eight of Apr. came to my hands. I am very much hurried, must, therefore, leave off; with my sincere Respects, I rem'n

Y'r Ex's most humble serv't.

GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE TO GOVERNOR SHIRLEY.

Jan'y 14th, [1755].

SIR:

I hope this will be delivered You by Mr. Ellison, who is appointed L't Colo. to the Regim't You are to raise and Com'd, and I heartily wish it were soon completed. Gen'l Braddock is appointed Com'd'r in Chief on this Expedit'n, and I think may be daily expected with two Regim'ts from Irel'd, and we have a good Q'ty of Ordnance Stores expected out.

His M'y's paternal Care of his Subjects in these Colonies, I hope will meet with suitable Returns from the Legislature of each Colony, by a mutual Supply for conducting this essential Expedit'n with a proper Spirit. Our Colony have voted 20,000, and in Consequence thereof, I have raised 800 Men, but the providing Provis's for such Numbers I have much at Heart, and I fear it will be attended with great Difficulties. I am, therefore, to beg the Favo. of You to speak to some of Your Merch'ts to purchase 300 Quintals 248 of dried Cod Fish, hire a small Sloop to land it at Alexa'a, the head of Poto'k River in this Dom'n, and [I] hope they will purchase it at the most reasonable Price. The Amo. thereof and the F't of the Vessell I will imediately pay in Cash or Bills of Excha. on Londo., at the Curr't Excha. with You, but, Sir, I must beg the Favo. of You to direct the Merch't to purchase and forw'd the above with all imaginable Dispatch. We have Acc'ts here y't the Fr. on the Ohio are reinforced with 1,100 Fr. and Ind's from Canada, but I hope it will not prove True. However, if the Regulars arrive in Time to be on the Ohio the Beginning of Mar., [they] will be of essential Service, as at y't Time I believe the Lakes and Rivers will not be open for their sending more Forces and Provis's down y't River, and I have much De

248 The English quintal was 112 pounds, the French 100.

249

pendence on Y'r Regim't and S'r Wm. Pepperell's " making a strong Diversion near Canada. Pray God grant Success to our just Expedition, and enable us to drive our Enemies from the Lands they have so unjustly Invaded. I shall be much obliged for a Letter from You on the pres't Situat'n of our Affairs, and be assur'd I rem'n, with great Esteem and Respect, Y'r Ex's most ob'd't humble Serv't.

GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE TO COLONEL INNES.

Jan'y 15th, [1755.]

DEAR JAMES: Y'r Let'r of the 2d came to my Hands the 13th, and [I] observe its Cont'ts. I have Y'r Receipt for 300[], w'ch will be a Voucher to me; the whole I have charged to Y'r Acc't, with the Money p'd Carlyle, and w'n I see You the Acc't shall be regulated as You may think proper. Colo Hunter has the Sales of the Pork ready, as is mine on the Books, whenever

249 Sir William Pepperell, Bart., born at Kittery Point, Me., June 27, 1696; died there July 6, 1759. His father, William, came from Wales to New England as an apprentice to a fisherman. The son, originally a merchant, possessed those characteristics of mind and body which fitted him for a military career in a country exposed to Indian hostility. He attained distinction: member of the Council from 1727 until his death, and was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in 1730. He commanded the expedition which captured Louisburg, June 16, 1745, for which he was, in 1746, created a baronet. Visiting England in 1749, he was made a Colonel in the British army; became Major-General in 1755, and Lieutenant-General in 1759. He was for thirty years one of the commissioners to treat with the Eastern Indians, and as President of the Council was acting Governor of Massachusetts from the death of Phipps, in March, 1756, until the arrival of Pownal in 1758. He published "Conference With the Penobscot Tribe," Boston, 8vo, 1753. His grandson, William P. Sparhawk, Harvard University, 1766, died at London, December 17, 1816, aged seventy, assumed his name, and was created a baronet, October 29, 1774. He was a loyalist, and the vast Pepperell estates were confiscated in 1778 He was allowed 500 by the British Government. He was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society.-Drake's Biog. Dic.

You think proper to call for it. The Article You men'n y't are in Mr. Carlyle's Acc't are very irregular, as he had no Orders to supply Y'r Regim't with any Thing but Provis's and Waggons. Y'r Let'rs to Watson & Co., and those for No. Car., shall be forwarded in a few Days. I am sensible Mr. Carlyle did not do his Duty, but hope before this, Mr. Walker is at the Camp, by whom I sent 2,000 to buy Provis's; tho' I fear it's so late in the Year there will be great Difficulty in procuring sufficient for the Number of Forces expected. Carlyle saying he had no Business with any but the Virginians, is not true, for I have p'd him large Sums for the Ind't Companies. I never doubted of Y'r industrious Care of every Thing for the Public Service, and I am still pleased with Y'r whole Conduct, and shall be glad if You can remain till the Forces from B. arrive, they are daily expected.

I am glad of the last Congress You had with the Ind's, and wish You had been more particular as to the different Nat's, but cannot think it proper to print it, my reason [I] shall give You at Meeting. Where was Mr. Montour, who was ordered to attend the Camp to interpret? I have sent a Qu'ty of White Wampum, I have no black, it must be bought. I know y't Whiskey and Tob'o are very necessary, and w't You have purchas'd will be allow'd. I wish You had sent Word w't Money You wanted, if You will draw on me by return of Jenkins, I will send Money to pay the Dem'ds ag'st You at Winch'r. There will not be much object'n ab't the Horses, and I am in great Hopes Y'r different Treaties with the Ind's, will be of great service to the Public. Capt. Trent is vastly impudent in regard to his Dem'd for the Timber, the Cooper [had] best take w't is wanted anywhere, with't asking Quest's. I agree with You in hav'g a considerable Qu'ty of Land [a]round the Fort You have built, kept for the Public, and I wish I c'd get some Hands to manure Part, and plant Corn, if You possibly can effect such a Thing, the Cha's shall be p'd, but [I] cannot get any Person here to go up to undertake it, w’ch w'd be very useful on the different Acc'ts You ment'n. We shall soon have Mortars, Coehorns and all other Ordnance Stores from England. I will endeavour to buy Match Coats or small Blankets. I wish You to write w't You think will be proper to be done at Winch'r, in Apr. next, if You think the Ind's will meet there. Y'r Colony must stand charg'd for the Blankets You gave to Y'r Regiment.

Fraser was Lieut. of the Fort w'n taken; he left his Duty and went to his House; he was sent for before the Fr. landed, but refused coming to his Duty, w'ch angered the People here. However, in a proper Time I shall endeavour to serve him. I rec'd Y'r Acc't of Goods suitable for an Ind'n Pres't, but it will not be possible at present to have these Goods for this Sumer. As to Croghan, I have no Opinion of him, his whole Views are Self Int't. As to sending to the Six Nat's by Colo. Johnson, I think [it] wrong, as he is so much attach'd to N. York, and, indeed, my whole Time is taken up in providing for the Troops expected, and I doubt not, when collected into a Body, the Six Nat's will apply to us for Protect'n, w'ch will be much more eligible than fauning on them after w't pass'd at Albany last Sumer, so much in Answer to Y'r Let'r. This will be delivered You by S'r Jno. St. Clair, appointed by Com'o. from His M'y Q'r M'r Gen'l of all the Forces, and certainly is a worthy, sensible Gent., and a brave Officer. He comes to the Camp to build proper Lodgem'ts for the Forces expected. I recomend him strongly to Y'r Acquantance. You will find him an amiable Man in Conversat'n and of great knowledge in Military Affairs. I hope he will be received properly at the Camp, and You are to join him in having as many of the Men to assist in building such Houses as he may think necessary.

I wish You Health and Happiness, and am,

Sir, Y'r aff. Fr., &c.

GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE TO CAPTAINS GEORGE MERCER, WAGGENER AND STEWART.

Jan'y 15th, [1755).

GENT.:

-g, w'ch surprized me, as I -r. The one Day's De

I rec'd Y'r Let'r from F expected You were march'd for W lay from the Snow cannot be helped, but there has been fine Weather ever since, and I doubt not Mr. Dick has provided Provis's at Wr, and there is a large Qu'ty of Flour at

-g. Each private Soldier can carry fo[u?]r Days' Provis's of Bread kind. You may believe, under the great hurry, of

Affairs, it gives me much Concern to hear of any Feuds between You and the People at F- g. I am ready to believe You w'd not venture to write me any Thing but Truth; however, as it is an Affair wherein the Justices have misbehaved, I sh'd be glad if You transmitted me the Acc't swore to, and summon them to be Witnesses to Y'r Compl't, y't I may prosecute this Violence in a proper Manner, as they refused comply'g with Y'r request consist't with the Act of the Assembly. A Mob will always act in a Mobish Manner. The Justice's Duty is to suppress them and not to encourage their Insolence in breach of the Peace and Prejudice to his M'y's Service. When I have a little Time, I will examine into the whole of their bad Behaviour. I agree with You y't it will be impossible to keep them in good Order while in F- -g. I, therefore, desire You to march imediately for W— -r, and join the other Men from Alexa'a. I have sent 30 to C't Mercer, to pay their trifling Debts, but w'n You come into a Town You sh'd send the Drum with a Serjeant to desire y't no Body trust them, or they will not be paid. The Drumers must do as formerly: make Drum Heads and get some Sticks turned. I have none here to spare. There is neither a Stocking or Hat to be had here or at York.250 I soon expect a No. of each from Engl'd and other Clothing. Tell Y'r Men w'n they arrive they shall be properly supplied. Pray, take all possible Care in march'g them to Wr. I have ordered Small Arms up, but it's impossible they can be with You in Time. I wish You well, and am, Gent.,

Y'r Friend.

SIR:

GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE TO CAPTAIN MERCER.

Jan'y 15th, 1755.

I rec'd Y'r Let'r. How You was not Comission'd as You say, before some others, I cannot Acc't for, but this You sh'd consider y't at home You might have served twenty Years be

250 Yorktown, which was chartered in 1705, and, before the Revolution, was so flourishing a mart, that the Nelsons, merchants there, are said to have imported goods for the supply of Baltimore, Md.