company of an hundred men, including officers, and made suitable provision for all other necessaries, agreeably to the directions of the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Robinson's letter, of the 26th October last; and that the Assembly only waited for the arrival of blank commissions, to be filled by Your Honour."

I had the honour of a letter from Sir Thomas Robinson, of the same tenor and date with that above mentioned, as Governor Gardner observes he imagines I had. It is a circular one, written to the Governors of the several colonies concerned.

I acknowledged the receipt of Mr. Gardner's letter, by Mr. Chace, a few days after I received it, in one to himself, and am now to answer it more fully to Your Honour.

The purport of His Majesty's orders, signified to the several Governors, by Sir Thomas Robinson's letter, is (among other things) that they should recommend it to their respective Assemblies to furnish fresh provisions for the troops that should arrive in their colonies; and to raise among them three thousand men, and a sum of money towards paying their respective quotas of the levy money.

Those three thousand men are (as it seems clear to me) intended to complete mine, and Sir William Pepperell's regiments, now raising in America, which are to consist of one thousand privates each, besides non-commissioned officers, sergeants, corporals and drums, which will amount to one hundred more, for each regiment; and that the remaining eight hundred men are to complete the two Irish regiments, designed for Virginia, from five hundred to seven hundred and fifty privates each; as also to fill up the number of those which may be lost in the passage.

As to the two Irish regiments, they being old corps, were both full officered before they left Europe; and Your Honour must have observed from the public prints, that five of the captaincies both in mine and Sir William Pepperell's regiments, besides the three field officers' companies in each, were filled up by His Majesty, soon after the revival of the regiments; as were all the lieutenancies, except four; and

ensigncies, except four or five; so that it seems to be most evident, that it was not His Majesty's intent that the Governors should have the appointment of the officers [of the force] raised within their respective colonies.

Neither Sir William Pepperell nor myself can be certain what commissions will be sent blank, to be filled up by ourselves, until the arrival of our lieutenant colonels; we can't possibly have but a very few; and Your Honour is sensible that it may be expected some at least of those should be distributed among the half-pay officers of our late regiments, now here and unprovided for.

I should be extremely glad, if it was in my power, to oblige Your Honour's Assembly with blank commissions, for a set of officers, to be filled up by Your Honour, for the company to be raised by them in your colony; and as that is not in my power, if it would be acceptable to the Assembly, that I should be their captain, I will take them for my own company, and will fill up a lieutenant's and ensign's commissions for it, upon my receiving my blanks, with such persons as Your Honour shall be pleased to appoint; and I shall moreover esteem the company's being raised by the Assembly of the colony of Rhode Island under these terms, to be a great honor done me, which I shall acknowledge upon any occasion in my power, of serving them.

If what I propose, is not agreeable, Your Honour and the Assembly may have the men drafted either into Sir William Pepperell's and mine, or the two Virginia regiments, as the King's service may require, which ever is chosen. The ready compliance which the Assembly has paid to His Majesty's orders contained in Sir Thomas Robinson's letter, according to their act, will be, doubtless, extremely acceptable to His Majesty.

If what I propose to Your Honour, is agreeable, I should be glad if the Assembly would increase the number of the men to one hundred and ten, exclusive of commissioned officers; out of which, four may be enlisted as sergeants, four for corporals, and two for drums, as Your Honour shall order. I have likewise sent one hundred and ten blank en

listments, and one hundred and ten certificates, the form of beating orders, some articles of war, and instructions for the officers, whether commissioned or non-commissioned, whom Your Honour shall think fit to choose to proceed to enlisting the men.

I am, with very great Respect, Sir,
Your Honour's most humble

and most Obedient Servant,

W. SHIRLEY.

To the Hon. William Greene, Esq., Governor of the colony of Rhode Island.

P.S. I have ordered the bearer to wait for Your Honour's answer.1

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS 2

GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Since making my Speech to you at the beginning of this Session, upon considering the happy Effects which through the Divine Blessing upon his Majestys Arms, we may Prom

1 In reply to this letter Dep. Gov. Gardner, to whom it was delivered, assured Shirley of the Assembly's "utmost alacrity to perform every thing His Majesty hath been pleased to command," stating that they "will have their men ready for such time and in such manner as you shall direct" (Feb. 8, 1755). Nine days later Shirley writes of the measures taken in Massachusetts for confining all French subjects lest they aid the French, and concludes: Therefore, at the desire of the Assembly of this Province, I would earnestly desire Your Honour to use your utmost endeavour that the like precaution be immediately taken in your government, to prevent the mischief which probably will otherwise ensue.

2 Mass. Arch., Journals of the House. An attested Copy is in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collections, and another in the Collections of the American Antiquarian Society. See also the Resolutions of the Mass. Assembly, Feb. 18, in reply to this appeal, Journals of House of Representatives, and N. H. Prov. Papers, 6, 359. A contemporary Copy attested by Thomas Clarke is in the Collections of the American Antiquarian Society.

ise ourselves for this Government, from the Expedition now fitting out for dislodging the French from their forts upon the Isthmus and St. Johns River in Nova Scotia and driving them out of that Province: It hath occur'd to me as a Very Considerable one that it affords us a most favourable Opportunity for building a Fort upon the rockey Eminence near Crown Point, within the limits of his Majesty's Territories, which may command the French fort there and put it into our Power, in case of a rupture with France, to march an Army in a few days to the Gates of the City of Montreal itself, and Pour our Troops into the heart of their Country.

How Greatly such an Event is to be wished for; How much blood and Treasure it would Save to his Majestys Subjects of New England and New York in a time of War, I need not Observe Gentlemen, to you; The depredations Committed upon us in the late War by the French and their Indians from Fort St. Frederic, are still fresh in our Memories; and Providence seems to Point out the Present Conjuncture as the most Proper opportunity for securing ourselves against them. for the future.

The Chief Force and Attention of the French is now employed upon the Ohio in Extending their Incroachments upon his Majestys Territories in those Parts; and in a Short time, upon the first alarm, which the Enterprize for removing the French out of Nova Scotia will give them in Canada, they will naturally draw from thence what force they can spare for the support of their Incroachments upon the Isthmus and St. Johns River; and in this divided State of their Force and Counsels, it is most evident, that the Country about Montreal must be very unprepard to repel the attempt, I am now speaking of; Especially if to the surprize; which they must then be in at the Appearance of a Considerable Body of Troops so near one of their two Capitol Cities a feint should be made at the head of Kenebeck or the river Chaudiere, to cause a diversion of their Forces in Canada for the defence of their Metropolis at Quebec.1

1 On this same day (Feb. 13) Thomas Fletcher was writing of the trouble with the Penobscot Indians in Maine. Mass. Arch.,

How Greatly the Operations, I propose, if carried on this year must Contribute towards ridding his Majestys Colonies upon this Continent of the French Incroachments with which they are now hemm'd in from Nova Scotia as far as North Carolina; to the reclaiming of the whole Body of Indians to the English Interest; Establishing a Barrier line of Forts against the French settlements on the north side of the river St. Lawrence and making ourselves Masters of the Principal passes into Canada; for driving the French off this Continent whenever it shall be his Majestys Pleasure to Order that to be done, I am Perswaded Gentlemen, you so fully Concieve, that it is needless for me to dilate upon it.

You will know how much the success of the Expedition against Louisbourg was owing to its being well timd; had it been deferrd to the year following, it seems doubtfull what might have been the Event of it.

Let us avail ourselves of the Present Conjuncture with the same prudence and activity, that we did of that against Cape Breton and we may hope for equal Success; and this Province will have the honour to be the first mover in the Operations for restoring the General Tranquility of North America, as it had of being in those of 1745 which contributed so Greatly towards the restoration of a General Peace to his Majestys Dominions.

It will require no small force Gentlemen to Execute with success the Enterprize I Propose; and so far as it depends upon me you may rely upon the assistance at least of my regiment to do it.

This is an Object Gentlemen, well worthey of your Closest Attention; and I should have been greatly Wanting in my Vigilance for the Security and Welfare of his Majestys good People within this Province, if I had not warn'd you of it: what I Propose to you for your Consideration may Possibly prevent a long Expensive War which seems nearly Approaching us.

If you will make Provision for enabling me to pursue the Col. Ser. 54, 370. The few troops which Shirley planned to send into that region would therefore serve a double purpose.