son, a native of Ireland, who had long resided
upon the Mohawk river, in the western parts of New York, where he had
acquired a considerable estate, and was universally beloved, not only by
the inhabitants, but also by the neighbouring Indians, whose language he
had learnt, and whose affections he had gained by his humanity towards
them. The expedition against Niagara was commanded by general Shirley
himself.

The rendezvous of the troops for both these expeditions was appointed to
be at Albany, where most of them arrived before the end of June; but the
artillery, batteaux, provisions, and other necessaries for the attempt
upon Crown Point, could not be prepared till the eighth of August, when
general Johnson set out with them from Albany for the Carrying-place
from Hudson's river to Lake George. There the troops had already
arrived, under the command of major-general Lyman, and consisted of
between five and six thousand men, besides Indians, raised by the
governments of Boston, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New
York. Every thing was then prepared as fast as possible for a march; and
towards the end of the month, general Johnson advanced about fourteen
miles forward with his troops, and encamped in a very strong situation,
covered on each side by a thick wooded swamp, by Lake George in his
rear, and by a breast-work of trees, cut down for that purpose, in
his front. Here he resolved to wait the arrival of his batteaux, and
afterwards to proceed to Ticonderoga, at the other end of the lake, from
whence it was but about fifteen miles to the fort at the south end of
Lake Colaer, or Champlain, called Fort Frederick by the French, and by
us Crown Point. Whilst he was thus encamped, some of his Indian scouts,
of which he took care to send out numbers along both sides, and to
the farther end of Lake George, brought him intelligence that
a considerable number of the enemy were then on their march from
Ticonderoga, by the way of the south bay, towards the fortified
encampment, since called Fort Edward, which general Lyman had built
at the Carrying-place; and in which four or five hundred of the New
Hampshire and New York men had been left as a garrison. Upon this
information general Johnson sent two expresses, one after the other,
to colonel Blanchard their commander, with orders to call in all his
out-parties, and to keep his whole force within the intrenchments. About
twelve o'clock at night, those who had been