them being captains, with
four lieutenants, six ensigns, 20 cadets, 100 soldiers, 100 Canadians,
and 600 savages, with orders to hide themselves in a favorable place
that had previously been reconnoitred. The detachment found itself in
the presence of the enemy at three leagues from the fort before being
able to gain its appointed post. Monsieur de Beaujeu seeing that his
ambuscade had failed, began a direct attack. He did this with so much
energy that the enemy, who awaited us in the best order in the world,
seemed astounded at the assault. Their artillery, however, promptly
commenced to fire and our forces were confused in their turn. The
savages also, frightened by the noise of the cannon rather than their
execution, commenced to lose ground. Monsieur de Beaujeu was killed, and
Monsieur Dumas rallied our forces. He ordered his officers to lead the
savages and spread out on both wings, so as to take the enemy in flank.
At the same time he, Monsieur de Lignery, and the other officers who
were at the head of the French attacked in front. This order was
executed so promptly that the enemy, who were already raising cries of
victory, were no longer able even to defend themselves. The combat
wavered from one side to the other and success was long doubtful, but at
length the enemy fled.

They struggled unavailingly to keep some order in their retreat. The
cries of the savages with which the woods echoed, carried fear into the
hearts of the foe. The rout was complete. The field of battle remained
in our possession, with six large cannons and a dozen smaller ones, four
bombs, eleven mortars, all their munitions of war and almost all their
baggage. Some deserters who have since come to us tell us that we fought
against two thousand men, the rest of the army being four leagues
farther back. These same deserters tell us that our enemies have retired
to Virginia. The spies that we have sent out report that the thousand
men who had no part in the battle, also took fright and abandoned their
arms and provisions along the road. On this news we sent out a
detachment which destroyed or burned all that remained by the roadside.
The enemies have lost more than a thousand men on the field of battle;
they have lost a great part of their artillery and provisions, also
their general, named Monsieur Braddock, and almost all their officers.
We had three officers killed and two wounded, two cadets wounded. This
remarkable success, which scarce