By virtue of this capitulation, the garrison surrendered prisoners of war, and the French immediately took possession of Oswego and Fort George, which they entirely destroyed, agreeable to their orders, after removing the artillery, warlike stores, and provisions.

But to describe the plunder, havock, and devastation made by the French, as well as the savages, who rushed in by thousands, is impossible. For notwithstanding the Christian promise made by the General of his Most Christian Majesty, they all behaved more like infernal beings than creatures in human shapes. In short, not contented with surrendering upon the above terms, they scalped and killed all the sick and wounded in the hospitals; mangling, butchering, cutting, and chopping off their heads, arms, legs, etc., with spades, hatchets, and other such diabolical instruments; treating the whole with the utmost cruelty, notwithstanding the repeated intercessions of the defenceless sick and wounded for mercy, which were indeed piteous enough to have softened any heart possessed of the minutest particle of humanity!

Here I cannot help observing; that notwithstanding what lies have been said of the behaviour of the officers of these (the 50th and 51st) regiment*. I must, with the greatest truth, give them the characters of brave, but I wish I could say, experienced men; every one of them I had an opportunity of observing during the siege, behaving with the utmost courage and intrepidity. Nor, in this place, can I omit particularly naming Col. James Campbell and Captain Archibald Hamilton*, who assisted with the greatest spirit and alacrity the private men at the great guns. But for such an handful of men as our garrison then consisted of, and the works being of such a weak and defencless nature, to have made a longer defence, or have caused the enemy to raise the siege, would have been such an instance as England for many years hath not experienced; and I am afraid will be many more before it will, for reasons that are too obvious.

The quantity of stores and ammunition we then had in the three forts is almost incredible. But of what avail are powder and balls if walls and ramparts are defenceless, and men sufficient to make use of them; in short, the French by taking this place, made themselves masters of the following things, all which were immediately sent to Frontenac, viz. seven pieces of brass cannon, nineteen, fourteen, and twelve pounders; forty-eight iron cannon, of nine, six, five, three, and two pounders; a brass mortar of nine inches four- twelfths, and thirteen others of six and three inches: forty-seven swivel guns; 23,000 lb. of gunpowder: 8,000 lb. of lead and musket ball; two thousand nine hundred and fifty cannon balls; one hundred and fifty bombs of nine inches, and three hundred more of six inches diameter; one thousand four hundred and twenty-six grenades, one thousand and seventy muskets; a vessel pierced for eighteen guns; the brigantine of sixteen, a goeletta [ ? ] of ten, a batteau of ten (the sloops already mentioned), another of eight guns, a skiff of eighteen swivels, and another burnt upon the stocks; seven hundred and four barrels of biscuit, one thousand three hundred and eighty-six firkins [ a 9-gallon cask ] of bacon and beef; seven hundred and twelve firkins of meal; thirty-two live oxen; fifteen hogs, and a large sum of money in the military chest, amounting, as the French said, to eighteen thousand five hundred and ninety-four livres [ French currency ].

* Colonel Campbell and Capt. Hamilton are at present in Scotland, the former resides near Glasgow, and the latter in Edinburgh.

Among Peter’s many dirty jobs, one seems to have been inventorying the military booty won by the French and Indians.

Firkin:

Livre values: Approximately 800,000 in 2015 dollars