number of batteau-men at Albany and Schenectady.
The garrison at Oswego amounted to fourteen hundred soldiers, besides
three hundred workmen and sailors, either in the fort, or posted in
small parties between the fort and place called Burnet's Field, to
secure a safe passage through the country of the Six Nations, upon
whose friendship there was no longer any reliance. By the best accounts
received of the enemy's forces, they had about three thousand men at
Crown Point and Ticonderago upon the lake Champlain; but their chief
strength was collected upon the banks of the lake Ontario, where their
purpose undoubtedly was to reduce the English fort at Oswego. The
immediate object, therefore, of lord Loudon's attention was the relief
of this place; but his design was strenuously opposed by the province of
New York, and other northern governments, who were much more intent upon
the reduction of Crown Point, and the security of their own frontiers,
which they apprehended was connected with this conquest. They insisted
upon Winslow's being joined by some regiments of regular troops before
he should march against this fortress; and stipulated that a body of
reserve should be detained at Albany, for the defence of that frontier,
in case Winslow should fail in his enterprise, and be defeated. At
length they agreed, that the regiment which Mr. Abercrombie had destined
for that purpose should be detached for the relief of Oswego; and on the
twelfth day of August major-general Webb began his march with it from
Albany; but on his arrival at the Carrying-place, between the Mohawk's
river and Wood's creek, he received the disagreeable news that
Oswego was taken, and the garrison made prisoners of war. Mr. Webb,
apprehending himself in danger of being attacked by the besieging army,
began immediately to render the creek impassable, even to canoes, by
felling trees, and throwing them into the stream; while the enemy,
ignorant of his numbers, and apprehensive of a like visitation from him,
took the very same method of preventing his approach; in consequence of
this apprehension, he was permitted to retire unmolested.

OSWEGO REDUCED BY THE ENEMY.

The loss of the two small forts called Ontario and Oswego, was a
considerable national misfortune. They were erected on the south side of
the great lake Ontario, standing on the opposite sides of the mouth
of the Onondago river, that discharges itself into the lake, and
constituted a post