The 4 men of Shirley's Regiment who are all deserters from the French declare that there was 8 months pay due to them when the enemy appeared, they were then paid up six months. The two men of Pepperels who are also deserters from the French declare they have received no pay for 9 months past. That last winter there was only 140 men fit for duty of both Regiments with 20 of the independent companys. That their provision was extremely bad and only

& Indians.

received half allowance, and that even at that they had resolved to quit the place without a supply

had speedily arrived. 1

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM PORTSMOUTH, DATED FEB. 13, 1757. [

From N. Y. Mercury. ]

Inclosed you have a List of Several Carpenters, Sailors and other Artificers that were taken with me

now here some of them were retaken going to France, and others were sent Some of them are on board the Royal Anne, and some in the Hospital all in good Health, and are to be sent home by the first opportunity.

at

Oswego, and are

;

here from Canada.

;

1 For another English account of the Surrender of Oswego, see Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xxvii, 75. A Writer in the London Monthly Review, vol. xvii, 174, accuses the Merchants of England of opposing the important settlement at Oswego from interested motives as a company of them had engrossed the whole trade of supplying the Colony, as was pretended,