It was the only English post on Ontario, situated as it was towards the southwest corner of the lake.

So long as it remained in their possession, it was a standing menace against the whole line of communications of the French with the south.

Owing to gross neglect, the fort had never been placed in a really defensive condition.

The garrison was small, and crippled with the fever, which had carried off great numbers of them.

The remainder were ill fed and discontented.
On the 12th of August, the Earl of London sent Colonel Webb, with the 44th Regiment and some of Bradstreet's boatmen, to reinforce Oswego.
They should have started a month before, and, had they done so, would have been in time; but confusion and misunderstanding had arisen from a change in command.