414 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



t^ainst this fortress, Abcrcrombie dispatched 

 Bradstreet wiih three thousand men, chiefly 

 provincials. He marched his troops by land to 

 the waters of lake Ontario, and embarked thence 

 in some sloops and batteaiix provided for the 

 purpose, and landed within a mile of fort Fron- 

 tenac. The enemy had no intelligence or ex- 

 pectation of his approach, and were poorly pre- 

 pared for defence. The garrison consisted of 

 but one hundred and ten men, with a few In- 

 dians ; and could do no otherwise than surren- 

 der at discretion. The fort itself was not of 

 much strength ; but it was valuable on account 

 of the immense quantity of military stores and 

 merchandize, which it contained. Sixty pieces 

 of cannon, sixteen mortars, and a quantity of 

 small arms were found in the fort. What was 

 more valuable, a large quantity of provisions was 

 also captured ; these had been deposited at Ca- 

 daraqui, for the use of their western garrisons, 

 and Indian allies ; to supply the French troops 

 that were gone to the Ohio, against brigadier 

 general Forbes ; and for the subsistence of M, 

 dc Le^'y and his troops, on their expedition on 

 the Mohawk river. In addition to all the mili- 

 tary stores and provisions there was also an im- 

 mense quantity of merchandize, for the purpose 

 of trade with the Indians, and to supply their 

 own forts and settlements. Besides the forts 

 and stores, Bradstreet made himself master of 

 ;^11 the enemy 's shipping on the lakes ; these a~ 

 mounted to nine armed vessels, some of which 

 carried eighteen guns. Having carried the fort 

 without an} loss of men, Bradstreet, in confor- 

 mity to tl'.e general's orders, destroyed the 



