Home / O'Callaghan, E.B., ed. The Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. III. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1850. / Passage

Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. III

O'Callaghan, E.B., ed. The Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. III. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1850. 302 words

These things, namely, the tower and parapets could be moved by main force ; and one was made in sucli a way that water couJd not extinguish the fire to be applied to the front of the fort ; and those on the tower would do their duty with some Arquebusseers posted there, and thus acting, we should so defend ourselves that they could not .approach to extinguish the fire, that we should apply to their pickets. Approving tliis, they began next morning, to construct and prejDare said tower and parapets ; ajid made sucIi progress that these were finished in less than four hours. They were expecting the arrival this day of the five hundred men that had been promised, which was however doubtful ; not being at the rendez-vous, as directed and as they had promised, our Savages were much afilicted. But seeing that they were numerous enough to capture the forts, and for my part, considering delay to be always prejudicial, at least in most cases, I urged them to attack said fort, representing that the enemy discovering their strength and the effect of our arms, which pierced wliat was arrow proof, would barricade and shelter themselves, which indeed, they did very well. For their village was enclosed with strong quadruple palisades of large timber, thirty feet high, interlocked the one with the other, with an interval of not more tlian half a foot between them ; with galleries in tlie form of parapets, defended with double pieces of tbnber, proof against our Arquebuses, and on one side they liad a pond with a never failing supply of water, from wliich proceeded a number of gutters which they liad laid along the intermediate space, throwing the water witliout, and rendered it effectual inside, for the purpose of extinguisliing fire.