History of Vermont. 373 



An important part of the service respecting 

 the western campaign, was the direction of the 

 batLeaux ; by these, the troops, provisions and 

 military stores were to be transported from 

 S ;henectady to Oswego. Shirley, fully appre- 

 hensive of the importance of this service from 

 the sufferings of the former year, had enhsicd 

 forty companies of fifty men each for this busi- 

 ness. Colonel Broadstreet, an active, judi- 

 cious officer, well acquainted with the nature of 

 the business, had btt^n appointed to tlie com- 

 mand. In returning from O -wcgo with three 

 hundred of his men, as he was stemming the 

 stream of the Onondago river, with his batteaux 

 formed into three divisions, on July the thirds 

 the Indian war-whoop resounded from the north 

 shore, and he was attacked in an instant by a 

 general discharge of musquetry. , With perfect 

 coolness, Broadstreet landed his men on the other 

 bank, took possession of an island from which 

 he could annoy the enemy, followed them to 

 every place where they had passed the river, 

 and fell upon them sword in hand wherever he 

 could find them in any numbers. Several ac- ' 

 tions took place along the banks and islands of 

 the river ; the engagement continued for three 

 hours, and in the event, the enemy were every 

 where repulsed and dispersed. In this contest 

 the force of the enemy amounted to seven hun- 

 dred men. Thirty of the batteaux men were 

 killed, and as many wounded. The French 

 and Indians lost one hundred and twenty, and 

 about seventy of them were made prisoners. 



On the eleventh of July, Broadstreet arrived 

 at Schenectady. The next day he repaired t© 



Voi,. I. X 2 



