Oswego. Others are employed in making Passages thro' the most shallow Rifts in the Mohawk's River. I have directed two Store-houses to be built, one on each end of the Carrying place, of Strong Logs, covered and floor'd with bark, 35 feet long and 20 feet broad. These will be sufficient, and the cost of them trifling, but it will be of great use that some Men encamp at each of the said Houses, until all the Stores are carried over. The Battoes are in great forwardness, the whole Number of them which Your Excellency Ordered will be ready at Schenectady within twenty days from this time, and every thing else which you have Ordered, I think may be there before that time, And I must take the Liberty of saying that I heartily wish Your Excellency with the Troops could be there about that time, many things. make it necessary that no time be lost. The Water in the Mohawk's River and Wood Creek grows shallow about the middle and latter end of the Summer, which makes the Passage tedious. The French in Canada are not in the least apprized or apprehensive of any Attack from the English, but on the Ohio, and to the Eastward. The Troops going to Oswego are looked upon only as a Reinforcement of that Garrison, and Col. Johnson's Enterprise will be looked upon as only a design of building a strong Fort on the Carrying place, a Report of which they have had some time. The Govr. of Canada has acquainted the Caghnawagas that he has nothing against it, if they don't come over the middle of the Carrying place, so far he allows the English to have right, but if they do he is determined to oppose with Force. This is what all the Caghnawagas lately here, and the French Gentleman mentioned in my last, agree in.

I have obtained an actual Survey of Oswego and the Fort there, also an actual Survey of the greatest part of the way between that place and this, the Maps and Plans of which I shall have ready at New York. Several of the principal Indian Traders have promised me, that if Your Excellency Chuses it, they will attend You to Oswego, or wherever else you please. Some of them may be of great use.

There are no Sailors to be had here, and I believe but few

at New York; if You can get about 20 good ones from Boston We may, I believe, make up the remainder at about 50s sterl. per Month. By a Sloop just arrived from New York, I have an account of the Arrival of a Vessel there in 28 days from London, and brings advice that a War is speedily expected. If the Wind be fair I shall set out for New York this afternoon.

I am Sir,

To Govr. Shirley at Boston.

WM. ALEXANDER.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM JOHNSON 1

State of the Case of the Expedition against
Niagara with regard to the Number of
Troops Sufficient for the Service.

When the Expedition to Crown point was first determined upon by the Colonies concern'd in it, there was no thought of making any Attempt for the Reduction of the French Forts at Niagara at the same time, and it was Expected that the Forces employ'd against Crown point, would have the whole Strength of the Country about Montreal to encounter. The Provincial Forces which were then depended upon, being rais'd as Sufficient for that Service, were 4000 Men, as to New Jersey's sending any, tho' that Government was desir'd in General to send some, Yet it was Scarcely expected from them, and therefore, no Quota was alloted to them; And in the Resolves of the Massachusetts Assembly, it was determined to begin to raise their Quota of Men as Soon as it should be certainly known, that the Colonies of New York, Connecticutt, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island should raise their respective Proportions, without staying to know the Success of the Application to the Govr. of New Jerseys, or whether they could have the Assistance of one of the Kings American Regim'ts or not, which tho'

1 N. Y. State Library, Johnson Manuscripts, I, 196.

desir'd was very precarious. This alteration of the General Plan of Operations, is a very material one, as it will Occasion a Considerable Diversion of the French Forces, which would otherwise be employ'd in the defence of Crown point.

It is well known that the Value of Canada to the French consists chiefly in its convenient Situation for Carrying on the Great Furr Trade they have with all the Indians inhabiting the Country behind the Appalachian Mountains, and for making them Masters of that Country, and of those Nations, the former of which they have openly invaded, and begun to force the latter into their Interest. This Acquisition would of itself be a very large and Valuable Dominion to the French, Especially as it would be Contiguous to their Settlements upon the Mississippi, and must if they should gain it, contribute greatly towards their Reduction of all the English Colonies in North America. It is as well known likewise, that in Order to make this Acquisition, it is necessary for the French to hold possession of the Lakes Ontario, and Erie, the Strait of Niagara, and the River Ohio, since it is only by means of them, that they can maintain an usefull Communication between Canada and the Mississippi; Their former Route from Montreal thro' the River Outouwoais, and by way of [Lake] Mischelima kenak, is practicable only for light birch Canoes, as it abounds with Falls, and hath Thirty Six portages or Carrying places.

The Cutting the French off therefore from the Navigation. of the Lakes Ontario and Erie, and the pass at Niagara, must prevent them from effecting a Junction of Canada with the Mississippi, disconcert their Schemes upon the Ohio, and put an End to their Views of Compassing that Empire, which they have long mark'd out for themselves upon the Back of the English Colonies, and of late made a progress towards Obtaining. Consequently it is to be expected, that they will exert their utmost Efforts to defend their Possession of these Lakes, and the pass at Niagara, which must of course, occasion a great Diversion of the Forces in Canada, 1 Apalactrian in the manuscript.

2 Ottawa River.

they would otherwise employ at Crown point, and of Course facilitate the Reduction of the French Fort there.

The forces now raising for the Expedition to Crown point, are 800 by the Govt. of New York, 1000 by the Colony of Connecticutt, 1500 by the Massachusetts Bay, 500 by the Province of New Hampshire, and 400 by that of Rhode Island, in all 4200 Men, which with the Indians that General [William] Johnson may be expected to raise will amount in the whole to 4400 Men at least, and if even 1000 Men were to be spar'd from them, for the Service at Niagara, the remainder would be a much more Sufficient force to attempt the Reduction of Crown point with now, than 5000 would have been, if no Diversion had been made by the Expedition to Niagara.

It ought to be Considered in this case, if the French are Obliged to run the Risque of loosing either their Fort at Crown point, or all the Southern Country, which Risque they would Sooner run, the former or latter. If they should lose Crown point, they might easily Strengthen themselves upon Lake Champlain, if they should lose the latter, Canada itself would not be worth holding, nor Could they well maintain the Expence of it without the Fur Trade.

Further it seems very likely that upon the arrival of General Braddock's Forces at the French Forts upon the Ohio in good Order, they will Quit them, and Come in their Battoes across Lake Erie to Niagara, in which case with the Forces which they would send from Montreal across Lake Ontario on the other hand, supposing them to be only 1000, and what they could soon Muster from among the Indians, they might easily make up double the Number of what would be employed in the attempt at Niagara, even with the addition of the 500 Men proposed by the Province of the Massachusetts Bay.

There is another very Material thing, likewise in the Case, which is, That the Forces employ'd in the Expedition to Niagara, will intercept the French now upon the Ohio, if they should attempt to cross Lake Ontario to come to the relief of Crown point, which is another Circumstance that

would Greatly facilitate the Reduction of Crown point, and is much in favour of the Expedition to Niagara being Supported. Another thing to be Considered is, that a Defeat at Niagara, would forever fix all the Indians in the Interest of the French, on the other hand succeeding there, would bring 'em all over to the English Interest.

It should be further Observed that as Govr. Shirley hath full power to employ the Forces under his Command in any part of the Kings Service, after that at Niagara is Effected, he may possibly be able especially in case there should be but little Opposition there, to Strengthen the Forces at Crown point, with those under his own Command, at all Events if the Service at Crown point should Labour for want of a larger Number of Troops, it would be very practicable for it to be Strengh'd in time from the Colonies, as Those Troops may intrench or otherwise Secure themselves against a Stronger Force, untill they should receive such Succours, but that would not be the Case with the Forces at Niagara, under like Circumstances.

Boston, May 31st, 1755.

W. SHIRLEY.

Endorsed by Johnson: Govr. Shirley's Reasons for reinforcing the troops designed against Niagara &c. with Volunteers from the troops destined for Crown Point.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JAMES DE LANCEY1 Boston, June 1st, 1755.

SIR,

I have received Your Honours Letter dated the 20th May, with the Opinion of his Majesty's Council for your Province upon the subject of the Cannon I desired the Loan of; I am sorry that I have given yourself or the Council so much Trouble about this Affair. Had I thought that your sparing two more of your Brass twelve Pounders for the King's service at Niagara would have exposed your Fort to any 11 Penna. Arch. 2, 338.