FRONTENAC’S EXPEDITION, 1696.

[ Council Min. VII. ]

At a Council held at his Ma ties ffort in New Yoi'ke the 9 th of July 1696.Present His Excellency Benjamin Fletcher &c

Bred Phillips A Gab 1

Steph. Cortlandt > Esq rs Peter

Steph. CortlandtNich: Bayard

Gab MonviellePeter SchuylerJohn Lawrence

His Excell: did communicate intelligence from Albany with the examination of a ffrench prisoner

wherein appears there is great preparacon in Canida and a resolution of the Govern 1 ' of Canida toreduce the five Nations this summer that all the men between fifteen & fifty in Canida are orderedto be in readiness and that all the ffrench Indians & Ottawawaes are together & that they are to

joyn the Dawaganhaes

His Excell, offered his opinion to march up 400 men to the Castle of Onondage to encourage andconfirme the Indians.

The Council do approve thereof, but affirm the impossibility for want of money which is not to

be had our neighbours having denyed assistance the Revenue lessened much by the decay of tradeand great backwardness in bringing in the taxes

At a Council held at his Ma 11 ’ 8 ffort in New Yorke the 27 th of July 1696.

Present His Excellency Benjamin Fletcher &c.fired Phillips 4

Steph: Cortlandt > Esq rsGab Monvielle )

John LawrenceCaleb Heathcote

His Excell: did communicate a letter from Mr. Allyn of Connecticutt giving account of twoffrench men taken prisoners neere the heads of their rivers and that they report there is 1000 ffrench& 2000 Indians marched against the five Nations.

Also a letter from Coll. Ingoldesby with a belt from Onondage bringing intelligence of a greatbody of ffrench & Indians on this side Mount Reall on their march towards them 12 dayes aggo.

His Excell: desired the advice of the Council what is to be done offering his readynesse to marchimmediately to the frontiers in person and his opinion it were convenient to march up men for thefrontiers that a body may be spared to go to Onondage to cover them and show our zeal for theirpreservacon which will give them encouragement.

It is the opinion of the Council that there being no assistance of men from the neighbouring Colo-nies and a small summe of money sent from Virginia and Maryland to assist in the many greatcharges this Province is put to upon the alarms of the enemy it being harvest time and many of theSouth of the Province already listed to recruit the Companyes it will be very grievous to take thepeople from their labour and hardly possible there is likewise no money to answer the charge thereof