308
The first of these parties brought me two prisoners, the second commanded by M Mo de Louvigny,Ensign has completely fulfilled its mission. That officer remained several days in the neighborhoodof Chouaguen and did, himself, examine everything. He could not burn the barks because theywere under the cannon of the Fort and well guarded. He made two prisoners, and on his returnrendered 60 @ 80 batteaux unfit for service.
[From Council Minutes XXV.]
At a Council held at Fort George in the City of New-York on Wednesday the 21 day of April 1756.
His Excellency (Gov. Hardy) communicated a Letter from Sir William Johnson of the 16 th Inst,advising that he had just rec d a letter from Colonel Bradstreet in which he writes “This moment ar-rived two Indians of the Onondaga’s to give Notice that Oswego was surrounded four days since bya considerable Number of French and Indians from Cadaraqui and Niagara. That they had heardthe Cannon of Oswego for half a day after they left their Castle , and that the General Rendezvous ofthe Enemy was about twelve Miles from Oswego .
That upon the receipt of Col. Bradstreet’s Letter he had determined to set off with what Mili tia,he could get together immediately, and to order the rest to follow him to the German Flats, and inhis way to take the two Mohawk Castles with him. That he hath been informed of the Weak stateof the Forts Edward and William Henry and that the Garrisons apprehended an attack, and hadtherefore ordered the Militia to March to the Relief of these Forts on Notice of the approach of anEnemy.
His Excellency informed the Council that he had upon former Intelligence which he had receivedof the danger the Garrison of Oswego was exposed to, wrote to the Commanding Officers of theKing’s Troops at Albany and Schenectady , representing the great importance of that Post, and thebad consequences the loss of it must be attended with, and therefore that he hop’d they would marchthe Troops or such part of them as they should find necessary for the relief of that place.
The Council declared His Excellency had taken all the measures in his power on this Occasion.
I arrived here three days ago, after a Tedious Time occasioned by the large Train I was with,consisting of 200 Whale Boats, and 200 Battoes, excepting two Whale Boats, and two Battoes thatwere lost at the Falls, twelve Miles from hence, & four Men drowned in them. On my arrival Iheard, that a few days before, a Party of Indians came on some ship Carpenters cutting Timber not300 yards from the Town; & before a Party could be turned out, Killed and carried off Twelve:Th iy were pursued by the Party, but they could not get sight of them: Our People found one Killed,which they Scalped, & threw his Body in the River , besides several Blankets shot thro’, Knives,Muskets &c. by which ’tis thought some more of the Enemy have been Killed. About eight o’clock