A little diligence being now made use of, about the middle of September, four other vessels were got ready, viz. a decked sloop of eight guns, four pounders, and thirty swivels; a decked schooner, eight guns, four pounders, and twenty-eight swivels; one undecked schooner of fourteen swivels, and fourteen oars, and another of twelve swivels and fourteen oars; about 150 tons each.
On the 24th of October, with this armament, and a considerable number of baiteaux, which were small to live upon the lake in moderate weather, we were preparing to attack Niagara; though (not withstanding we had taken all the provisions we could find in Oswego, and had left the garrison behind, with scarce enough for three days) the fleet had not provisions sufficient on board to carry them within sight of the enemy, and supplies were not to be got within 300 miles of the place we were going against. However, the impracticability of succeeding in an expedition, undertaken without victuals, was discovered in time enough to prevent our march or embarkation, or whatever it might be called; but not before nine batteaux, laden with officers* baggage, were sent forwards, four men in each bateau, in one of which it was my lot to be. The men being weak and in low spirits with continual harassing [Indian attacks] and low feeding, rendered our progress very tedious and difficult; add to this the places we had to ascend, for in many parts the cataracts or falls of water which descended near the head of the river Onondaga (in some places over 100 feet perpendicular), rendered it almost impossible for us to proceed; for the current running from the bottom, was so rapid, that the efforts of twenty or thirty men were sometimes required to drag the boats along, and especially to get them up the hills or cataracts, which we were forced to do with ropes.
Sometimes, when, with great labour and difficulty, we had got them up, we carried them by land near a quarter of a mile before we came to any water. In short, we found four men to a batteau were insufficient; for the men belonging to one batteau were so fatigued and worn out that they could not manage her, so that she lay behind almost a league.
The captain that was with us observing this, as soon as we had got the others over the most difficult falls, ordered two besides myself to go and help her forwards. Accordingly I got into her, in order to steer her, whilst my two comrades and her own crew dragged her along.
[This passage is an indication that Peter was among the smaller men in the command.]
When we got her into any cataracts I remained in her to fasten the ropes and keep all safe whilst they hauled her up; but drawing her to the summit of the last cataract the ropes gave way, and down she fell into a very rapid and boisterous stream, where, not being able by myself to work her, she stove to pieces on a small rock, on which some part of her remained till morning, I miraculously saved myself. Never was my life in greater danger than in this situation, the night being quite dark, and no assistance to be obtained from any of my comrades, though many of them, as I afterwards learned, made diligent search for me; but the fall of the water rendered the noise that as well as myself, they made, to be heard by one another, quite imperceptible.
In the morning they, indeed, found me, but in a wretched condition, quite benumbed, and almost dead with cold, having nothing on but my shirt. After various efforts, having with great difficulty got me up, they used all proper means to recover my worn out spirits; but the fire had a fatal effect to what they intended, for my flesh swelled all over my body and limbs, and caused such a deprivation of my senses, that I fainted, and was thought by all to be dead. However after some time, they pretty well recovered my scattered senses, and fatigued body, and with proper care conducted me, with some others (who were weak and ill of the flux.) to Albany, where the hospital received our poor debilitated bodies.
The rest, not able to proceed, or being countermanded, bent their course back again to Oswego; where, a friendly storm preventing an embarkation, when a stock of provisions was got together (sufficient to prevent them from eating one another [Hopefully dry humor on Peter’s part], during the first twelve days), all thoughts of attacking Niagara were laid aside. Thus ended this formidable campaign. The vessels that we had built (as I afterwards learned) were unrigged and laid up, without having been put to any use, while a French vessel was cruising on the Lake, and carrying supplies to Niagara, without interruption; five others, as large as ours, being almost ready to launch at Frontenac, which lies across the lake Ontario, north of Oswego.
The General, whatever appearances might have led others, as well as myself, to think otherwise, soon indicated his intention of not wintering at Oswego; for he left the place before the additional works were completed, and the garrison, by insensible degrees, decreased; the 1100 men still living in perpetual terror, on the brink of famine, and become mutinous for want of their pay; which, in the hurry of military business, during a year that was crowned with great events, had been forgotten: for, from my first enlisting to the time I was laid up at Albany, I never had received above six weeks pay.
A little, indeed, may be offered in vindication of the General, in regard to the numberless delays of this campaign: viz. That it took some time to raise the two regiments which were in British pay, as the shame of enlisting for life is somewhat forbidding to the Americans (a few of whom, as well as myself, made our agreement for three years; but soon after that time, I doubt, we must have depended on his pleasure for our being discharged, according to our contract, had it not fallen out otherwise.)
The unusual dryness of the summer rendered the rivers down to Oswego in some places impassible, or very difficult for the batteaux to proceed; and it was whispered that a gentleman lately in an eminent station in New York, did all in his power to hinder the undertaking, from a pique to the General. By these disadvantages, he was detained at Albany till August; and even when he did reach Oswego, he found himself put to no little difficulty, to maintain his ground for want of provisions: and the men being so reduced, more than once, to short allowance, as you have seen, became troubled with the flux, and had not any thing necessary; not even rum sufficient for the common men, to prevent the fatal effects of that disorder.
In this manner the summer was spent on our side; and the reason why the French did not this year take Oswego, when they might with so little trouble, was, as many beside myself conjectured, that they thought it more their interest, to pursue their projects on the Ohio, and preserve the friendship of the confidential Indians; which an attack upon Oswego, at that time, would have destroyed.
How far they succeeded in such their projects, and the reason of their successes, a little animadversion on our own transactions will let us into the light of. For, as appearances on our side were very favourable in the spring, General Braddock's defeat greatly increased the gloom, which sat on the countenances of the Americans.
