27S NATURAL AND CIVIL 



Hostilities being commenced, the inter- 

 ests of tliiC French colony no"\\' required vigorous 

 & animated 'exertions. De Nonyilie was not de- 

 ficient in courage or enterprise. On the twen- 

 ty third of June he cmbi.rked his whole army 

 iii canoes, and set" out from fort Cadaraqui ; one 

 half proceeded ori^the norths and the other half 

 marched on tlie south side of the Oneida lake,- 

 The}^ met the same day, at the place appointed 

 for their rendezvous' seven leayues from the* 

 chief village of the Senecas. The Indians were 

 placed in the front, and rear ; the main body, 

 consisting of the regulars and rhilitiaj were kept 

 together in a regular form. On the- second day 

 of their march the scouts arri\'ed at the corn- 

 fields of the Senecas, and witliin pistol shot of. 

 five' hundred of the warriors of that nation, who- 

 lay on their bellies undiscovered. The French- 

 concluded that the Senecas were all ficdy and were 

 in full march to overtake the old men, the w-o- 

 men, and children. In this state of nipid inove- 

 ment, and high expectation, they arrived at the 

 bottom of an hill, within one m.ile of the Sene- 

 ca village. In a moment the war- shout and 

 yell of the Senecas, was heai'd from every side ; 

 and the French army was attacked from every 

 quarter. The whole army was struck with sur- 

 prise and horror, and universal confusion ensu- 

 ed. The regulars and militia seized with the pa- 

 nic, could neither preserve their order or exert 

 their force to any advantage. One battallion 

 fired upon another, and all endeavored to fly 

 into the woods. Expecting such a scene, the. 

 Senecas rushed on with impetuosity to increase 

 the confusion J and would have compleated the 



