The five colonial assemblies
controlled their own troops and supplies. Connecticut had refused to
send her men until Shirley promised that her commanding officer should
rank next to Johnson, and the whole movement was for some time at a
deadlock, because the five governments could not agree about their
contributions of artillery and stores.
The troops were a rough-looking body. Only one of the corps had a blue
uniform, faced with red. The rest wore their ordinary farm clothing.
All had brought their own guns, of every description and fashion. They
had no bayonets, but carried hatchets in their belts as a sort of
substitute.
In point of morals the army, composed almost entirely of farmers and
farmers' sons, was exemplary. It is recorded that not a chicken was
stolen. In the camps of the Puritan soldiers of New England, sermons
were preached twice a week, and there were daily prayers and much
singing of psalms; but these good people were much shocked by the
profane language of the troops from New York and Rhode Island, and some
prophesied that disaster would be sure to fall upon the army from this
cause.
Months were consumed in various delays; and, on the 21st of August,
just as they were moving forward, four Mohawks, whom Johnson had sent
into Canada, returned with the news that the French were making great
preparations, and that 8000 men were marching to defend Crown Point.
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