Almost before he could realize it they had emerged from the deep woods and he looked again upon the vast, shining reaches of Lake Ontario.

Then he learned for the first time that Montcalm's army had come mostly in boats and in detachments, and was now united for attack.

As he had surmised, Oswego, which the English and Americans had intended to be a great stronghold and rallying place in the west, was the menaced position.
Robert from a hill saw three forts before the French force, the largest standing upon a plateau of considerable elevation on the east bank of the river, which there flowed into the lake.

It was shaped like a star, and the fortifications consisted of trunks of trees, sharpened at the ends, driven deep into the ground, and set as close together as possible.

On the west side of the river was another fort of stone and clay, and four hundred yards beyond it was an unfinished stockade, so weak that its own garrison had named it in derision Rascal Fort.