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new made for nine large pieces of Artillery (those prepar'd for them before I arriv'd not being sufficiently secur'd) an Hospital necessary to be built; and from the Intelligence, we had receiv'd, it seem'd not adviseable for any considerable part of the Forces with me to leave this Place in the Stone Wall; that they had likewise a distinct View of two Vessells of about 40 Tons each, which lay moor'd in the Harbour near the Fort, and appear'd to them to have Guns mounted, and to be unrigg'd; Also, that they had a distinct View of a Regular Encampment at the East End of the Fort, in which they counted six large Marquis Tents; and that they judg'd from the Extent of it that it might contain three or four hundred men; That upon the Side of the Bay opposite the Fort there is a point of Land about half a Mile's distance from it; That between this Point and the Island, where they landed, there is a small Island (said to be inhabited by about twenty Indian Families,) situated within about three quarters of a Mile's distance of the Fort; That they think there is deep Water between these Islands and the main Land, and that on the back of the two Islands and point of Land there are two others at about a Mile and half distance, and others adjacent; and upon being ask'd if they could discover a Number of Battoes near the Fort, they answer'd they could discover none.

His Excellency also acquainted the Council, that an Indian, who came here soon after his Arrival, and who had left Fort Frontenac nine Days before, inform'd him that when he left it the French had about 30 Men within the Fort, and 600 Soldiers in Tents without it; That he saw a great Number of Barrels of Powder within it, and that the Stone Wall which surrounds it was about six feet thick, and that it was mounted with a great many Guns, large and small; That an Onondaga Indian now in the Camp, call'd Red Head, who says he left Fort Frontenac about five Weeks ago, has inform'd his Excellency that the Walls of Fort Frontenac were built with Stone and about six feet thick; that the Fort is a weak one, that it had two Encampments about it, one of Canadians, which is in View of the Island, on which the said Party had landed, and another of Regular Troops from France, which is in a hollow on the other Side of the Fort, and not in View of the Island; that the French told him they expected soon from Canada a much larger Number of Troops, with an Officer they call'd the General, which were lately arrived from France, and that the Commandant of the Fort told him that then they should make the English a Visit at Oswego and attack it.

His Excellency further inform'd the Council, that Major General Johnson, in a Letter dated 1st September from the Camp at the

expos'd State it was in, untill at least the new Fort at the Point was inclos'd and ready to receive it's Cannon: But if all other Circumstances had favour'd our proceeding to Niagara sooner; yet from the time of my Arrival here to this Day we have not had a Quantity of dry provisions for Lake, lately call'd Lake Sacrament, now nam'd Lake George, says, that some of the Indians, whom he had sent for Intelligence to Canada, and were returned from thence, inform'd him that the French told them there were 300 Canoes gone to Cadaraqui [Frontenac].

That His Excellency, upon laying this Intelligence, and the Acct of the Arrival of Troops from France this Summer together, and upon considering these Circumstances in particular, that all Intercourse between Frontenac and Niagara seems to have been suspended for some time, and that the French have lay'd still so long at the former of those Places, it appears not improbable to him that their Design may be, in case the whole Forces here, or much the greater part of them should be employ'd in an Attempt against Niagara (which, from its Distance of 150 Miles, and the advanc'd Season of the year may possibly take up thirty Days, or perhaps more in the Execution) to make a Descent in the mean time upon Oswego from Fort Frontenac, which is computed at not above 50 Miles distance from it: That what makes this more probable is the great Importance of which Oswego is to the securing the back parts of his Majesty's Western Colonies on this Continent, and for maintaining the Dominion over the Great Lakes, and the Country behind the Appalachian Mountains against the French, and the present expos'd State this Place would be in, unless a Strong Garrison shall be left to protect it; That the Number of Effectives upon the Spot fit for immediate Duty, in the three Regiments and Independent Company, including Serjeants and Corporals, amount to 1376 men; That besides these Troops the Number of Irregulars, consisting of Albany Men and Indians, which attend the Army, amount to about 120 Men.

His Excellency also inform'd the Council, that for securing the Fort at this Place against any Sudden Attack from the Eminence which commands it upon the opposite point on the East side of the River, he had Ordered a Strong Wooden Fort, surrounded with Picketts and a Ditch, and to be mounted with Cannon, to be built there with all possible Speed, and that the same was begun, and the Ground on which it is to be erected will be soon picketted in, and the whole building finish'd in about four Weeks; and that he had caus'd a Sloop and a Schooner of 60 Tons each, and two Row Gallies of 20 Tons each, all equipp'd in a Warlike manner, together

ten Day Subsistence at any one time in our Store, occasion'd by several Accidents, but principally the lowness of the Waters, Desertion of Battoe Men and Waggons (it being their time of Harvest) and, above all, by the insufficient

with eight Whale Boats, capable of holding 12 or sixteen men each, to be built.

His Excellency then acquainted the Council, that he propos'd, as soon as a Sufficient Quantity of Provisions should arrive, to proceed upon the intended Attempt for the Reduction of the French Fort and Settlements at Niagara, with such a Number of the Troops now upon the Spot, such of the aforesaid Vessells and Whale Boats, and such a Train of Artillery, as can be spar'd for that Service, leaving a sufficient Force for the Protection of this Fort against any Sudden Attack, which may probably be made upon it by the French from Fort Frontenac in his Absence.

That His Excellency proposes to take with him on the aforesaid Attempt 600 Regulars, including Gunners and Matrosses, besides the Albany Men and Indians, and a Train of Artillery, consisting of one Cannon carrying an eighteen pound Shott, and four twelve pounders, one ten inch Mortar, one seven inch Hoyett, two Royals, and five small Swivel Hoyets, with the four Vessells before mention'd, the Whale Boats, and a suitable number of Battoes; and that then the Force remaining for the Defence of this Place will be about 700 Effective men, two Cannon of twelve pounders, four nine pounders, ten six pounders, six three pounders, and eight Cohorns.

His Excellency then desir'd the Opinion and Advice of the Members of this Council on the following points, vizt.

First. Whether they were of Opinion that the Force propos'd for the intended Attempt against Niagara was a sufficient one, or what other they judg'd to be so?

Secondly. Whether they judge the Force propos'd to be left here, together with the New Fort building on the opposite point, to be sufficient for the Defence of this Place against any probable Attempt from Fort Frontenac, during His Excellency's Absence on the above Service?

Thirdly. Whether they think it will not be expedient to make a Feint at the same time at Cadaraqui, or a Real attempt to burn the French Vessells there?

Fourthly. Whether they think it necessary to build another Fort or Redoubt on the West Side of this Fort, on the Rising Ground, which commands it?

Fifthly. Whether it will be not advisable for his Majesty's Service, to prepare materials here this Winter, and build, as soon as

Number of them to be found in the Country for transporting the Baggage, Provisions, Artillery, and Ordnance Stores of the Forces employ'd in this Expedition, and that against Crown point, at the same time; so that I have been inevitably prevented from leaving this Place untill now, when, from the Prospect I have of a speedy Supply of dry Provisions, and the Works of the new Fort being so far advanc'd as to be ready in a few Days to receive it's Artillery and Garrison, I am in hopes, notwithstanding the lateness of the Season, of being able to proceed to Niagara with part of the Forces, and a Train of Artillery sufficient, according to our late Intelligence of the Strength of the French Fort there, for the Reduction of it; leaving a Body of Troops here strong enough for the Protection of this Place, and upon this Occasion I yesterday took the Opinion of a Council of War, Copy of the Minutes of which is inclos'd. I am with the highest Respect,

Sir,

Your most Humble and

most Obedient Servant.

W. SHIRLEY.

Rt. Honble. Sir Thomas Robinson Knt: of the Bath, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State.

Endorsed:

Camp at Oswego, Sepr. 19th, 1755.

Major Genl. Shirley.

R Decr. 18th.

may be, one or more Vessells of a larger Size than the largest of those already built, and capable of mounting ten six pounders, besides Swivels, and also two more Row Galleys, and 100 more good Whale Boats? (P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46.)

To the copy sent by him to Governor Morris of Pennsylvania (1 Penna. Arch. 2, 413), John Shirley adds:

"Everything herein propos'd was unanimously agreed to, except the feint at Cadaraqui, which was not agreed to.'

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WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM JOHNSON 1

SIR,

Camp at Oswego, Sept. 19th, 1755.

Three days ago, I receiv'd a Letter from Mr. Stevenson, of Albany, inclosing a Copy of the General Letter, which you have sent to Lt. Govr. Phipps, and the governors of the other Colonies, which have rais'd Forces for the Expedition against Crown-point, giving an Account of two Actions, which happen'd on the 8th instant, between the Army under your command, and the French; in the first of which, a detachmt. of 1000 English, commanded by Col. Williams, and a party of 200 Indians of the Six Nations, were defeated, with a considerable loss on their side. In the second, the French, and their Indians attack'd the main body of your Army in their Camp at Lake George, and were repulsed with a more considerable one on theirs.2

Mr. Stevenson informs me, that upon finding I had no Letter directed to me among the packetts, which came from your Camp, and discovering the words upon the seal side of that directed to Governor Phipps, "Please to despatch a Copy of this Letter to General Shirley; my time and circumstances won't permit my writing to him immediately," he open'd it, and took a Copy of it, to be sent forthwith to me; and as the Events contain'd in it, so nearly concern His Majesty's service, under my immediate Command, as well as his other service upon this Continent, under my Direction, I can't avoid expressing my surprize at your omission to acquaint me with them directly from yourself; which,

1 Johnson Manuscripts, 2, 229; Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 136. Extract inclosed in Shirley to Robinson, Oct. 5, post, p. 309. Printed with certain errors and omissions: R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 455.

2 Two letters of Johnson to Phips, the first of Sept. 9-10, the second of Sept. 17, may be referred to here, although the first is more probably the one intended. Both are in the Johnson Manuscripts (23, 190 and 2, 225). The former is printed Doct. Hist. N. Y. 2, 691. The latter supplements and revises the first.

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