, and mentioned in the Deposition of a French Deserter, post p. 324; Bearn's Battallion was between 400 and 500 men.

2 Another account says-"Orders came for the Regiment of La Sarre to proceed to the Bay of Niaouré. the 29th to encamp at l'Isle aux Aillo and arrived at the rendezvous on the 30th.

to Frontenac for Guyenne's and Bearn's Regiment and the Artillery.”

We proceeded on

We had orders to send back our batteaux

3 Now, Sandy Creek Bay. "We marched all the night of the 9th and 10th, (says another account) when we joined Mr. Rigaud at Wigwam Cove. The army bivouacked at the Rivière aux Sables," now Sandy Creek, Oswego co.

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 daylight, the Marquis of Montcalm ordered 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 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 besieged 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 ar

3

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 sirgle Canadian or Savage."—Another account.

3. This officer was gazetted, 7th Oct. 1754, Lieut. Col. of Sir Wm. Pepperells, or the 2nd American, Regt. He had been previously on half pay.

ticles having been accepted by the Commandent Sieur Littlealles, commanding Shirley's Regiment1 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, one of 8, three mounted with patereros, 200 barges or batteaux, 7 pieces of bronze, 48 of iron, 14 mortars, 5 howitzers, 47 patereros, a quantity of bullets, bombs, balls, powder and a considerable pile of provisions.

On the 21st all having been demolished, the prisoners, artillery and supplies being removed, the army re-imbarked and repaired in three divisions to the Bay of Niaouré whence the several corps proceeded to their respective destinations. The savages having, with the Marquis of Montcalm's permission, departed successively after the seige, This general had previous to the expedition bound the Nations the one to the other by a Wampum belt which he had presented them in His Majesty's name according to the custom of the Country.

So much munition of war and provisions found at Chouaguen-the fleet which secured the command on Lake Ontario to the English-the additional reinforcements they expected from day to day-all announced designs on their part against our posts, Frontenac and Niagara, the execution of which was calculated on this Autumn, and the danger of which the Colony, very fortunately, had not to incur.2

[For another French account of the taking of Oswego, see Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. xxvi. 508.]

ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION,

GRANTED TO THE ENGLISH TROOPS COMMANDED BY JOHN LITTLEHALES, COMMANDING SAID TROOPS AND THE FORTS CHOUAGUEN, BY M. LE MARQUIS DE MONTCALM, FIELD MARSHAL OF THE KINGS ARMIES, GENERAL OF HIS TROOPS IN NEW FRANCE.

Article the first.

It has been agreed that the English troops shall surrender themselves prisoners of War; that the Officers and soldiers shall be allowed to preserve their effects.

1. 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.

2. "The Abbe Picquet

came to Chouaguen to plant a Cross there, on which was affixed In hoc signo vincunt;

and along side, a pole with the Kings arms and this incription-Manibus date lelia plenis.”—Additional account.