The New Hampshire Gazette

Saturday last two Deserters from St. John's
were bro't to this Town; they were taken up
near No. 4. one of them is named Thomas
Shiennit, and was a Serjeant in the Battalion of
Bern, which was stationed at Quebeck, but him-
self with a Detachment of said Battalion was or-
der'd some Time ago to St. John's. The other
is named John Iflor, and says he is a Native of
Geneva, and a Protestant, and came over to
Canada about 4 Years and an half ago with a
new raised Company, in which he was a Ser-
jeant: They report, that they left St. John's the
22d of September, at which Place there was
2500 Men, who were working upon an En-
trenchment there under the Command of Mons.
Bourlamarque:--That at about 6 Leagues Dis-
tance from St. John's the French had an ad-
vanced Post upon the Meadows of Boileau, and
Nut Island. guarded by about 1000 Men:--
That they had but about 40 Pieces of Cannon
in all. from 6 to 12 and 18 Pounders, at St.
John's and the Meadows; about 18 of which
were at St. John's:--That they had 7 Barks
upon the Lake, mounting from 6 to 8 Guns:
-That they had been very well supplied with
Provisions; and that of the 3500 Men at the
aforesaid Posts, 900 were Regulars, the rest
Canadians, and that at Montreal there were no
Troops at all.

Iflor says. That he was at General Braddock's
Fight, and at that wherein Major Grant was
defeated; and has been all along upon the Ohio,
and the Parts adjacent, and had arrived at St.
John's but 7 Days before he deserted.

Shiennit also says. That he was at Fort Du-
Quene at the Time of Braddock's Defeat, and
was also there at the Time when General Forbes
came near it, on which they blew up the Fort,
and sent down the Cannon. 14 in Number, six
6 Pounders to Orleans, and the other eight to
Fort Cherokee: most of the latter were 4 Pound-
ers: This is an Indian Fort. and has Barracks
for 40 or 50 Men, is made of Logs, and has
four Bastions:--Shiennit was also at the Battle
before the Fort at Niagara, and escaped after
they were defeated with 600 others and 7 Offi-
cers, and retreated to Presque Isle. from thence
the People belonging to the several Parts of
Louisiana dispersed to. their respective Posts:--
That he in Company with 350 others came
across Lake Erie and Huron, crossed the Carry-
ing Place for 30 Miles, and came into the River
St. Lawrence opposite La Galette, by the little
River Miamis. and arrived at Montreal about
the Beginning of September:--That he was at
Montreal 3 Days, and that there was no Troops
at that Place no Works made, nor Guns mount-
ed; there was some Guns, but no Carriages..