After leaving some
of his troops to complete the fort he had begun at the "carrying-place,"
the commander proceeded to the south end of Lake George, where he made
camp. He had between five and six thousand New York and New England
troops and his loyal Mohawks. Not long had he been in camp before his
Indian scouts brought him intelligence of an approaching force of French
and Indians.
About the time that General Johnson had begun his march northwardly,
Baron Dieskau, with a force of 3,000 French troops, 800 Canadians and
700 Indians, had started southwardly from Montreal, also for Crown Point
on Lake Champlain. He had intended to proceed against Oswego; but
learning of the contemplated English expedition for the reduction of
Crown Point, he changed the direction of his march.
Had he waited for the English general to carry out his original
intention, the result might have been more favorable to the French, for
the former would then have been the attacking party and have borne the
brunt of the battle. As it was, the French commander nearly succeeded in
drawing the thousand men that Johnson had sent out to meet him into an
ambuscade, and among the slain was brave Colonel Williams, commander of
the Provincials in this engagement, and gallant Chief Hendrick, who had
accompanied him with two hundred Mohawks.
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