177

JOURNALS OF SIR WM. JOHNSONS SCOUTS.

there and Returnd to My Party, found all well except Cap 1 Putnam and ye Spie with him, whowas not returned, The next Morning about 10 o the Clock Cap* Putnam return’d and y e Spie withhim who Gave much the Same acc* as above Saving v* y e Enemies Centrys was sett 20 Rods from y rFires and for a more Crittical examination of y e Enemies Proceedings he went forward till heCame so nigh y 4 he was fired upon by one of y e Centeries within a Rod of him, But unfortunatelyupon Preparing (o Fire upon him fell into a Clay Pit and wett his Gun made y c Best retreat he wasable, hearing y« Enemy Close to their Heels, yy made a Tack & Luckely escap li Safe to our Party,Soon after there was a Discovery made of two Frenchmen upon a Hill a Small Distance, who Calledto us, said Hill overlooked our ambush, in a few minutes they retreated, and Two Canoes appearedand went by us & Lay in y c middle of y c Lake about 40 Rods Distance from Each other, Findingby yt Behaviour, there w r as a Party Coming by Land y 4 we must inevitably be between 2 Fires.

Upon Which I ordered Two Battoes into y c Water Leu* Grant with 6 men, and I went into y eother with 6 more & Put on Board Each a Wall peice and Went out towards y e Canoes, who seemedto Ly upon their Paddles as tho’ they had a Design to Decoy us into some mischief by their Partyy* w r as Designed to Surround our People on Shore, and then attack us by keeping us between y man their Land party finds there Designe attacked them first put y m to y e Rout and surprised so y*they made to y e shore Where Cap’ Putnam with y e rest of our Party Lay, but unhappy to y m lie wasPrepared for y m shot and kill’d y r Cockson; and by our Wall Peices &c; kill’d Divers of y rn Buttupon his fireing upon y r Canoe, Immeadiatly y e Enemy Upon that was upon his Back fired uponand had but Just time to Shove his Battoe into y e Water, and Gett into Before y e Enemy appearednpon y e Waters Edge and Made a Brisk fire upon him Shot Thro’ his Blanket in Divers Places, andthro’ y e Battoe and then made to our Battoes for refuge, upon his Escape we pursued y e Cannoeswith a constant fire upon them till we came within Eighty Rods of y r fires, Discovered a nomberof men upon Each Side of y e shore witliin about 40 Rods of us Gave y m Each a Broad side whichput y m to y e Bush, and Gave us a Clear Passage Homewards and after we Got fairly into y e Lake Layupon Our Oars and Inquired after the Circomstances of y e Party Found none killed, but one Woundedwhich Gave Joy to all of us after so Long an Engagement which I Judge was near 2 Hours &c:

And Then we made y e Best of our Way to our Head quarters about half Way, We met With y®Reinforcem*—But upon Consultation, Thought Best to report What had happend Without furtherproceeding, and accordingly arrived here to y e Encampm* y e 3 d Instant—All which is Hum Sub-mitted by your Dutyfull Serv ts . Robert Rodgers

Israel Putnam

Camp at Lake George Nov 3 d 1755. Noah Grant.

(Endorsed) Report of Cap* Rodgers &C° of their

Skirmish with the Enemys advanced Guard,reced 3 Nov r 1755.

REPORT OF CAPT. BILLING.

Lake George Nov r y e 2 1755.

I y e subscriber Beeing ordered With a number of men to Go Near y e Narrows to Join Cap* Rogersand his men but on my way their I met Cap* Rogers Returning home he Beejing Discouer’d bya Party of the Enemy & attacked & thought Best to Return to y e Camp & I also Returned BackWith him by his Desire.

VOl. iv.

23

Roger Billing Cap*.