500 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



Montreal, who with an army of eight hundred 

 men, was encamped at La Prairie. Several en- 

 gagements took place between the hostile par- 

 ties, and in these encoun.ters Schuvler slew a- 

 bout three hundred of the enemy ; a number 

 which exceeded that of his own force. While 

 the French kept their troops together in the 

 European form, Schuyler adopted the Indian 

 method of placing liis men under cover of trees 

 and svv'amps ; and derived great advantage, from 

 this method of carrying on his assaults.* 



Amidst these invasions of Canada, Fronten- 

 ac, though far advanced in age, being above 

 seventy, preserved his vigor and activity ; and 

 was perpetually planning some enterprize for 

 the benefit of the colony, and animating every 

 body around him. Having failed in his at- 

 tempts to make peace v/ith the five nations, he 

 was now meditating a blow upon the Mohawks. 

 The force he collected for this purpose, amount- 

 ed Vo six or seven hundred French and Indians. 

 Well supplied with every thing necessary for a 

 winter campaign, the army set out from Mon- 

 treal, January 15th, 1695, and marched by the 

 way of lake Chi;mplain. Persevering through 

 incredible hardships, they passed by Schenecta- 

 dy on February the sixth, and that night cap- 

 tured five men and .some women and children, 

 at the first castle of the Mohawks. They met 

 with the same success at the second castle ; 

 the Indians being in perfect security, and many 

 of them gone to Schenectady. At the third, 

 they found about forty Indians engaged in a 



• Smith'* Hist. New York, p. 92. 



