high. As the season advanced the garrison was increased by one hundred militia; the men, however, contended that they had been engaged only to bring provisions up the river, and twenty of them deserted, returning with the bateaux.

Pouchot's spies had made him acquainted with the preparations being made at Oswego, and he learned that the long dreaded descent of the Saint Lawrence was at length to take place. It had been constantly expected, especially by de Lévis, who had ordered the fortification of this island with the design of obstructing the movement.* Pouchot's fort did not seem to be held of much account with the British, for the Indians sent by him brought back the expression current in the garrison that they would pass it " as a beaver's hut."

There could now be little doubt that the movement would no longer be delayed. Pouchot was made cognizant of its reality sooner than he anticipated on the 16th of August, two Indians brought him word that the British were at Point au Baril, with the advance guard at La Presentation.

On the 18th the attack was made against the fort. The boats advanced in regular order, and Pouchot imagined that their design was to take it by storm. He relates with some admiration the striking appearance the spectacle presented. He took steps to meet the assault by bringing his artillery to bear up the river. After remaining some short time in this position, the boats filed along the north shore with a considerable interval between them to escape the artillery, in order to take possession of the islands below the fort. Many of the officers recognized Pouchot. They had known him as a prisoner, after the capture of Niagara, and as they were

* De Lévis had long entertained great apprehension of an attack by the Saint Lawrence. His last letter from Montreal to Montcalm, dated the 6th of September, which could have been received only three or four days before the death of the latter, shews strongly this feeling. After stating that he believed the British force before Quebec would not long delay its departure, so that the French would only be attacked in one direction, he adds: "C'est bien à désirer pour celle des Rapides; car pour cette année, ou du moins jusqu'au premier octobre elle est bien en l'air." Lettre 234.

1760]

POUCHOT'S DEFENCE.

387

sailing by, called out to him with some compliment, and with expressions of good wishes.

A second division, under Haldimand, passed down to the south of the island to post his force out of cannon shot. Gage remained at Oswegatchie. In spite of the compliments which passed, Pouchot's cannonade was sufficiently spirited one galley was sunk, ten men were killed and wounded. The Indians who had followed landed on the two larger islands, Galops and Picquet, which presented the appearance of having been hastily abandoned. Two swivel guns, a few barrels of pitch, with many tools, utensils, and some iron, were left behind. There were also several scalps hanging on the walls. The sight so enraged the Indians that they burned the houses, not sparing the chapel.

On the 19th, the British batteries in position on the north side, on a projecting point, commenced firing upon the fort, and the two vessels anchored above the rapid joined in the attack. On the 20th, some batteries were commenced on the south shore. The following day the British were busied in completing their preparations, and nothing was done. On the 22nd, at five in the morning, the three vessels, among them "l'Outaouaise," being re-named by British seamen, as the "Williamson," approached within 1,200 feet of the fort, forming a half circle around it, and commenced a brisk cannonade. All the batteries were at the same time opened; they consisted of 24-prs., 18-prs., and 12-prs. Amherst, with great despatch, had thrown up four batteries: one at the point on the south shore, two upon the two islands in the neighborhood to the northwest, and one on an island lower down, due north.*

On the 23rd, the batteries were opened. After some firing, a disposition for storming the works was made. The vessels, however, failed to perform good service; two ran aground, a

Pouchot mentions these islands under the names of point Ganalaregoin, île à la Cuisse, île de la Magdelaine, and île Péquéton de Gal: a nomenclature long forgotten.

third came into shallow water, and becoming unmanageable, was exposed to the enemy's shot. She was so mauled, that she sent a boat to the fort, offering to surrender so that the fire should cease. Amherst observing something unsatisfactory, ordered on board an officer's party under lieutenant Pennington, who again hoisted the British colours. But the vessel could not be got off, and she was abandoned at midnight. The attack was continued on the 24th, when the superiority of the British artillery told with every shot. Many of the French guns were dismounted. Pouchot found himself able to be mischievous against the men in the trenches, but he could not touch the batteries. On the morning of the 25th he determined to capitulate, and beat the chamade.

Pouchot took exception to the conditions Amherst would grant, and wrote him, stating his objections. The terms were, that the garrison should be constituted prisoners of war, and everything surrendered; the property not to be injured; deserters and Indians not to be included in the conditions. Amherst had already been a week detained, and he was disinclined to submit to further loss of time, by negotiations for terms of surrender which he was determined not to grant. He accordingly repeated the conditions he had offered, adding that he expected an answer within ten minutes after his letter had been received, Yes or No.* However hard Pouchot might consider the reply, no course was open to him but the acceptance of what was offered; the fort was surrendered. Of the 300 of the French garrison, 12 were killed and 40 wounded. The loss of the British between the 16th and

* Amherst's letter could not be misunderstood: "Je viens dans ce moment de recevoir votre lettre, je me prête sans delai à vous faire parvenir les conditions sur les quelles je m'attends que vous rendrez la place dans la quelle vous commandez. Vous les avez ci-incluses, et je m'attends à votre décision definitive sous dix minutes après que vous les aurez reçues, moyenment quoi vous aurez la toute de dire Oui ou Non.

Je suis très parfaitement, &c.

Can. Arch., A. & W. I., 94, p. 134.

1760]

FORT WILLIAM AUGUSTUS.

the 25th of August was 22 killed and 23 wounded. * prisoners surrendered were 384. †

389

The

The Indians having seen the scalps on île Galops, and likewise in the quarters of the fort, were desirous of avenging the injuries of which the scalps were a memorial; they desired to wipe out the supposed wrong in the massacre of the garrison. No proceeding was more repellant to Amherst than the atrocities arising out of the gratification of Indian revenge; he would never permit any cruelty of reprisal. Johnson was called upon to exercise his influence. Strong control was imposed upon this manifestation, and the feeling, at least any active exhibition of it, was forcibly repressed. The Indians looked upon the prohibition as a grievance; some fancied slight increased their ill humor, and many left the camp chagrined by the restrictions imposed upon them. Nevertheless a fair number of them remained with the army. Amherst was able

to write from the camp at Montreal to Pitt that Johnson "had taken unwearied pains in keeping the Indians in humane bounds and I have the pleasure to assure you that not a peasant woman or child has been hurt by them, or a house burnt, since I have entered what was the enemy's country."

Amherst gave to the conquered island the name of fort William Augustus. It was from this place he sent the diary of his proceedings; and he wrote to the governor of New York, that as he had destroyed French power at La Presentation, and on the islands at the head of the rapids, the settlers on the Mohawk should be invited to return, for now they were assured "of a quiet and peaceable abode in their habitations."

All memory of these events has however passed away. Thousands in the season of navigation ascend and descend the Saint Lawrence. It is a rare exception among the travellers for any one to recall the day when Ogdensburg, then La Presentation, was the spot from whence the ruthless Indian bands were sent to devastate the unguarded villages of the Mohawk. Fewer notice the small island, the first to be seen in the centre of the river, somewhat nearer the southern than to the northern bank, to remember that it was the scene of the last attempt of the French, to hold the country around lake Ontario; and that this apparently insignificant spot stood a siege of some days, before it yielded up the slight remnant of French power which it represented.

Pouchot relates, that he had a long private conversation with Amherst, in which the British general, as was the feeling with the whole army, expressed some dread with regard to the descent of the rapids. Pouchot does not appear to have given him much encouragement. Amherst took from among the Canadian prisoners thirty-six guides for the bateaux. The remainder of the garrison were sent prisoners to New York by the way of Oswego.

Amherst had now to make his preparations for the descent of the river, and he must have felt, that whatever the general character of the rapids, the passage of them in many instances must be attended with danger, and that the safety of the attempt depended on the skill and loyalty of the pilot. The Indians could furnish many men capable of safely piloting the boats. With the exception of this assistance, he had not a man in his force, who was acquainted with the channels of the river, and few who had ever seen rapids of the magnitude and character of those of the Saint Lawrence. The study and knowledge of overcoming a rapid may be described as an art. At this day, there are men accustomed to the use of a canoe, with special skill in discovering the channel of the most foaming descent, who will walk up the river bank of the rapid which they look upon for the first time, and by their power of observation, and their experience in reading the evidence furnished by