CHAP. XII. 1 CHA P. XII. The Count de Frontenac attacks Onondaga in T HE Count de Frontenac having fecured Cadarackui Fort, which was called by his Name, as a Place of Arms and Provifions, and for a Retreat to the Men that should happen to be fick or wounded, refolved to make the Five Nations feel his Refentment of their refufing his Terms of Peace. For this Purpose he affembled all the regular Troops of Canada, the Militia, the Owenagungas, the Quatoghies of Loretto, the Adirondacks, Sokokies, Nepiciriniens, the Praying Indians of the Five Nations, and a few Utawawas, at Montreal, in June 1696. The other western Indians near Miilimakinak, by their late Correfpondence with the Five Nations, and the Diffatisfaction they had manifefted, were not trufted. The Manner of making War with the Indians in a Country wholly covered with Woods, must be fo much different from the Methods ufed in Europe, that I believe the Reader will be pleafed to have a particular Account of the Count de Frontenac's Conduct in this, who was an old experienced General, in the feventy fourth Year of his Age. It is to be obferved, that it is impoffible to pafs the vaft Forefts between the Countries of the Five Nations with Waggons, or other Carriages, or on Horfe back, or even on Foot, in the fummer Time, by Reafon of many impaflible thick Swamps and Moraffes. For this Reafon, the only Method of travelling travelling is in Bark Canoes, or very light Battoes, CHA P. along the Rivers, which may be eafily carried on XII Men's Shoulders, where the Stream of the River becomes too rapid, and from one River to another; for which Purpose the shortest Paffes are always chofen, and are called, for this Reason, Carrying Places. The Count de Frontenac marched from la Chine, in the fouth End of the Island of Montreal, the fourth of July. He divided five hundred Indians fo, that the greatest Number of them fhould always be in the Van, which confifted of two Battalions of the regular Troops. They were followed by the Canoes which carried the Provifions. The Van was commanded by the Chevalier de Callieres, Governor of Montreal; he had with him two large Battoes, which carried two fmall Pieces of Cannon, fmall Mortars, Granadoes, and the Utenfils of the Artillery. The Count de Frontenac was at the Head of the main Body, accompanied by the Engineer and feveral Gentlemen Voluntiers. The Body confifted of four Battalions of the Militia, who, in War with Indians, were then more depended on than the regular Troops; thefe were commanded by Monfieur Ramfay, Governor of Trois Rivieres. The Rear, which confifted of two Battalions of regular Troops, and of the reft of the Indians, was under the Command of the Chevalier de Vaudreuil. All the Indians had French Officers fet over them. In this Order the Army marched, only those that were in the Van one Day, were in the Rear the next; and they always kept a Number of Indians on the Scout, to difcover the Tracks of the Enemy, for fear of Ambufcades. And when they were obliged to carry the Canoes, and drag the large Battoes, feveral Parties were detached to cover the Men that worked. After CHA P. After twelve Days March they arrived at CadaXII. rackui Fort, one hundred eighty Miles from Montreal. Here they waited for the Utawawas, who disappointed them; and in the mean Time raised a Bark, which had remained funk fince Cadarackui Fort was deferted. They croffed over Cadarackui Lake to Onondaga River (now Obfwega). This River being narrow and rapid, they ordered fifty Men to march on each Side of it, to prevent their being furprised, and the Army moved flowly along the River, according to the Intelligence they received from their Scouts. They found a Tree, as they paffed along, on which the Indians had, in their Manner, painted the French Army, and had laid by it two Bundles of cut Rushes. This was a Defiance in the Indian Manner, and to tell them by the Number of Rushes, that fourteen hundred thirty four Men would meet them. The French paffed the little Lake, between Obfwega and Onondaga, in Order of Battle; and the two Wings, to prevent their being furprised, and to make the Place of their Landing more uncertain to the Enemy, took a Circuit along the Coaft. As foon as they had landed they raised a Fort. A Seneka, who had been fome time a Prifoner in Canada, and pretended an Attachment to the French, was fent out to make a Discovery. He deferted to the Onondagas. He found them waiting for the French, with a Refolution to defend their Castle, and to fight the French; for which Purpofe they had fent away their Women and Children. The Sencka told them that the French Army was as numerous as the Leaves on the Trees; that they had Machines which threw Balls up in the Air, and which falling on their Castle burst to Pieces, and fpread Fire and Death every where, against which their Stockadoes could be of no Defence. This was confirmed by another Seneka, who deferted. Upon which the Onondagas thought it moft moft adviseable to retire, leaving their poor Fort CHA P. and bark Cottages all in Flames. After the General had an Account of this, he marched to their Village in Order of Battle. The Army was divided into two Lines: The first commanded by the Chevalier de Callieres, who placed himfelf on the Left, confifted of two Battalions of the Inhabitants in the Center, and a Battalion of the regular Troops on each Wing. The Artillery followed them. Moft of the Indians of this Divifion were upon the Right, who continually fent out Scouts. The fecond Line was commanded by the Chevalier de Vaudreuel, compofed of the fame Num ber of Battalions, and in the fame Order. The Count de Frontenac was carried in a Chair directly after the Artillery. But it was impoffible for them to keep their Order, in paffing through thick Woods, and in paffing Brooks. paffing Brooks. In this formidable Manner the aged General marched up to the Afhes of the Village, and his Army exerted their Fury on the Indian Corn, which covered a large Field in thick Ranks. An Indian Sachem, about one hundred Years old, would not retire with the reft, but chofe this Time to end his Days. The French Indians had the Pleafure of tormenting him, which he bore with furprifing Evennefs of Mind, and with that Refolution which becomes a Sachem of the Five Nations. He told his Tormentors to remember well his Death, when his Countrymen fhould come to take terrible Vengeance of them. Upon which, one ftabbing him feveral Times with his Knife, he thanked him but faid, you had better make me die by Fire, that thefe Dogs of Frenchmen may learn how to fuffer like Men. You Indians, their Allies, you Dogs of Dogs, think of me when you fhall be in the like State. Thus this old Sachem, under all the Weaknefs of old Age, preferved a Greatnefs of Soul, and a due XII. CHA P. a due Regard for the Honour of his Country, to the XII. laft Moment of his Breath. The Chevalier de Vaudreuil was fent with a Detachment of fix or feven hundred Men to destroy the Oneydoes Corn, who liv'd but a small Distance from Onondaga, which he performed without any Refiftance. The Jefuit Milet had lived for the moft Part with the Oneydoes; he had infufed into them the most favourable Sentiments of the French, and they had been the most inclined to Peace on the French Terms. Thirty five of them ftaid in their Castle to make the French welcome; but the only Favour they obtained, was to be made Prisoners, and carried to Montreal. The French Governor declared his Refolutions to extirpate the Onondagas, and for that Reason gave Orders to give no Quar ter. The Difficulty of fupporting fo many Men in these Deserts, made it neceffary for the Count de Frontenac to return as fpeedily as poffible. Though the French Army was much an Overmatch for the Onondagas, both in Number of Men and in their Arms, the Onondagas were not fo far difpirited, as not to follow them in their Return. They found Opportunities to revenge themselves in fome Meafure, by cutting off every Canoe that happened at any Time to be at a Distance from the main Body. This obliged the Count to haften his March, fo that he returned to Montreal the tenth of Auguft. The Onondagas fuffered nothing by this chargeable Expedition, but the Lofs of their Corn, and their Bark Cottages. They loft not one Man, but the old Sachem, who refolved to die a Martyr to his Country's Honour. The French fuffered confiderably by its Confequences; for all the Planters being taken off from their Labour, either in this Expedition, or in watching and fecuring their Forts and |