S76 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



him. Several of the British officers, and soK 

 diers were insulted, robbed, and massacred by 

 the Indians. Most of the sick were barbarous-. 

 Ij scalped in the hospital ; and to compleat the 

 scene of falshood and barbarity, the French 

 general delivered up to the Indians above twen- 

 ty of the garrison, in the room of the same 

 number that they had lost during the siege. In' 

 all probability these unhappy victims were put 

 to death, according to the execrable Indian cus-. 

 torn of torturing and burning. Having suc^ 

 ceeded in the enterprise with scarcely any loss, 

 Montcalm demolished the two forts at Oswego, 

 and returned with his army to fort Frontenac, 

 In this expedition he had taken fourteen hun- 

 dred prisoners, one hundred and twenty pieces 

 of artillery, fourteen mortars, with a large quan- 

 tity of ammunition, warlike stores, and provi- 

 sions ; two sloops, and two hundred batteaux. 

 While these scenes, disgraceful to the En- 

 glish, AT'ere taking place at Oswego, and the 

 French every where conducting their affairs 

 with wisdom and energy, the British generals 

 at Albany appeared to be either wholly unac- 

 quainted with the business, or disinclined to the 

 clangers and hardships of an American, French 

 arid Indian war. The force in the vicinity 

 of Albany, under the command of the earl of 

 Loudon, amounted to two thousand and six 

 liundred regular troops, and eight thousand pro- 

 vinriais, well clothed, fed and armed ; and pro- 

 vided with the necessary artillery and imple^ 

 meats of war. General Winslow for several 

 iv.onths had been at lake George, with an army 

 of seven thousand provincial troops, well equip-s 



