1757. King of PRUSSIA's Letter, But, afking pardon for this digreffion, and refuming my prefent fubject, I am to obferve that, for the reft, this island con- D tains nothing more that is worthy of notice. There are not above two or three huts upon it; which is not furprizing confidering the little land there is to cultivate, and that there is no water on it, but what is faved from the rains. The growth of the hill itself is only underwood, and grafs, which in the dry feafon is often fet on fire, and will continue burning for three or four days; which has this benefit, of fertilizing any cultivable spots on it, and of the falts being washed down by the rains into the lower grounds, a practice that is much followed in all thofe countries, which they call, burning the land." Extract of a private Letter from the "I Hague, O. 5. E F HAVE procured a copy of that letter of the king of Pruffia about G which you wrote to me. It is as follows: “I just now hear, that the business of a neutrality for the electorate of Hanover, is not yet dropt. Can your majefty have fo little conftancy and firmnefs, as to fiok under a few crofs events? Are affairs in fuch a bad plight, that they cannot be re- H trieved? Confider the ftep which your majefty purposes to take, and that which you have made me take. You are the caufe of all the misfortunes that are ready to fall upon me. I never would have broken my alliance with France, but for your fair promises. I repent not of my "The declaration delivered to Mr. P. S. I am fenfible my translation of the aforefaid letter doth not do justice to the original, which therefore I fend you." Je viens d'apprendre qu'il eft encore quefion d'un traite de neutralite pour l'electorat d'Hanovre V. M. auroit-elle affez peu de conftance & de fermete pour se laiffer abbattre par quelques revers de fortune? Les affaires font fi delabrees, qu'on ne puiffe les retablir? Que V. M. faffe attention a la demarche qu'elle m'a fait faire. Efte eft la caufe des malbeurs prefts a fondre fur moi. Je n'aurois jamais renonce a l'alliance de la France fans toutes les belles promeffes qu'elle m'a faites. Je ne me repens point du traite que j'ai fait avec V. M. Mais qu'elle ne m'abandonne point lachement a la merci de mes ennemis apres avoir attire toutes les forces de l'Europe contre moi. Je compte que V. M. fe refouviendra de fes engage mens reiteres le 26. du paffe, & qu'elle n'entendra a aucun engagement que je n'y fois compris." The declaration, referred to above, was as follows: "The king having ordered an account to be given him of the reprefentations of M. Mitchell, in relation to fome overtures made by his majesty's electoral minifters concerning the checks received in Germany, hath commanded, that anfwer be given to the king of Pruffia's minister, that it never was his majefty's intention, that the said overtures, made without the participation of the British council, fhould have the leaft influence on his majesty's conduct as king. His majefty fees, in the fame light as before, the pernicious effects of the union between the courts of Vienna and Verfailles, which threaten a fubversion of the whole fyftem of publick liberty, and of the independance of the European powers. He confiders, as a fatal confequence of this dangerous connec tion, the ceffion made by the court of Vienna, of the ports of the Netherlands to France, contrary to the faith of the moft folemn treaties, and in fuch a criti eal fituation. Whatever may be the fuge cels 1 494 FORT WILLIAM-HENRY taken. SET out for Fort Edward lat Tuef and that they were to be escorted by their grenadiers within two miles of Fort Ed ward, where we were to receive them with 500 of our troops, and col. Young to remain as a holtage for the fafe return of their efcort. This day our officers and A men spent in packing up their moft valuable effects. Next morning general Webb ordered 500 picked grenadiers to be drawn out in order to meet our men and the efcort but at feven o'clock we faw about 30 of our people coming running down the hill out of the woods, B along the road that comes from Fort William-Henry, moftly fript to their fhirts and breeches, and many without shirts, who gave the following account : That agreeable to the capitulation, our men, with their efcort, were drawn out in their lines, when Montcalm called afide our field officers, and faid, the Indians always expected, and would have plunder; and for fear of bad confequences, advised them to give their packs to them, which they did, tho' with reluctance: As foon as the Indians got them, they began to maffacre all the fick and wounded within the lines, and before both armies; next they hauled all the Negroes, Mulattoes, and Indian foldiers, out of the ranks, butchering and scalping them; when our men began to march, they then began, without diftinction, ftript and tomahawked both officers and men, and all in the greateft confufion took to their heels; and thus those that came in made their escape." General Webb ordered out 500 men to meet and cover our flying parties. "I day, about ten in the morning, and found a vaft militia all along the road. Three miles on this fide the fort I met an exprefs, who informed me Fort William-Henry had furrendered that morn- C ing about feven o'clock. This news obliged me to ride fmartly along, tho' the night was dark, and about half an hour after eight I got opposite the fort, this fide the river, where I found Sir William Johnfon encamped with about 2500 of the militia. A little before night I got D into the fort, and in about seven minutes time we were alarmed by a heavy firing of mufquetry at the camp over the river, on which the ramparts, and all the lines without, were manned, expecting the place to be invefted. About a quarter of an hour after, Sir William fent word, E that their centries had feen fome Indians in the woods, on which they fired, and that it had not been in his power to hinder the bulk of the militia from doing the fame; but that he had got them fettled, and fent scouts into the woods, to make what difcoveries they could. After this F was over, a gentleman gave me the following account of the fiege and furrender of Fort William-Henry. That a runner had brought the account, that in the morning, on the 9th, they held a council of war, and finding no fuccours could be expected time enough, G. and they having burst their two 32 poun ders, two 18 pounders, two 12 pounders, two nine pounders, and two brais mortars, and but 17 fhells left, they concluded to hoift the white flag; which Montcalm anfwered, and the general officers met half way between the two H camps, and agreed to the following capitulation: That we were to march out with all the honours of war, with drums beating, colours flying, with their arms charged, a field-piece and match lighted; that they were to take as much baggage as the men could carry on their backs, Just as I was coming away, the army. was drawing up to march from Fort Edward towards the Lake; but one who left. it about two hours after fays, that on a fcouting party coming in, there were orders to halt, on what account we have not heard; but I am afraid they have demolifhed the fort, and are gone; for on Wednefday we faw a great finoke afcend about that place. Sunday, half after one. Just now I have heard that col. Monro and Young, with feveral officers, are fafe with Montcalm, and about 300 men, feveral of whom he took from the Indians, which are all gone: Perhaps Dr. Colhoun is with them. This town is now enclofed. Thofe who were made prifoners at Fort William-Henry, are going to York to guard the fort, as they by capitulation arg not to be employed in the field against the French thefe 18 months. New-York, Aug. 19. The following is printed here by order. Fort 1757. FRENCH TREACHERY and INDIAN CRUELTY. 495 Ofwego, notwithstanding the previous ca Fort William-Henry, being on the 3d inftant besieged by a great army of the French, was, on the 19th inftant, after a vigorous refiftance, obliged to yield to the fuperior force of the enemy. Thus far is certain, but as to fome circumstances attending what follows, we wait for confir- A mation. What at prefent is generally received among us as truth, is, That the enemy confifted of at least 8000 men ; fome make the number much greater, and carry it even to 14 or 15,000: That the greateft part were regular troops; to thefe were added about 1000 French Indians, B and that the rest of their army were Canadians: That our garrifon confitted of between 2 and 3000: That they fuftained the fiege till they could hold out no longer, and had burft the greatest part of their cannon, and spent almost all their aminunition. How many of the garrifon C were loft in the fiege is not yet known, (fome fay about 100;) nor the number of the enemy that were flain (but it is faid about 14 or 1500 :) That the fort fubmitted upon a capitulation, with leave to march out with their arms and baggage, fome ammunition, one piece of cannon, D and all the honours of war: That the French immediately after the capitulation, molt perfidiously let their Indian bloodhounds loofe upon our people; whereupon a few ran off with their arms and Fight cloathing that they had upon their backs during the fiege, and were purfued by the Indians fix or feven miles on their way to Fort Edward; all the reft were defpoiled of their arms; the most were tript ftark-naked; many were killed and fcalped, officers not excepted. All the English Indians and Negroes in the garrifon were feized, and either captivated or flain. The throats of moft, if not all the women, were cut, their bellies ript open, their bowels torn out and thrown upon the faces of their dead and dying bodies; and, it is said, that all their women were murdered in one way or other: That the children were taken by the heels, and G their brains beat out against the trees or ftones, and not one of them faved. Some of the fugitives that reached New-York on this day, affirm this, as what they faw in the whole, or in great part executed before they escaped! The report of fuch cruelty and barbarity could hardly be be- H lieved, were we not affured of the horrible maffacre of feveral hundreds of general Braddock's wounded men; of whom we hear not of one that furvived the carnage; were we not alfo affured of the murder of all the fick and wounded of the garrifon at E F It is certain, that the growth of the British colonies has long been the grand object of French envy; and, it is faid that their officers have orders from their. fuperiors to check it at all events, and to that end, to make the prefent war as bloody and destructive as poffible! It is evident, that all their meafures tend this way. Who can tell, that one of the 200 that fell into their hands in the last month near Ticonderoga, (fee p. 457.) has been spared? And is not every news-paper ftill stained with the innocent blood of women and children, and of unarmed fufferers, who were ploughing their land, or gathering in their harvest, on our frontiers? To what a pitch of perfidy and cruelty Surely, if any nation under the heavens Extralt of Letter from Albany, dated Aug. 17. 496 CAPITULATION of FORT WILLIAM-HENRY. up, but tannick Majefty's Garrison of Fort Wil. A liam Henry, the retrenched Camp adjoining, and all their Dependencies, by the Marquis de Montcalm, General of bis meft Chriftian Majefy's Troops in Canada, the 9th of Auguft, 1757. B Article I. That the garrifon of Fort William Henry, and the troops which are in the retrenched camp, being joined, fhall march out with their arms, and the ufual honours of war, with the baggage of the officers and foldiers only; they fhall be escorted by a detachment of French troops, and by fome of the officers, or c interpreters attached to the favages, and to march to-morrow morning early. II. The gate of the fort fhall be delivered up after the capitulation is figned, to the troops of his moft christian majefty, and the retrenched camp, immediately on the departure of the British troops. D III. All the artillery, warlike ftores, provifion, and, in general, every thing. except the effects of the officers and foldiers, fhall, upon honour, be delivered to the troops of his mott chriftian majefty, as is already fpecified in the first article; and for that purpose, there fhall E be delivered, with the capitulation, an exact inventory of all the ftores mentioned in this article. Provided always, that this article fhall extend to the fort, retrenchment, and dependencies. IV. The garrifon of the fort, troops in the retrenchment and dependencies, fhall F not ferve for the space of 18 months, to commence from this day, neither againft his most chriftian majefty, or his allies, and there fhall be delivered, with the capitulation, an exact state of the troops, in which shall be specified, the names of the officers, engineers, artillerifts, com- G miffaries, and all employed. V. All the officers and foldiers, Canadians, women, and favages, which have been made prifoners by land fince the commencement of the war in North-America, fhall be delivered, in the space of three months, at Carrilon; and, accord- H ing to the receipt which fhall be given by the French commanding officers, to whom they fhall be delivered, an equal number of the garrifon of Fort William-Henry fhall be capacitated to ferve agreeable to the return given in by the English officer of the prifoners he has delivered. VI. An officer fhall be given as an hoftage till fuch time as the detachment returns, which fhall be given as an efcort to his Britannick majefly's troops. VII. All the fick and wounded that are not in a condition to be tranfported to Fort Edward, fhall remain under the pro tection of the marquis de Montcalm, who' will take proper care of them, and return. them as foon as recovered. VIII. Provifion for the fubfiftence of the British troops, fhall be iffued for this day and to morrow only. IX. The marquis de Montcalm, being willing to fhew col. Monro, and the garrifon under his command, marks of his elteem on account of their honourable defence, gives them one piece of cannon, fix pounder. Done in the trenches before Fort William-Henry, August 9, 1757. GEORGE MONRO. Agreed to in the name of his moft chriftian majefty, agreeable to the power invefted in me by the marquis de Vaudreuill, his governor-general and lieutenant-general of New France. MONTCALM. The Marquis de Montcalm's Letter to Col. "I have this morning invested your place with a numerous army, a fuperior artillery, and all the favages from the higher parts of the country; the cruelty of which, a detachment of your ganrifon have lately too much experienced. I am obliged in humanity to defire you to furrender your fort. I have it yet in my power to reftrain the favages, and oblige them to obferve a capitulation, as hitherto none of them are killed, which will not be in my power in other circumftances; and your infifting on defending your fort, can only retard the lofs of it a few days, and muft of neceffity expofe an unlucky garrifon, who can receive no fuccours, confidering the precautions I have taken. I demand a decifive answer immediately, for which purpose I have fent the Sieur Funtbrune, one of my aid de camps. You may credit what he will inform you as from me. I am, with refpect, SIR, Your most humble, moft obedient fervant, MONTCALM." Philadelphia, Aug. 5. In a letter from Fort Johnson, dated July 31, it is faid, that that fort was like to have been taken on 1757. ACCOUNT of the BRITISH PLANTATIONS. on the 13th of that month in the follow-, E 497 oppreffions they were fubjected to by goal-' ers, came to be made known to people in high ftation; and this excited the compallion of fome gentlemen, to think of fome method of relieving the poor from that dif trefs they are often involved in, without any fault of their own, or by fome error in their conduct, which deferves pity rather than punishment. As the proprietors of Carolina had, about the fame time, furrendered their charter to the crown, and as the fouthern part of the country contained within that charter, that is to fay, the whole country to the fouthward of the river Savannah, ftill continued unplanted, and was deemed to be not only a good climate but a fertile foil, this fuggefted to thofe gentlemen, the thought of fettling a new colony in that country, by carrying over thither, at the publick expence, or by charitable contributions, all fuch as could no way provide for themfelves here at home, and thereby enabling them to become ufeful to, instead of being a burthen upon their native country. Tho' this defign, I fay, was probably formed in the year 1729, yet they could not begin to carry it into execution until the year 1732, when a number of humane gentlemen united together, and joined in a petition to his majefty, for a grant of that part of Carolina lying fouth of the river Savannah; and for incorporating them, as trustees for establishing a colony in that part of the country. This petition his majefty readily complied with *; and a charter being accordingly granted, to the noblemen and gentlemen therein named, June 3, 1732, a charitable contribution was presently fet on foot for fending a number of poor people over to that coun try, to which the trustees had, in their charter, given the name of Georgia. On July 7, the lord viscount Percival, now earl of Egmont, who had been one of the principal promoters of this charitable unhave now G prefident of the truftces, took the oath as dertaking, and by the charter appointed Account of the BRITISH PLANTATIONS remaining to give an account of, is that October, 1757. 1 fuch, for the faithful execution of his office, before the barons of the Exchequer; and, on the 20th, the trustees held their first regular meeting and ordered a common feal to be made, and that, as foon as it should be made, commiffions fhould be issued to feveral noblemen and gentlemen for collecting benefactions, which was accordingly done, and the benefactions came in fo faft, that, before the end of October, they chofe, out of great numbers that offered, 100 of the greatest objects of charity, and the moft fit for beginning a coRrr lony, N. B. There were only 7-8ths granted, the other undivided 8th being the property of the earl of Granville. |