Slowly and regularly the procession of boats made its way down
the lake, till they saw the signal fires of Levis, who, with his
command, was encamped near the water at a distance of two miles from
the fort. Even then, the English were not aware that near eight
thousand enemies were gathered close to them. Monro was a brave
soldier, but wholly unfitted for the position he held, knowing nothing
of irregular warfare, and despising all but trained soldiers.
At daybreak, all was bustle at Fort Henry. Parties of men went out to
drive in the cattle, others to destroy buildings which would interfere
with the fire from the fort. The English position was now more
defensible than it had been when it was attacked in the spring. The
forest had been cleared for a considerable distance round, and the
buildings which had served as a screen to the enemy had, for the most
part, been removed. The fort itself lay close down by the edge of the
water. One side and the rear were protected by the marsh, so that it
could only be attacked from one side. Beyond the marsh lay the rough
ground where Johnson had encamped two years before; while, on a flat
hill behind this was an entrenched camp, beyond which, again, was
another marsh.
As soon as the sun rose, the column of Levis moved through the forest
towards the fort, followed by Montcalm with the main body, while the
artillery boats put out from behind the point which had hid them from
the sight of the English, and, surrounded by hundreds of Indian canoes,
moved slowly forward, opening fire as they went.
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