I acknowledge very fully y't I do not know the Affairs of the Ind's so well as You, but I have observed ever since I have been here, y't the particular attachm't of the different Colonies to their own particular Int'ts (and not as Subjects to one Prince) has been of very bad Consequence in Ind'n Affairs; and the Ind'n Nat's do not like to be confined to any one of the Gov'ts in regard to their Trade; we have very little from this, but pray, by w't Law can I restrain our People from trading with any Ind'n Nat's in Amity with G. B., or shall I be confin'd from showing a regard to our Fr'dly Ind's, w'n they come into this Gov't? The seldomer they come the better, for it's always attended with great Expence. The Emperor of the Cherokees was here with his Attend'ts. I rec'd him properly, with Pres'ts, and recom'd him and his People to Y'r Province for Trade, as being much more Contiguous. The King of the Catawbas and some Cherokees were lately here, I gave them Pres'ts, and recommended them as above, and indeed, very few of our People have any Ind'n Trade to the No'w'd; it's chiefly conducted by Pensylvania and N. York. About a Year ago the Cherokees and Catawbas wrote me if the French sh'd come to invade their Hunting Grounds and our Lands, they would assist me with 800 Warriors. As I was disappointed from our own Colonies, I sent to them for their Assistance on this Emergency, to march some of their Warriors to join our Forces at the Ohio. They sent me word they were ready if I w'd Supply them with Amunition, but y't the Gov'r of So. Car. desir'd them to rem'n at home, take care of their Families and Hunting, for I was only going to build a Fort, w'ch I c'd do with't their Assistance. If this is true, I think His M'y's Service has been ill used and much Slighted by one of His Gov'rs. I never had any View of Trade with them, w'ch is much too mercenary, while His M'y's Dom's are so much expos'd to the Invasions and Insults of the French. You surprize me, y't you know of few or no Ind's in Treaty with Virg'a. I think all the Nat's of Ind's y't are Allies to G. B., are in Fr'dship with this Dom'n, and as such I always receive them, besides we have several seperate Treaties with Ind's. However, it gives me Pleasure y't You keep the Catawbas, Cherokees, Chickesaws and Creeks in so good Order, w'ch I wish may long continue, tho' I am inform'd the French are now building two Forts among the Cherokees, one not far from Choto, w'ch I presume, from Y'r

close Attent❜n with them, they have appriz'd You of it. No doubt N. York and Caro. are well able to conduct their Ind'n Affairs, but [I] am sorry they sh'd be distinguish'd as their Ind's, w'ch I never heard N. Y. assum'd, but now, w'n His M'y's Service so much requires it, and [it is] necessary to keep them in our Int't, I hope I cannot be justly charg'd with misconduct, in endeavour'g to get the Assistance of the Ind's, let their Attachm'ts to any other Colony be w't it will. You go a great length in saying you will answer for their Conduct with Y'r Life.

If I had known Abra. Smith's Character, I w'd not have employ'd him, even as a Messenger, but it was [a] Necessity, having very few Traders to these Ind's, but after this Year, he shall not be employ'd. The Present to the Ind's is p'd out of the Funds of this Dom'n, and I hope You will not take it amiss y't we see the delivery of it in a proper manner. Capt. Legg is my former Acquaint'ce, a Man of Merit, Worth, and a good Officer. I thank you for the Pleasure I had in Mr. Wragg's short Acquaintance; he appears to be a Gent. of great Learning and superior Sense; his stay here was very short, but [I] expect it will be longer on his return homewards. You surprize me much in desiring me to send back the Ind't Company; they were sent here by His M'y's Orders, and must remain till order'd back by the King. I know no Power the Gov'ts have to send His M'y's Forces from one Colony to another with't distinct Orders from home, and at pres't they are very much wanted here. The Ind'n y't came with Capt. Mackay went with y't Compa. to the Camp, and [has been] order'd to be sent to his Nat'n. I am sorry for the barbarous Behaviour of the Shawnesse Ind's y't broke out of Goal. I fear y't Nat'n have join'd the French, so, at pres't, nothing can be done; but if we are so lucky [as] to succeed in our pres't Expedit'n, I shall hereafter endeavour to have them bro't to Justice. The pres't Affairs of the French prevented the Chiefs of the Ind's meeting me at Winchester. They sent me Word they c'd not leave their young Men, for fear of being deluded by the French fair promises. Now, Sir, I think I have pretty fully answer'd Y'r two. Letters, and my duty to the Crown engages me to give You an Acc't of the Operat'n of our few Forces near to the Ohio. By Capt. Dubois I wrote you the French had landed near to the Fort I order'd to be built, [and] sumoned them [to] surrender, w'ch,

from our small Force, were oblig'd to comply. Colo. Washington, with the first Detachm't of our regim't marched over the Allegany Mount's, [and] encamp'd at a Place call'd the Great Meadows, within 30 Miles of the Fort they took from Us. On the 27th of May, he had Notice of a Party from the French Fort [that] were reconnoitering our small Camp. The Informat'n was sent him by the Half-King (who is Chief of the Ind's on the Ohio), who desir'd him to march with some of his Men and join him, and he w'd shew where the French were encamp'd, who consisted of 35 Men and two Officers. Colo. W. march'd with 40 Men to the Half-King. One of the Ind'n runners tract the French to their Lodgment. Our small Party was in Sight about 9 o'Clock in the Morning, w'n the French flew to their Arms. A small Engagement ensued. We lost one Man and two wounded. They killed 13 of the French, and took 21 Prisoners, who are now in this Goal. Y'r Ind't Co. and the rest of our regim't join'd Colo. Washington about the 20th of June. They had Informat'n the 3d of July, [that] the French being re-inforc'd with 700 men, were on their March to attack them. The short Warning gave them little Time to put themselves in a proper Posture of Defence, but I refer you to the enclos'd News Paper for the Particulars, as reported to me by the officers. Our small Number of Men behav'd with great Spirit and Courage, y't altho' the French have the advantage by Capitulat'n, yet Hon'r is due to our People. I presume You will now join with me in calling the French on this Contin't Enemies. This small Defeat has given me much Concern, but it seems to have Open'd the Eyes of our neighbouring Colonies to join sincerely in the Comon Cause. M'yl'd has voted []6,000, and the Assembly of Pennsylvania, now sitting, will, with't doubt, act properly in granting handsome Supplies. As I do not care to let our few Forces lie idle, they are now near 1,000 Men, I have order'd them to march over the Allegany Mount's. If they cannot dislodge the Enemy from the Fort, they have my Orders to build a Fort in a proper place y't may be concluded on by a Council of War. The Money rais'd by our Assembly is very near exhausted, w'ch obliges me to call them [together] the 22nd of this Mo., w'n I have good Assurances of their granting further Supplies. I hope w'n Y'r People consider the Insults of the

French and our pres't Situat'n, y't they will cordially and with Unanimity grant their Aid ag'st the Enemy, and in the Cause y't all the Colonies are so greatly concern'd in. The Managem't of this must be left to You. I hear from England y't Y'r People complain I keep them in the Dark. I cannot conceive their reason for this. I wrote You the Purport of His M'y's Com'ds to me, I sent You Colo. Washington's Journal, and gave You an Acc't of my Operat's, probably not so fully as You might have expected, but [you must] consider [that] I have been oblig'd to write to every Gov't on this Cont't; y't takes up most of my Time, and I am sure there is no secret Designs or private Advantages in my View. No, Sir, my Endeavours are with Diligence and Assiduity to comply with the Com'ds I have from home, and conduct this essential Expedit'n with all Vigour and Care in my Power, and if the other Colonies had contributed in Time, I think it w'd have been ended before now, and the French drove from the Ohio. As formally, if Y'r Assembly grant any Supply, by Money or Bills of Excha., I can raise Men and provide the Necessaries for them. I shall be glad, by the return of this Express, to know Y'r Opinion if I can have any Dependence of a Supply from You.

I am, with Esteem and Respect,

Y'r Let'r of 21st Apr. I rec'd on my return from Winchester where I went to meet the Chiefs of the Ind's, but was disappointed (the French invading their Lands on the Ohio); they sent me a Message y't they c'd not leave their Young Men for fear the French with their fair Promises sh'd delude them. The first Detachm't of our Forces march'd over the Allegany Mount's, [in] the Mo. of May, under the Com'd of Colo. Wash-.

ington; the 26th of y't Mo, the Half-King wrote him y't a Party of French from the Fort were hankering round his small Camp and desir'd y't he w'd march a Party of his Men to join him and he w'd conduct them to their Lodgm't; he accordingly, with 40 Men march'd in the Night and join'd the Half-King, one of the Indians tract the feet of the French and in the Morning were in Sight of them; the French imediately flew to their Arms, a small Action ensued; we had one Man killed and two wounded; we killed 14 French and took 21 Prisoners, who are now in our Goal. The rest of our regim't and the Ind't Co. from Car'o. join'd Colo. W. in June; they had Acc't Y't' the French were re-inforced with 700 Men, and the 3rd July had a further Acc't y't the French were on their March to attack them. They had not time properly to draw their Men up in Order till they were in Sight, y'n another Action ensued, the Particulars whereof You have in the enclos'd News Paper, just as it was reported to me by our Officers. The French obtain'd the Victory by the Capitulat'n, but the Behaviour of our few Forces gives them Hon'r. If Y'r regim't had join'd our Forces in Time, as might have been expected, they w'd not have got this Advantage. The monstrous Delay of Y'r People I cannot acc't for. Capt. McKilware 168 went from Hampton the Middle of last Mo., Capt. Varle ab't the same Time, Maj'r Roan some Time after, and C't Bryan was at Augusta 27th July: His People mutined, and w'd go no further with't Money, w'n a Friend of mine was oblig'd to let him have 40, to quiet their Mutiny, and Y'r regim't have not as yet wholly join'd our Army. Co. Innes writes Y'r Money will not last above two Mo's longer, w'n he will be oblig'd to disband them. There has been bad Conduct, y't the Money rais'd in Y'r Province sh'd be expended before the regim't gets to the Place of Action. The high Pay (I understand y't was allow'd them while in Carolina) is the reason. Our Forces had no more y'n 8d. Day from [the] Time they were enlisted. I shall be glad if You can find some Method to raise Money to continue them longer

168 Patrick McKellar, of the British Army, promoted Sub-Director, and Major of Engineers, January 4, 1758; Director and Lieutenant•Colonel, February 2, 1775; Colonel in the line, August 29, 1777.