174

JOURNALS OF SIR WM. JOHNSON’S SCOUTS.

REPORT OF LIEUT. FONDA.

Camp at Lake George 14 Oct r 1755.

A Report of the Scout under my Command being in Number 1 Sergint and 12 Men—Agreeableto orders Came op first with the party Commanded by Lut: Yan Schaick who was on the returnback to this Camp and asked the Reason why they returned so soon or why they had not precededas an accident had happened to one of their men he sayd he was sick and unfit to proced on whichI left him and Came up with the party Commanded by Capt n Syms, who was waiting for orders onwhich I then gave him the orders I Received from gen 11 Johnson Aid De Camp to March forwardupon which all Excepting all to Refused to proced and then I asked my party to go and taketheir Blanketts and provisions which they Denied Except with their own Officers and I then Calledand said all you that are Cowards Come and lie take y 1 ' names Down and they Come so thick that ICould see But 10 or 12 Left of the whole party & they mostly Consisting of New Yorkers and thenI asked the Commander what he woud do or whether he understood me that he was to go forwordhe said he believed he would Come back and so we returned to this Camp.

Jelles Fonda.

CAPT. SIMS’ REPORT.

Monday y e 13 th Instant Set out from y e Camps about 2, o’the Clock in y e afternoon upon Com dwith Fifty men under my Command Travild about three miles upon y e West of y e Lake and sentout 3 Scouts according to orders ; and Encamp d 2 of which Performed their orders and return’dwithout any Discovery, But thro’ mistake the officer that was ordered for to send y e North Scout,sett only a Centery, who was Placed near 45 Rods from ye Encamp 4 and about half an Hour aftersunset he was fired upon as near as We could Judge by a Scout from y e Enemy Consisting of fouror five Indians, upon which I ordered all to arms and to proceed with all speed to y e Place whereye fire was and when I got there to my astonishm 4 I had but about 15 men with me, I Looked Backand they Cried out for Gods sake call us all togeather or we shall be cut off’, upon which I order’dthem to spread and march in a half moon in order to Discover y e Ennemy or y e occation of y°Fire and without Further Discovery But y e Loss of all Except about six or seven Living men whichwas with me and my Lieuten 4 Then Returned and upon our Return found y e Centery kill’d & sculp’dTook him Down to y e Camp and there found y e Rest of my men In Great Distress Tying up theirPacks; upon which I Doubled y e Guards and ordered all to stand their Ground upon their Perrilwhere I with Difficulty kept them Till Furth r orders from your Hon 1 ' upon y e Receipt of which Icould Prevail upon but 13 men to Proceed Further and therefore Judged Best and most advisa-ble to returne and Report y e Occation of my not Proceeding y e Scout out as I have ParticularlyInformed your Horn Worthy S r I now stand ready upon all orders to Pursue your Comm ds to aTittle upon my Part, Provided I can have such materials as are fit for y e Purpose, and WhenEver I fail Lett me be stigmatized I Remain Your Hon rs Most Dutiful and Ob 4 Hum ble Serv 4Camp at Lake George W* Symes.

Octob r 22 d 1755.

To the Honnorble Will™ Johnson Esq

Leut 4 Gen 11 of y® Army at Lake George.