Glenn

THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed. The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather, indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was published.

 

Details of the
Campaign of 1757

(July 30 - Sept. 4, 1757)


In: New York Colonial Docs.
(Paris Docs.: XIII): X,
pp. 627-630.

pp. 629, 630.

(page 629)

Everything having been regulated, Colonel Monrau applied for leave to march with his troops at nightfall, so as not to be annoyed by the Indians.

M. de Montcalm ordered out an escort and directed M. de St. Luc de la Corne, commanding the Indians, and several Colonial officers conversant with their languages, to accompany the garrison in order to protect it against insult from the Indians.

These officers having learned that the greater portion had gone to lie in ambush on the Lidius road, where the English soldiers must necessarily pass, advised Colonel Monrau not to set out before the break of day, so as to be better able to control the Indians; but they were no longer masters of them on the morrow.

A party of Englishmen were plundered on leaving the intrenchment; four hundred were taken on the road and brought to the camp, the greater portion of the English officers happened to be among these.

M. de Montcalm rescued the major part of them, paid them great attention and sent them back with an escort after the Indians had left.

M. de Vaudreuil caused the others to be given up at Montreal, when the Indians were passing through, and will send them back by the first opportunity.

We have lost at this siege,

in

killed

men,

13

 

 

 

wounded

 

40

 

And the enemy,

in

killed

men,

41

 

 

 

wounded

 

71

 

The French army, including Indians, consisted of 7,626, and the garrison of Fort George and the troops encamped in the intrenchment, of 2,372.

Our artillery consisted of 31 pieces of cannon, 1 mortar, 3 howitzers, 10 grenade mortars, 70 thousand weight of powder; shell and shot in proportion.

And that of the enemy, 23 cannon, of which 8 were brass, 1 iron howitzer, 1 mortar, 17 swivels, 35,835lbs of powder, 2,522 shot, 545 shell, 1,400lbs of ball, one case of grenades, 6 cases of fire-works and some grape shot of divers calibre.

Over 3,000 barrels of flour or pork, which have been forwarded from Fort George to Carillon

10th Fort George being entirely destroyed, our artillery, that of the enemy and all the munitions of war, and provisions being sent to the Carrying place, the army embarked and arrived there on the same day.

M. de Montcalm not having bateaux enough for the entire army, ordered the Royal Rousillon and Bearn battalions to encamp on one of the islands of Lake St. Sacrament, and he sent to bring them along the next day.

17th The Marquis de Montcalm has sent away all the Canadians in order to save the harvest, and has retained the Land and Marine forces to transport to Carillon the artillery, bateaux, warlike stores and provisions.

This transportation which forms a land carriage of half a league, is to be completed about the 14th of September, after which the battalions will leave in order to work until the close of the campaign, at the forts and roads which it is essential to put in order.

Names of the Indian Nations who have served with the French army in the
expedition against Fort George:

 

Nepissings.

Abenakis.

Iroquois.

Algonkins.

Amalecites.

Hurons.

(page 630)

Indians of the Upper Country.

 

 

 

Tetes de Boules.

Folles Avoines.

Outaouats.

Miamis of St. Joseph.

Chagouamigon.

Puants of the Bay.

Mississagus.

Foxes from the Mississipi.

Aais, from the Western sea,

Sacs.

  who never before appeared in the country.

Delawares.

Pouteouatamis of St. Joseph and Detroit.

 

NOTE.- The capture of Fort George has been preceded by the defeat of 300 English, who were taken or killed on Lake St. Sacrament, the 24th of July, by 400 Indians or Canadians without the loss of a man.

____________________

M. de Montcalm to M. de Paulmy.

[Dpartement de la Guerre, Paris.]

Montreal, 8th of September, 1757.

My Lord,

M. de Bougainville, my Aid-de-Camp, whom I had sent to the Marquis de Vaudreuil to convey the intelligence of the fall of Fort William Henry, and whom I had instructed, at the same time, to write to you by the ship which M. de Vaudreuil was to dispatch to France, has, it appears to me, left nothing to desire in the Relation he has had the honor of addressing you. Therefore will I content myself with transmitting a duplicate of it to you, annexing thereto a return of what composed the English garrison which is not to serve for eighteen months after the capitulation; a return of the artillery, vessels taken from the enemy, and provisions; the article of provisions forms, under the circumstances, a most precious object for a Colony where we are suffering a real scarcity; finally, a return of the killed and wounded. I also annex thereto a letter from Sieur des Androins, the Engineer, with whom I am more and more satisfied. He has the honor to address you a most exact plan of the fort and of his approaches, with his journal of the siege.

The Marquis de Vaudreuil, being apprehensive that the English, whose bad faith is only too well known to us, would seek to elude the capitulations and to justify themselves by ill-founded reproaches, in consequence of the inconsiderate attack of the Indians, after the capitulation had been signed, has most readily communicated the most trivial circumstances to the Secretary of State for the department of the Marine. I have drawn up a letter in the name of the Marquis de Vaudreuil, which he has been pleased to adopt. I have the honor to transmit you a copy of it and of the Articles of the capitulation. I believe the simple recital of the facts will place him in a position, should the English wish to ascribe any odious imputation to us, to prove to the entire of Europe that the conduct of the troops, of their General, and of the Marquis de Vaudreuil, is not only exempt from all reproach but may merit some eulogiums and much gratitude on the part of the English, who saw me expose myself much more to save them from the fury of the Indians than to capture their fort.


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