Click on a thumbnail below to see a larger picture and a description. If nothing happens, you may have a pop-up blocker turned on. If you have a pop-up blocker, you must turn it off to see the larger pictures.

Preface

A detachment from Fort Edward was appointed by Gen. Webb to track down and harrass a war party heard to have been in the area of the east side of Lake George, which the French call Lac St Sacrement. This is my first year as the Lake Commander, having taken over from Capt. Kennedy who led the British forces on the Lake for several years. I am pleased to be able to lead the detachment on the King's behalf.

Sunday, October 7

Pvt. Filkins, Capt. Kennedy, and I met at the point of embarkation, and we found indications that Pvt. Abe Price – a volunteer from one of the Maryland companies – was already on the Lake. The three of us took our canoes to the water, loaded up, and headed north. I went with Pvt. Filkins Chauncey while Capt. Kennedy paddled his own canoe, and we headed into a strong wind from the north. The lake had heavy waves and we were, as usual, forced to manage difficult wakes from Dutch traders in their overlarge craft traveling too quickly. Pvt. Filkins, in the bow for a change, got wet from one particularly big swell.

Our first objective was to scout the area around the Stone Fortress. I climbed out of the canoes onto shore, along with Pvt. Filkins, while Capt. Kennedy tied the canoes to a limb and, as his usual nimble self, crawled along the limb over the water to get onto shore. We were interested in seeing what defensive positions were available, and possible sites for an ambush. After a reasonable scout, we headed north again and pulled into Commission Point, Filkins and I on the north side and Kennedy coming in on the south side. The enemy was heading our way in with a couple of boats and some canoes, and we knew we were going to get cut off. This seemed like deja vu, as we went through this same scenario last year. Kennedy grabbed one of the swivel guns and and we all grabbed our muskets. Kennedy had to rush to get the slow match, then load and prime a swivel, as the French were coming quickly. We were fighting the French commander and his crew in the Plague Rat, as well as Gregoire in his batteau. Gregoire shot Filkins, while Commander Chandler fired on Kennedy and seriously wounded him. Kennedy tried to tell me to fire the swivel but I did not have time to pay attention to what he was saying, as the French Commander had come on land was approaching me while I hid behind an inadequate tree. We exchanged shots, but then I misfired and he made his move to get me. With just the three of us, the battle was quickly over.

We got back in our canoes and left northward to make camp, as darkness was approaching quickly. While approaching the area where we thought we would set up camp, we noted a lone canoe in a small passage between and island and the shore. It was obviously a birchbark canoe with the high bow, indicating it was most likely carrying natives. Were they ours or those of the French? We approached slowly and remained out of shot, trying to determine who they were. They were doing the same. Eventually, we detected enough indicators to make us think it was Cheeksaunkun and his son, who we were expecting to meet here on the lake. We approached cautiously and confirmed it was he. Together, we pulled onto shore together to talk and plan quickly, while it continued to get darker. They were to head to Hazel Island for the night, and we were to climb uphill to set up camp. Our last trip up was made in the twilight with no moon, and we could barely make out the tarps. We made a small fire behind a rock and shared our rations.

Monday, October 8

We were up early Monday morning, and left without breakfast. We first needed to make our way to Commission Point to meet with the 55th and with those of Dunn's Co. who were sent to assist us. We went by way of the hillside, through the trees. Not far from camp, we noted movement down on the trail and I sent Pvt. Filkins to contact what we thought were the British troops. Unfortunately when he appeared on the overhang above them, he realized they were French and they saw him. Filkins ran back to Kennedy and me, and the French, including the Commander Med Chandler, came up after him. We took out several, and I managed to kill Chandler. His cohort Sean Stevens shot the Captain. Filkins and I gave chase and Sean ducked to cover and produced a something that looked like a blunderbuss. Now we had him cornered, andwe then leap-frogged up to him. Filkins had elected to take cover in a depression where he couldn't see the enemy very well at all. I managed to get a clean shot, when he had more than 50% of his body clearly visible.

From there, we rounded up Capt. Kennedy and continued to Commission Point, but as we approached, we saw Louis Valiquette alone in his canoe, probing the bay on the south side of the point. One of the redcoats shot at him. We were there shortly behind the redcoats, Pvts. Reilly, Handy, and Peterson. Pvt. Bond, was attempting to make the journey to Commission Point by foot but was quite ill.

Meanwhile, Valiquette landed his canoe and walked around Commission Point. Other canoes arrived and we had a smart fire-fight until the rain began. The detachment from the 55th and ourselves found shelter with some Dutch Traders, who had a roaring fire going and a large canopy. Some time after the rain stopped, we were joined by two members of Dunn's Co. of New Jersey Rangers, Cpl. John Bauer and Pvt. Bob Albrecht, who came in by canoe, and Pvt. Bond from the 55th came in by foot, looking very white and unwell.

Dunn's Rangers held the Point while the rest of us went on patrol. We had expected to meet with Cheeksaunkun, his son, and at least one other Native allied to the British, but true to Native form, they never come to find us. Meanwhile, not long after we left the Point to go north by foot, we saw the French coming south on the water. We rushed back to reinforce the Rangers, but the enemy never came on shore. So we restarted out patrol north, including all of us this time. While on patrol, some of us went out to Fort Bear Necessity, passed the sad remains of the fort, and went to the western edge. There, we discovered that Cheeksaunkun was on Hazel Island with the French General Soule, as Soule and his soldiers had overrun the Indians' camp and Cheeksaunkun was negotiating to get his belongings back.

The day was drawing to a close so we made plans to meet early the next morning, then parted ways to go to our separate camps before it became to dark.

Tuesday, October 9

Lt. Chauncey Goodrich, British Commander at the Lake George Tactical

Up early, as usual. Capt. Kennedy escorted me to the location where we had agreed to meet with the other members of the detachment. Pvt. Filkins was unwell and not able to leave his bedroll. The 55th and Dunn's Rangers arrived, and we learned that Pvt. Bond was so ill that he returned south from the Lake, to seek medical assistance. Our numbers were clearly too few, and we still had no knowledge of where Pvt. Price was. Several others who we had expected to see also did not make the trip to the Lake. Capt. Kennedy wanted to scout to the north to find the enemy's Native allies, and I gave him permission to scout without engaging. The remaining five of us left to scout went out to Red Rock. There, we noticed a small flotilla going southward to Commission Point, carrying 11 Indians and French. Ourcount of the enemy indicated we would be outnumbered more than two-to-one. I ordered everyone up the hillside to set up an ambush in case they came south, and ordered that they were not to fire until the last Indian had gone past us, Sure enough, they walked south below us in small parties, but not all of them so we remained hidden. One does not always need to fire a musket to be the victor! We watched them and they did not see us.

Assuming some of the enemy was still to the south, we traveled along the hillside well above the road until we could come down near Commission Point and attack whomever had been left to defend the vessels. It is always very hard work traveling along the side of the hills, up above the road by the shore. The terrain makes it too easy to head downhill, and so we must constantly make a point of climbing upwards. We counted stream beds to compare to my feeble map, so as to estimate our position. When we thought we were parallel to Commission Point, we headed down the hill and came to the road. But were too far to the North, closer to Red Rock in fact. We saw empty canoes at Commission Point and made to go sink them, but we were seen by the enemy just as we were about to go onto the Point.

I ordered everyone uphill to escape from the savages, and ran out to the Point to throw death cards onto four canoes, and thereby sink them. I signed the cards with 'CG' so they would know Chauncey Goodrich had done the deed. As a firefight erupted, I ran back toward the road, and found that Cpl. Bauer had come with me to protect me. I noticed also that canoes and boats approaching quickly. Bauer and I were cut off from the rest and ran southward to find a safe location. I could hear the 55th and Pvt. Albrecht engaging the enemy and feared for their lives. The Natives, or so I assumed, were calling my name but I was sure we were outnumbered and going out to fire on them would be to no purpose and would likely end in our getting shot. So we remained hidden.

After a considerable amount of time following end of the battle, Bauer and I went up the hillside to make our way back north. It was even harder than before, as we were both tired and the day had warmed up. We took several stops, including a pause to have a late lunch from the rations in our haversacks. I don't know how much time had passed but it was late in the afternoon when Bauer, a most excellent Ranger and scout, led me along the hillside, way up high, and brought me back to the precise spot where we had rendezvoused first thing that morning. I was most impressed! The 55th came by not long after that, on their way back to camp after patrolling to the North.

We separated and Cpl. Bauer went south yet again to find his comrade and get into camp for the night. Rain was starting again and we wanted to get a small fire going before the wood got too wet.

Meanwhile, Capt. Kennedy had gone to spy up north. Here is his report for this day:

Wednesday, October 10

Very early in the morning, Capt. Kennedy paddled the still sick Pvt. Filkins off the Lake. Because Filkins' canoe was going to go with him on the cart, Kennedy had to hike back high up on the hill to avoid the French. We met up in woods, as I had been scouting well above the trail also, near the camp to ambush anyone coming that way to find us.

During that time, Cpl. Bauer led the remains of our patrol to find the French, and the men had some action. They then said farewell to the 55th, who were needed back at Fort William Henry.

At this point, late in the day, Capt. Kennedy and I moved our camp to further up the hill, since it had been overrun the day before. We had reason to be concerned about upcoming weather and so decided to walk down to talk to the French regarding the big parley planned for the next day, to move the time up. Kennedy walked right into the French camp, in broad daylight, to request a parley with the Commander, while Chauncey remained safely in the distance. It was then that Kennedy realized that the previous evening had had him right in the French camp, not at an outpost as he thought. He had entered last night unopposed, and did so again in broad daylight. Chauncey met with the French Commander to talk about moving up the parley to earlier in the day on Thursday, because of the inclement weather.

After meeting with the French, we went to find Dunn's company. We found where the 55th had been camping, and we found the remains of cartridges from where they had been firing, but found no sign of the New Jersey Rangers. Darkness was falling again so we returned to our own camp. Kennedy was feeling the effects of having traveled up and down the Lake several times during that day and it was an early night for both of us.

Thursday October 11

First, we broke down the camp and packed the canoes. We then met up with Dunn's Company and canoed to Hazel Island for the Parley with the Enemy. We enjoyed food and drinks with the enemy, who at this time are our colleauges and comrades.

Once there, the enemy pointed out that a gift Capt. Kennedy had brought for the young Marques lad (one of the Milice who last year had stolen his gorget). This gift had disappeared from Kennedy's canoe, probably Tuesday night before he reclaimed the canoes, and it was now mounted on the bow of the Plague Rat, much to Kennedy's chagrin.

Friday Morning

In spite of the fact that the week had been dark and wet, a good time was had by all, and the last four of us exited just ahead of a large storm. We had our annual celebration at a small tavern south of Lake George.