of their dead already near 70, and were employed after the battle last night, and all this afternoon, in bringing in scalps; and great numbers of French and Indians yet left unscalped. They carried off numbers of their dead, and secreted them. Our men have suffered so much fatigue for three days past, and are constantly standing upon their arms by day, half the whole upon guard every night, and the rest lay down armed and accoutred, that both officers and men are almost wore out. The enemy may rally, and we judge they have considerable reinforcements near at hand; so that I think it necessary we be upon our guard, and be watchful to maintain the advantages we have gained. For these reasons I do not think it either prudent or safe to be sending out parties in search of the dead.

I do not hear of any officers killed at our camp but Colonel Titcomb, and none wounded but myself, and Major Nichols of Colonel Titcomb's. I cannot yet get certain returns of our dead and wounded; but from the best accounts I can obtain, we have lost about 130 who are killed, about 60 wounded, and several missing from the morning and afternoon's engage

ment.

I think we may expect very shortly another and more formidable attack, and that the enemy will then come with artillery. The late Colonel Williams had the ground cleared for building a stockaded fort. Our men are so harassed, and obliged to be so constantly upon watchful duty, that I think it would be both unreasonable, and I fear in vain, to set them at work upon the designed fort.

I design to order the New Hampshire regiment up here to reinforce us, and I hope some of the designed reinforcements will be with us in a few days. When these fresh troops arrive, I shall immediately set about building a fort.

My wound is in my thigh and is very painful. The ball is lodged, and cannot be got out; by which means I am, to my mortification, confined to my tent.

This letter was begun, and should have been dispatched yesterday; but we had two alarms, and neither time or

prudence would permit it. I hope, sir, you will place the incorrectness hereof to the account of our situation. I am, sir, most respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

WILLIAM JOHNSON.1

SIR,

WILLIAM EYRE TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY 2

Lake George, September 10, 1755.

As Major General Johnson is sending your Excellency an Express to inform your Excellency of our Affairs in these parts, I take the Opportunity to inform you, that by his Order I have built a Fort at the Carrying place, which will contain 300 Men; it's in the form of a Square with three Bastions, and takes in Col. Lydius's House. This Work is pallisaded quite round, which is its chief Security from a surprize or sudden Attack; as I was oblig'd to leave that place, and most of the Troops to come here, it was out of my power to make the Rampart and Parapet, of a sufficient height and thickness, to stand Cannon, or the Ditch wide and deep enough to make it's Passage very difficult; however I think 3 or 400 Men will be able to resist 1500, provided they do their Duty, if Cannon is not brought against it. I beg leave to inform your Excellency, that I am of Opinion, its very necessary that a strong and regular Work

1 Parkman notes that Johnson does not mention Lyman in this account although admitting privately his aid in the battle.

2 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. Inclosed, Johnson to Shirley, Sept. 9. Copy inclosed, Shirley to Robinson, Oct. 5, 1755. Captain William Eyre was serving as engineer under Johnson and seems to have considered it his duty to report directly to Shirley. He had been in the 44th regiment of foot under Braddock at Fort Duquesne, going thence to New York. Here he built Fort William Henry at the head of Lake George. Eyre became later Chief Engineer under Amherst and planned the fort at Ticonderoga, after the capture of the old fortress from the French. He was drowned in 1764.

is erected at this place, to keep possession, so far of this Country, and the more so, if it should be found not practicable to go any further this Campaign.

The Enemy by all Accounts are very formidable; and I think it not improbable, they will pay us another Visit soon: if they can seize, and take our Work at the Carrying Place, I fear it would be attended with bad Consequences, as it would cut off our retreat and Communication with Albany, and totally stop our Reinforcement and Provisions from joining us; if another Road could be not found; which I believe is not easy to be met with. I cannot help thinking, that what induced the French, or may induce them hereafter to attack us here, is fearing we would not attempt to go any further, so was resolved to cutt us off before we retired; for surely, if they are a match for us, and dare storm our Camp so far from Crown Point; and consequently from their own Strength, how much more advantage would they have over us, if they waited for our approaching them, and that with part of our force; whilst they could make use of all theirs, besides being posted advantageously; it's certain the Enemy behaved gallantly, and did much more than I thought they dare attempt: however they are repulsed, and their General taken, who I believe to be an excellent Officer, and who we are sure is a Man of resolution. These few thoughts I beg leave to throw before your Excellency: General Johnson was wounded soon after the Action began in encouraging the Troops, and making the necessary disposition to sustain the Attack, the Numbers of our killed, Wounded and missing I presume he acquaints you of, but the loss of the Enemy is very uncertain. I sincerely wish your Excellency Success.

And am

Your Excellency's most Obedient
humble Servant

His Excellency General Shirley,

a true Copy Exa. by

Wm. Alexander Secy.

WILL: EYRE.

Endorsed:

Copy

Letter from Capt. Eyre
to Major General Shirley
dated 10th Sepr. 1755.

in Majr. Genl. Shirley's Letter
of Octr. 5th 1755.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1

SIR,

Camp at Oswego, Septr. 19th, 1755.

I have the Honour to acquaint you that I arriv'd here the 18th of August.

I had before receiv'd Accounts from the Commandant of this Fort, that upwards of 1600 French had at several times, this summer, pass'd by in Sight of it towards Niagara in their Way, (as was suppos'd) either to the Ohio, or else to strengthen that Pass; and that in the Month of July part of them, vizt: 300 French and 200 Indians had encamp'd within five Miles of this Fort, with a Design, as the Commandant thought, to attack it, but that finding the Garrison too strong for their Force, they pass'd on towards Niagara.

The Night before my Arrival I receiv'd by Express from the Officer here an Account that an Onondaga Indian, who had arriv'd three Days before from Fort Frontenac, which is situated on the North East Edge of the Lake Ontario, (call'd also Cadaraqui) and about 50 Miles distant from this Place, had brought Intelligence, that the French design'd very suddenly to attack Oswego from thence; the Particu

1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. See also Shirley to Col. Thomas Dunbar of equal date. Extract is in I Penna. Arch. 2, 417-418. A copy of Shirley's orders to Dunbar was sent by the former to Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia. In his reply of Sept. 20 Dinwiddie acknowledges its receipt and gives an account of Dunbar's conduct in disobedience of those orders. Dinwiddie Papers, 2, 208.

lars of which are contain❜d in the inclos'd Copy of the Officer's Letter.1

Upon my Arrival at this Place, I found it, notwithstanding Captain Bradstreet, the Commandant, had done every thing, that an active, able Officer in his Situation could do, in a very defenceless Condition. The Strength of the Fort, which was mounted with seven Cannon of 3 lb Ball, and two of 4 lb, consists of a Stone Wall of about 600 feet in Circumference, and three and a half feet thick, so ill cemented, as not to be able to stand against a Cannon of 4 lb. Shot. It is situated upon the South Edge of Lake Ontario on a small Eminence, but which is commanded at 450 Yards distance, to the North East, by a Point of much higher Ground on the opposite Side of the River, which forms its' Harbour, and by another Eminence behind it, Westward, at the distance of 540 Yards. And in this expos'd State of it, the French might have landed cannon out of their Vessells upon the Lake, within five Miles of the before mention'd Point, and one Mile of the Eminence behind the Fort.

Upon a Survey taken of both these Eminences on the afternoon of my Arrival, the high Point on the opposite Side appear'd to be a most advantageous one, not only for commanding the Harbour, the Lake, and the Fort, but likewise for defence against the Approach of an Enemy; and the high Ground behind the Fort a very advantageous one, and necessary to be secur'd, tho' not equally so with the opposite point.

From the late General Braddock's Instructions, which he communicated to me at Alexandria,2 I found he was restraind from building any Fort of great Expence, untill he should first transmit an Estimate of it for Approbation: But if that had not been the Case, the time, I had to erect any Work upon either of these two Eminences, would not have

1 Bradstreet to Shirley, Aug. 17, ante, p. 240.

2 The royal instructions of Nov. 25, 1754, to Braddock are printed Penna Arch. 2, 203; and the secret instructions of same date in Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 6, 920, also 2 Penna. Arch. 6, 211.