•mm\
316
remains of the Acadians driven from their Settlements, of whom those who had not been trans-planted to the more distant English Colonies were wandering in the woods. Another detachment ofobservation of about 500 men was in the direction of Fort Lydius. The Queen’s batallion and that -of Languedoc were encamped in front of Fort Carillon. Barn was destined for Niagara; Guyennefor Frontenac, and Sieur de Villiers Captain of a Colonial Troop, hung on the enemy and watchedhis movements towards the river Chouaguen, with a corps of 700 men, Canadians and Indians. Thedefence of Fort du Quesne and the Belle Riviere (Ohio) was confided to a somewhat considerableparty of Canadians and Savages, and Sieur Dumas, Commandant in that Quarter, had orders to retainwith him all the Indians of the Upper Country whose rendezvous was at Presque isle, in case hisposts 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 andLa Sarre to Frontenac with the two French Engineers, also arrived this year, to the order of SieurColonel Bourlamaque, to erect new fortifications at that place, or rather an entrenched Camp whichwould have placed them beyond insult. Chevalier de Levis , Brigadier, was destined to command onLake St Sacrement, and the Marquis de Montcalm , Field Marshal, to proceed to the quarter whichmay apparently be most threatened by the enemy.
Thus every thing seemed arranged for defence in different parts; on Lake Ontario , Lake St Sacre-ment, and the Bell Riviere. Some parties only of Canadians and Indians succeeded each other with-out intermission on the English frontiers exposed to their ravages, and they laid waste more especiallyPensilvania, Virginia and Maryland .
Toward mid-June it clearly appeared from the report of the Indians sent out as scouts; from thedepositions of several prisoners; from the vast preparations made at Albany and Fort Lydius, thatthe English had offensive intentions in the direction of the Point of Lake St Sacrement. Upon thisintelligence, the Marquis de Montcalm proposed a diversion towards Lake Ontario for the purpose ofattracting a portion of the enemy’s forces thither, and consequently relieving La Pointe. This diver-sion 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 important by itssituation at the Mouth of the River of that name on Lake Ontario , the key of the Upper Country byits 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 wellas a species of Crown work, in earth, serving as an intrenched Camp, having also a good port and awell sheltered harbour. But this siege so important to the Colony did not seem feasible this Cam-paign, the season being already far advanced, the preparation which this expedition required beingvery great, the distance considerable and transportation not being accomplished except with diffi-culties and endless delays across a country having no other roads but rivers, filled with falls andrapids, and lakes rendered frequently impassable to batteaux in consequence of the violence of thewaves.
Sieur Bigot, Intendant of Canada, arrived at this conjuncture at Montreal ; took upon himself thecollection of munitions of war of all sorts, and of provisions—the despatch of convoys and theiruninterrupted supply. The diversion towards Chouaguen was then determined on with the designto 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 bodyof Colonial troops and Indians to assume command of Sieur de Villiers’ Camp, established at Niaourebay about 15 leagues from Chouaguen; Sieur de Bourlamaque received orders to commence at FortFrontenac whatever preparations he may deem necessary; Sieur Decombles, Engineer, to proceedwith a detachment of Canadians and Savages to reconnoitre Chouaguen; and to conceal the project
■-im