Copy.

River St Lawrence below the Isle Royale 26th. August 1760.

Sir,

On the 10th. Instant, I Embarked the Army, and proceeded with the Same, across Lake Ontario into this River, Where, on the 16th. in the Evening, off Oswegatchie the Advanced Guard descried One of the Enemy's Vessells but it being Soon after duskish, Nothing could be Effected that Night, tho' we tryed as much as possible to Attack her: At Day break, on the 17th. Our Row Galleys Engaged her, & by Seven in the morning She Struck: Her Name was the Ottawawa, mounting ten, twelve pounders, and one hundred men Officers Included, besides Monsr. de La Broqueri, Who Commanded her: in the Engagement we had only one Man killed, & another wounded; And the Enemy thirteen of both.

The Army Which the preceding Night had Encamped on the Pointe du Baril, then moved down to Oswegatchie, a very good Indian Settlement with a Blockhouse Fort but Abandoned; the Enemy being posted on an Island, between four & five Miles further down the River, Where they were reported to be very Strongly fortified; both Shores were reconnoitrd during the night, and early the next morning, And the Engineers having reported to me the Situation of the Coasts & Islands nearest the Fort; immediately on the return of the Engineers on the 18th. a part of the Army passed down on each Coast, and after Some Opposition by a Smart Cannonading, the Fort was Compleatly invested, so that none of its Garrison could make its Escape: the four following days were employed in raising my Batteries, Which being finished on the morning of the 23d. in Concert with our Shipping, I began to fire on the Fort, which lasted till Yesterday afternoon; When the French beat a Parley, desiring to know What terms Should be granted them: My Answer was, that the Garrison Should be Prisoners of War; that everything in and depending on the Fort, Should be delivered in the present State; and that I gave them only ten minutes to Accept of, or dissent from these proposals; and they Accordingly Yielded to these Conditions, and I have the Satisfaction to Inform You, that His Majesty's Troops are now in possession of Fort Levis.

Our loss upon this Occasion has been very inconsiderable; that of the Enemy (Whose Garrison Consisted of about three hundred men) about twelve killed and Forty wounded; Mor. Pouchot the Same Gentleman that was last Year taken at Niagara Commanded them.

I am, with great regard,

Sir, &ca

Jeff: Amherst

The following Additional Paragraph to the President of the Council of New York only.

"This Success of His Majesty's Arms fills me with the greater pleasure as it Effectually Secures & protects the Settlements & Inhabitants of the Mohawk River Which Nothing but a post either here or at Oswegatchie could perfectly Effect: And as the Improvement of the Settlements already along that River, & the Cultivation of the Uncleared Country, cannot but prove of the greatest Advantage to the province, I would recommend it to You the Issueing a Proclamation Inviting the people thereto & Assuring them of a Quiet and peaceable Abode in their Habitations."

"The following Paragraph to the President of the Council of New York & to the Governor of New Jersey.

The Prisoners above mentioned both of the Garrison and Vessell, I now Send under the Care of Lieut. Small to New York, to be, by him delivered over to Captain Wheelock the Commissary for the Exchange & Ransom of Prisoners, with directions that he disposes of them, untill they are Exchanged on Long Island and in the Jerseys, Which are the two most Contiguous & Convenient places they can be left in, untill Such an Exchange can take Place; I must therefore request, that upon Any Application to You from Capt. Wheelock, You will be so good as to give him all the Aid and Assistance he may Stand in need of, for the disposal of Such of these prisoners within Your Government, as he Shall see Occasion for."

Copy of General Amherst's Circular Letter to the Governors of the Continent from Cape Breton to Georgia Inclusive—Dated—

River St. Lawrence below the Isle Royale 26th. August 1760.

Acquainting them of the Reduction of L'Isle Royale &ca.

in M. G. Amherst's of Augt. 26, 1760.

No. 43.