And, pursuant to agreement some months before, the four governments of New England, in conjunction with New York (which last furnished 1300) had now assembled 8000 men (for the attack of Fort Frederick) at Albany. 150 miles N. of New York, and about 130 from Crown Point, under the command of General Winslow. But many people, dreading the cruelty of the French, were not so very eager to join them this year as the last; an impress therefore of part of the militia was ordered in New York government. To prevent which, subscriptions were set on foot to engage volunteers by high bounties; so loath were they that some got nine or twelve pounds sterling to enlist.

The '40th, 45th, 50th and 51st regiments of Great Britain were destined for the campaign on the great lake Ontario, and mostly marched for Oswego, thence to be carried over in 200 great whale boats, which were then at the lake, and were built at Schenectady on Mohawk's river, and were long, round, and light, as the batteaux, being fiat-bottomed and small, would not answer the navigation of the lake, where the waves were often very high. They were then, at last, intended to attack Fort Frontenac, mentioned before, and the other French forts on the lake. Upwards of 2000 batteaux men were employed to navigate the batteaux, each a ton burden, laden with provisions and stores from Albany by the Mohawk River, then through Oneyda Lake and river, down to Oswego. There were likewise 300 sailors hired and gone up from New York (as I found, when I arrived there) to navigate the four armed ships on the lake, built there, as I have before mentioned, the last year, for the King's service, and two others were then building; smiths, carpenters, and other artificers, having gone there for that purpose some weeks before. Such were the preparations and armaments for this campaign; but how fruitless to our disgrace, was soon known all over the world!

I shall not trouble the reader with a long account of a long march I had to take from New York to Oswego, to join my regiment: suffice it therefore, that I arrived there about the middle of July; but in my march thither with some recruits we joined Colonel Broadstreet at Albany, and on the 6th of May, at the great carrying place, had a skirmish with the French and Indians, wherein several were killed and wounded on both sides; of the latter I made one. Receiving a shot through my left hand, which entirely disabled my third and fourth fingers; and having no hospital, or any conveniences for the sick there I was, after having my hand dressed in a wretched manner, sent with the next batteaux to Albany to get it cured.

As soon as I was well, I set forwards for Oswego, again. And. when I arrived there. I began to make what observations I could, as to the alterations that had been made since the month of October preceding. The works of Oswego, at this time, consisted of three forts, viz. the Old Fort, built many years before, whose chief strength was a weak stone walk about two feet thick, so ill cemented, that it could not resist the force of a four pound ball, and situated on the east side of the harbour; the two other forts, called Fort Ontario and Fort George, were each of them at the distance of about 450 yards from the Old Fort, and situated on two eminences, which commanded it: both these, as I have already observed, were begun to be built last year upon plans which made them defensible against musketry, and cannon of three or four pound ball only, the time not allowing works of a stronger nature to be then undertaken.

For our defence against large cannon, we entirely depended on a superior naval force upon the lake, which might have put it in our power to prevent the French from bringing heavy artillery against the place, as that could only be done by water carriage, which is my opinion, as well as many others. If the naval force had but done their duty. Oswego might have been ours to this very day, and entirely cut off the communication of the French from Canada to the Ohio: but if I would insist on this as the particulars require, I perhaps should affront some, and injure myself, all to no purpose, or of any beneficial service to recall our former losses; for that reason, I shall defer enlarging on the subject, although at the same time, I can give very good circumstances to maintain my argument if required.

Peter, when writing this memoir, was hoping to garner support from powerful aristocrats against the judges of Aberdeen who had worked with kidnapping rings to abduct him and other Scottish children for the slave trade. Peter makes certain to praise most of the officers he describes throughout his account, and in the final passage above, declines to criticize the conduct of his betters in the war in which he suffered so much pain, loss and disgrace.