HISTORY OF VERMONT. 37^ 



While the British generals in Aitierica were 

 thus spending their time to - no purpose, M. 

 Montcalm, the commander of the troops in Ca- 

 nada, was deeply engaged in a scheme of the 

 highest importance to the French interest; 

 that of securing to themselves the extensive 

 dominion of the Great Lakes, which the}'- 

 well knew would command the interest and in- 

 fluence of all the Indian nations. As the first 

 step to efi'ect these measures, he sei forward lSi\ 

 expedition against Oswego, while the British 

 generals were looking for him at Tyconderoga.*^ 

 He assembled a body of troops, consisting of ^ 

 thirteen hundred regulars, seventeen hundred 

 Canadians, and a considerable number of Indi- 

 ans. With this force he proceeded from fort 

 Frontenac, by the way of lake Ontario. The 

 first step taken by Montcalm, was to block up 

 Oswego by water, by two large armed -vessels ; 

 the next, was to post a strong body of Canadi- 

 ans and Indians on the road bet*.veen Albany 

 and the forts, to cut off all communications of 

 succour and intelligence. Having brought up 

 his artillery and stores, he had every thing in 

 readiness to open his trenches before fort Onta- 

 rio, by the twelfth of August, The forts were 

 in no condition to make a defence against artil- 

 lery or regulai' approaches. On the thirteenth, 

 colonel Mercer was killed by a cannon ball ; 

 and the next day the garrison proposed a capit- 

 ulation. The terms were, that they should sur- 

 render prisoners of war, be exempted from plun- 

 der, treated with humanity, and be conducted 

 to Montreal. Unfortunately for several of the 

 prisoners, and for the honor of Montcalm, the 

 terms of the capitulatioa were not fulfdled by 



