[grant] THE CAPTURE OF OSWEGO BY MONTCALM 211 



was sent out, and soon made a Signal for seeing the Enemy, at Noon she returned, 

 and informed the Commanding Officer, that there was a large Encampment upon 

 the Lake side, behind the Fort call'd Ontario, on the East Side of the Harbour. 

 Upon Consulting with the Commandant and the Field Officers, it was agreed to 

 Send Capt. Laforey in the Ontario, and Mr. Deane in the New Sloop, out to recon- 

 niter their Camp, which was done as fast as Possible. Very soon after they were 

 out of the Harbour Capt. Laforey being ahead, was fired upon, from a Point of 

 Rocks, by three or four Peices of Cannon. About 4 in the Afternoon Capt. Laforey 

 sent a boat in to acquaint me, that he had receiv'd three Shot, two below his Whale, 

 one of which had carried away the Clamp of his Main beam, and rendered the Gun 

 above it useless, and another Shot through his upper works, all of them twelve Pound- 

 ers and desiring that I would have boats ready to assist him in, about 7 in the Evening 

 the Sloops got into the Harbour. Upon Consulting with the Commanding officer 

 the next morning, and my informing him, I should be ready with the Brig in the 

 Evening to go out, it was agreed, to send the two Sloops out before, to Cruize off 

 the harbour, which was done about 9 in ye morning — Upon my waiting on the 

 Commanding Officer in the Evening, to acquaint him I was ready to go in the Brig, 

 and to desire a Party of Soldiers from the Garrison, to go out with me, he told me 

 there was to be a Council of War, the next morning very early, to Consult what was 

 most Expedient to be done, both in regard to the Garrison, and to the Vessels, and 

 desired I would not think of going out, as my Presence at that Council was abso- 

 lutely necessary. I This Day as the New Snow was only Partly rigg'd, got all the 

 Pitch, Tar, & Turpentine on Board her, and the Oswego, in order to have them ready 

 to be burnt, before the Place was given up. The next morning, the Council of War, 

 of all the Field Officers and Capts. in the Garrison met Early, and while they were 

 Sitting, a Letter from Capt. Barford Commanding Officer at Fort Ontario, was 

 rece'd, with a Copy of a Council of war, they had held there, in which they agreed, 

 it was nigh time to abandon that Fort, as the Enemey's works, were approached 

 very nigh them, and that if they waited for their Cannon being mounted, their 

 retreat to this side of the water would be Cut off; Upon which it was agreed, that as 

 that Fort could not Possibly hold out any time, when once their Cannon began 

 to Play upon it, they should make their retreat to this Side of the water, in the 

 afternoon, Upon which, I desired they would conscider, where the Vessels could be 

 of most use, to the Garrison, upon which the Council of War were of Opinion, that 

 the Brig should not go out, and that I Likewise should order the Sloops in, to strength- 

 en the Garrison by the Party, they had on Board, and to Cover the Retreat of the 

 Garrison from Fort Ontario. Upon which I sent off orders to Capt. Laforey, to 

 come in wth. the two Sloops, which they did ■soon after. About Three in the after- 

 noon, the Vessels being Placed, and every thing ready for the Retreat of the Troops 

 from Fort Ontario, they Abandon'd it, and Cross'd the water unperceived by the 

 Enemy. About 4 in the afternoon, the Enemy took possession of Fort Ontario; 

 the Wind being now at N W, and blowing Fresh, there was no Possibility of the Ves- 

 sels getting out, upon which Capt. Laforey and myself waited on the Commanding 

 Officer, to Desire he would Call the Officers together again, to Consider the Situation 

 the Vessels were in, which he Did, where it was agreed, that as the Garrison had 

 Retreated from the other Side, they would spare us a Party from the Garrison, 

 & that if the wind came fair, we should Endeavour to Run out in the Night, which 

 we intended doing, but at the same time I desired to know, if we could not get out, 

 whether the Vessels should not be destroy'd, but was answer'd, it would be time 

 Enough to do that, when they were Obliged to Abandon the Old Fort, and the Com- 

 mandg. Officer at the same time informed me, he had great Reasons to Expect 

 Speedy Reinforcements from below; upon which we got the Party on Board and 



