The Virginia Gazette

N E W - Y O R K, April 11.

Copy of a Letter from Albany, dated March 30, 1757.

"Make no Doubt but you have heard of our late Alarm; and as I have been as far up as Lake George, will acquaint you with the Particulars of the Siege of Fort William-Henry, as it was related to me by a Gentleman that was in the Fort, and an Eye-witness to the whole.

On Saturday the 19th Instant; an Express arrived here from Fort Edward, with Advice that they had heard several large Guns fired at Fort William Henry; about two Hours after, two other Expresses came in from the Same Place, which confirmed the first Account, with the Addition of a continual Firing being heard; and that they made no Doubt but that the Fort was besieged by the French. Sunday the 20th, the Alarm Drum beat here, when every Man that was capable of bearing Arms was ordered to prepare for a March in Half an Hour, which we did, and rendezvouzed at the Half-Moon, where we waited all the next Day, in order that our whole Force might be collected: That Day a fourth Express arrived, with an authentic Account, that a numerous French Army had been before Fort William-Henry, from the 19th in the Morning, had made several Attacks upon the Fort, but were as often bravely repulsed by the besieged. We were soon joined by all the Regulars from this Place and Schenectady, and 700 brave Highlanders, when we computed our Number to be about 4000, including 200 Indians. We were to have been joined by another Regiment from Fort Edward, but upon our Arrival there, we were informed that the Enemy finding all their Schemes against the Fort proved abortive, were gone off, which chagrined us much, as we intended to have attacked them that Night. I shall now give you an Account how the Enemy was first discovered.

Saturday the 19th, about Two o'Clock in the Morning, the Centry on the East Side of the Fort discovered a Light, it being very dark, which he challenged, but receiving no Answer, he fired his Musket. This soon alarmed the Fort, when Major Ayres, the Commanding Officer, immediately ordered a profound Silence, that every Man should stand to his Arms, and keep a good Look-out; several People were then heard coughing on the Ice, and the Rangers, with a Corporal's Guard, then out, were ordered in. Soon after the Enemy endeavoured to approach the Fort, but met with such a warm and unexpected Reception, as soon obliged them to retire, having first fired their small Arms, which did our People no Hurt, and at Day-light there was not the Face of a Frenchman to be seen, but at Night they returned again with all the Quietness imaginable, intending, as we since learned, to scale the Walls of the Fort; but our People kept so good a Look-out, and constant Fire on them as they approached, that their Design was frustrated.

Sunday Morning the Enemy's Camp was discovered about a Mile from the Fort, by the Smoke that appeared in the Air, A Party of Rangers were immediately Sent out to reconnoitre their Encampment, which as soon as they approached, found the Enemy to be very numerous. About 12 o'Clock at Noon, they marched their whole Army in Sight of our Fort, two Men deep, which extended more than a Mile and an Half on the Ice, in order to intimidate the Garrison, by Shewing them their Strength. This done, they sent out a Captain with four Men, unarmed, and 12 at some little Distance from them, armed. The Captain came within 20 Yards of the Fort, waving a red Flag; upon which Major Ayres sent Lieut. Drummond, of the 44th Regiment, with the like Number of Men, to meet them; they saluted each other in a very polite Manner, after which the French Officer delivered a Letter to Lieut. Drummond, which he said was from his Commanding Officer Mon. Vaudreuil. This Letter was sent to Major Ayres, by an English Soldier, who, on reading the same, ordered the French Officer to be blind-folded, and brought into the Fort and that Mr. Drummond should remain Hostage till his Return, which being agreeable to both Parties, the Frenchman was conducted to the Major's own Apartment, and having

[LIM ..eCommandant of his Most Christian Majesty's Forces on Lake Sacrar wed he woul give up the Fort he had built on their Majesty's Land; that they would allow us all the Honors of War; that our People Should march out with their Colors, and take their most valuable Baggage with them, only leave some Trifles to amuse the Indians; that if we were afraid of them, they had Regulars enough to guard us from any Hurt; but if we persisted, and obliged them to storm the Fort, which they were determined to do, they could not answer for the Cruelty of the Savages; and that we must expect every Man would be put to the Sword.' Major Ayres heard all Monsieur had to Say very coolly, without Interruption ; after which he desired him to give his Compliments to Monf. Vaudreuil, and acquaint him,that he had 1000 effective Men in his Fort; and that while ten of them remained alive, he would not surrender; but that he would be glad to see Monsieur as Soon as he pleased, being well provided for his Reception; and that they might put their Projects in Execution when they pleased;' on which they parted. Our People expected they would attack them immediately, but they did nothing that Day. At Night they attempted to Set Fire to the Fort, when they were prevented by the Vigilance of the besieged. That Night they burned a Storehouse, and next Day got on a Hill, and continued firing without Intermission till dark ; their Situation was such that the Cannon could not hurt them much ; but they were soon saluted with some Shells,which obliged them to remove. In the Evening they set Fire to all the Battoes on the Lake, and burned Gerham's House, though he saved the greatest Part of his Goods. They burned two Sloops; and a very heavy Snow falling next Day, they were obliged to go quite off, being short of Provisions and not able to endure the Severity of the Weather any longer. We have made three Prisoners, who were wounded, and not able to march back to Ticonderoga. They say, they were 2900 strong when they set out; that they have been preparing for this Expedition, since November last; that they brought 900 Scaling-Ladders with them;that their Orders and Intentions were, to put all in the Fort to the Sword, Men, Women and Children; and that they would not have sent the Flag of Truce, had they not been frustrated in their Design; and that they thought to frighten us out of the Fort,

Several of their Scaling-Ladders have been found; and it is computed we have killed 20 or 30 of the Enemy, but we cannot be certain, as the Snow is now four Feet deep in many Places, and they drew all their dead out of our Sight. I could be more particular; but as the above are the Grounds of the Siege, I hope it will suffice. We had not one Man killed, and but six slightly wounded. The Officers, as well as the Men, behaved with the greatest Resolution imaginable,and were determined to stand out to the last, rather than trust their Lives in the Hands of Savages.

We are credibly informed, that two Armies equal in Number to Monf. Vaudreuil's. Set out from Canada at the same Time he did, one of which was destined to scour the Mohawk' River, and meet M. Vaudreuil in Albany,but the Destination of the third was not known, though it was generally thought that they intended to march Northward; and that the French in the late Action with the brave Captain Rogers, had not less than 50 Men killed and wounded.

Extra of another Letter from Albany, April 2,1757.

" This Morning an Account was brought to Town, that a large Army of French and Indians were seen at a small Distance from the German Flatts;but few here believe it. Sir William Johnson is still in Readiness,with 1900 of the Militia.

"Every Man in the French Army that came against Fort William-Henry, was equipped in the following Manner, viz.with two Pair of Indian Shoes, two Pair of Stockings, one Pair of Spatterdashes, one Pair of Breeches, two Jackets, one large Over-coat, two Shirts, two Caps, one Hat, one Pair of Mittins, one Tomahawk, two Pocket Knives, one scalping Knife, one Steel and Flint, every two Men an Ax, and every four a Kettle and Oil cloth for a Tent, with one Blanket and a Bearskin, and 12 Days Provisions of Pork and Bread, all which they drew on little Hand-Sleighs."

P. S. Three o'Clock in the Afternoon. Just now another Express came to Town from the German Flatts: The Particulars I cannot learn; but it is reported the French were near by, and consisted of 2000 Men. The Militia Drums beat to Arms again."