and alter the road, prevent our marching above two, three, or four miles a day; and I fear, though no diligence shall be spared, that we shall be detained some considerable time before it can be made good for the carriage of the artillery with Colonel Fry.

We daily receive intelligence from Ohio by one or another of the traders, who are continually retreating to the inhabitants with their effects. They all concur, that the French are reinforced with eight hundred men; and this day, by one Kalendar, I received an account, which he sets forth as certain, that there are six hundred at the Falls of the Ohio, from whence they intend to move up to the lower Shawnese Town, at the mouth of Scioto Creek, to erect fortresses. He likewise says, that the forces at the Fork are erecting their works with their whole strength; and as he was coming he met at Mr. Gist's new settlement Monsieur La Force with four soldiers, who, under the specious pretence of hunting after deserters, were reconnoitring and discovering the country. He also brings the agreeable news, that the Half-King has received, and is much pleased with, the speech I sent him, and is now upon his march with fifty men to meet us. The French down the river are sending presents and invitations to all the neighbouring Indians.

We have heard nothing from the Catawbas, or any of the Southern Indians, though this is the time we mostly need their assistance. I have not above one hundred and sixty effective men with me, since Captain Trent's have left us, whom I discharged from this detachment, and ordered them to wait your commands at Captain Trent's; for I found them rather injurious to the other men, than serviceable to the expedition, till they could be upon the same establishment with us, and come under the rigor of martial law. I am, &c.

SIR,

TO GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE.

Youghiogany, 18 May, 1754.

I am heartily concerned, that the officers have such real cause to complain of the Committee's resolves; and still more to find my inclinations prone to second their just grievances.

I have endeavoured, as far as I was able, to see in the best light I could the trifling advantages that may accrue; yet nothing prevents their throwing down their commissions, (with gratitude and thanks to your Honor, whose good intentions of serving us we are all well assured of,) but the approaching danger, which has too far engaged their honor to recede till other officers are sent in their room, or an alteration made regarding their pay, during which time they will assist with their best endeavours voluntarily, that is, without receiving the gratuity allowed by the resolves of the Committee.

Giving up my commission is quite contrary to my intention. Nay, I ask it as a greater favor, than any amongst the many I have received from your Honor, to confirm it to me. But let me serve voluntarily; then Į will, with the greatest pleasure in life, devote my services to the expedition without any other reward, than the satisfaction of serving my country; but to be slaving dangerously for the shadow of pay, through woods, rocks, mountains, I would rather prefer the great toil of a daily laborer, and dig for a maintenance, provided I were reduced to the necessity, than serve upon such ignoble terms; for I really do not see why the lives of his Majesty's subjects in Virginia should be of less value, than of those in other parts of his American dominions ; especially when it is well known, that we must undergo double their hardship.

VOL. II.

I could enumerate a thousand difficulties that we have met with, and must expect to meet with, more than other officers who have almost double our pay; but as I know you reflect on these things, and are sensible of the hardships we must necessarily encounter, it would be needless to enlarge.

Besides, as I have expatiated fully (and, perhaps, too warmly) in a letter to Colonel Fairfax, who, I suppose, will accompany you to Winchester, upon the motives that occasion these my resolves, I shall not trouble you with them; for the subject leads me too far when I engage in it.*

Another thing resolved by the Committee is, that only one sergeant and one corporal be allowed to a company; with whom it is as much impossible to do the necessary duty, as it is to conquer kingdoms with my handful of

men.

Upon the whole, I find so many clogs upon the expe

* The Governor was at this time in Winchester, having previously made arrangements for meeting there several Indian chiefs, to brighten the chain of friendship by a new treaty, or rather to give them presents, and exchange belts of wampum. He assigned this as a reason, why Virginia did not send delegates to the Albany Convention, which was recommended by the Board of Trade, and attended by commissioners from the northern and middle colonies, and which acquired notoriety from the celebrated Plan of Union drawn up by Franklin, and adopted by the Convention. The attempt to treat at Winchester was a failure, as two or three subordinate Chiefs only appeared, though Washington used his best endeavours to bring down the Half-King and some of his friends. They made excuses, that they were planting corn, and engaged in other affairs at home.

The Albany Plan of Union was disapproved in Virginia, as it was everywhere else, and by the Governor particularly, because he had already matured a project of his own. He communicated the year before to Lord Halifax a scheme for colonial government, which he deemed "more reasonable and more constitutional," than the one proposed by the commissioners at Albany. The prominent feature of his scheme was, that the colonies should be divided into two districts, a northern and southern, in each of which there should be a congress, or some kind of general council, for the regulation of their respective interests.

dition, that I quite despair of success; nevertheless, I humbly beg it, as a particular favor, that your Honor will continue me in the post 1 now enjoy, the duty whereof I will most cheerfully execute as a volunteer, but by no means upon the present pay.

I hope what I have said will not be taken amiss; for I really believe, were it as much in your power, as it is your inclination, we should be treated as gentlemen and officers, and not have annexed to the most trifling pay, that ever was given to English officers, the glorious allowance of soldier's diet, a pound of pork, with bread in proportion, per day. Be the consequence what it will, I am determined not to leave the regiment, but to be amongst the last men that quit the Ohio, even if I serve as a private volunteer, which I greatly prefer to the establishment we are now upon. I am, &c.

TO GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE.

Youghiogany, 18 May, 1754.

SIR,

I received your Honor's favor by Mr. Ward, who arrived here last night, just as two Indians came to us from the Ohio.

These Indians contradict the report of the French having received reinforcements, though they agree that eight hundred men are very shortly expected. Those on the spot are busily employed in erecting the fort, which they have removed to the point I recommended for the country's use, whose walls they have now made two fathoms thick, and raised them breast high.

They are daily sending out scouts, some of whom about five days ago were seen within six or seven miles

of our camp; but as I did not receive timely notice of it, they may have escaped, unless they have fallen in with a party sent out about eight days ago to Red-stone Creek, to reconnoitre the country thereabouts, and to get intelligence of the motions of the French.

It is imagined that the Half-King will be here in two or three days, but to hurry him I have sent the Indian, that came up with Mr. Ward, with a short speech, acquainting him with my desire of his coming as expeditiously as possible, to receive the speech which your Honor sent by Mr. Ward, and which Colonel Fry wrote me I was to deliver. When he arrives I will endeavour to send him on to meet you at Winchester.

These Indians, and all the traders that I have been able to get any information from, of late, agree that it is almost impracticable to open a road, in which a wagon can pass from this to Red-stone Creek. But most of them assure me, that, except at one place, water carriage may be had down this river, which will be a most advantageous discovery if it proves true, as it will save forty miles' land carriage over almost impassable roads and mountains.

The water is now so high, that we cannot possibly cross over with our men, which likewise secures us from any immediate attacks of the enemy. I have therefore resolved to go down the river to the fall, which is at the Turkey Foot, to inform myself concerning the nature and difficulty attending this fall. I have provided a canoe, and shall, with an officer and five men, set out upon this discovery to-morrow morning.

Captain Trent's men, who by their refractory behaviour obliged me to separate them from the other soldiers, have now left the New Store and dispersed, contrary to my positive orders till they received your commands.