"Men who will stop to light a fire to warm themselves, within sight of an enemy's fort they want to surprise, are not likely to venture out of shelter of their blankets in such a snow as this." All day and all night the snow came down, till the ground was covered to a depth of over three feet.

Early on Tuesday morning, twenty volunteers of the French regulars made a bold attempt to burn a sloop building on the stocks, with several storehouses and other structures near the water, and some hundreds of boats and canoes which were ranged near them.

They succeeded in firing the sloop, and some buildings, but James, with his scouts, sallied out and forced them to retreat, with the loss of five of their number; and, by pulling down some of the huts, prevented the fire spreading.
Next morning the sun rose brightly, and the white sheet of the lake was dotted with the French, in full retreat for Canada.

Their total loss had been eleven killed and wounded, while, on the English side, seven men had been wounded, all slightly.

Never was a worse conducted or more futile expedition.
After this affair, the time passed slowly at Fort William Henry.