those that can be spared from Nova Scotia should Quarter near Albany to be ready for any future Operations. A true Copy Examined by GEO: BANYAR D: Cl. Conl. A true Copy Exd by WM. ALEXANDER Secy. Endorsed: Extract of a Council held at New York on Friday the 1st day of Augt 1755. SIR, in Majr. Genl. Shirley's Letter of Augt. 11th, 1755. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THOMAS DUNBAR 1 [Orders to Col. Thomas Dunbar] From the Camp on the Mohawk River 36 Miles distant from the Oneida Carrying Place, August 6th, 1755. — I am now upon my March to Oswego in order to proceed to the Strait of Niagara in the Expedition under my own immediate Command; and an Express from Govr. Morris having overtaken me here with a Letter, Inclosing a Copy of one from yourself to him, dated July 16th in which you inform him that you are on your March with the Forces late under the Command of Major Generall Braddock, to Philadelphia in order to go into Winter Quarters there with about 1200 Men and Officers, I am to acquaint you that two Expeditions of very great Consequence to his Majesty's Service, are now carrying on, One Against the French Forts at Niagara, and on the Lake Ontario, and the other against their Forts at Crown Point, and on the Lake Champlain; and 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46, and Massachusetts Manuscripts, Vol. I, Library of Congress. See also Shirley to Dunbar of Aug. 12, post, p. 231. that the French with their Indians are so much strengthen'd, at both places, by the Generals Defeat, and the retreat of the Forces to Pensilvania, that the Troops employ'd in both the said Expeditions stand in need of being reinforc'd. Wherefore, as the Chief Command of all his Majesty's Forces in North America is now devolv'd upon me by the Death of General Braddock, I think it my Duty to employ the Troops belonging to your own, and the late Sir Peter Halkett's Regiments, in such parts of his Majesty's Service to the Northward, as shall most require their Assistance; for which purpose I have sent you the Inclos'd Orders. I desire you will be pleasd to make me a Return of the State and Condition of His Majesty's two British Regiments, and the three Independent Companies under your own Command, as Also of Fort Cumberland at Wills's Creek, which I doubt not, you will take the best Care you can to have put into a proper posture of Defence. I am Your Most Obedt. Humble Servt. A true Copy Examd. W. SHIRLEY.1 WM. ALEXANDER Secy. Endorsed: Copy Major General Shirley's Letter to Colo: Dunbar dated Camp on Mohawks River Aug. 6th: 1755. Shirley has been censured for ordering Dunbar to New York, but this disposal of the British forces seems to have been the first effort to offset Dunbar's resolution to go into winter quarters in August. On hearing more definitely of conditions in Western Maryland and Virginia, Shirley at once determined that the frontiers should not be abandoned. See Shirley to Robinson, Aug. 11, following and to Dunbar, Aug. 12, p. 231. No change of view came to Lt. Gov. De Lancey, who would have agreed with Dunbar that nothing more should be attempted in the west. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1 SIR, Camp at the Carrying place of Oneida near the head of the Mohawks River Augt. 11th, 1755. It is with great Concern, that I transmit you the inclos'd Accounts of the Defeat of the Southern Forces under the immediate Command of the late Major General Braddock, and of the Retreat, which ensu'd upon it under the Command of Colonel Dunbar, contain'd in the Copies of two Letters from Capt. Orme his first Aid de Camp, one to myself, the other to Govr. Dinwiddie, another from Major Washington to Govr. Dinwiddie, a Letter from Colonel Dunbar to Govr. Morris, one from Govr. Dinwiddie to myself, and another from him to Colonel Dunbar; two of which I received on my March upon the Mohawk's River within these six days, and four by Express from Virginia last night, and beg leave to refer to for the particulars both of the Action, and the Re treat. From these Accounts it appears to me, that the first of these unfortunate Events is very much to be imputed to the Advantage, which the Enemy had of his Majesty's Forces from the Situation of the Ground, they were posted upon during the Engagement, and their Covert way of fighting in the Indian Manner from behind Trees and Logs; which occasion'd that Panick and Confusion in the Troops, that expos'd them not only to be shot down at Pleasure by the Enemy, but to be destroy'd by each other. 1 P. R. O., C. O., 5, 46. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. Inclosed in this letter are Robert Orme to Shirley of July 18 (ante, p. 207); George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie of same date (Ford, Writings of Washington, 1, 173); Robert Dinwiddie to Shirley of July 29 (ante, p. 211); and Extract of Proceedings of Council of War at New York, Aug. 1 (ante, p. 214). For a French account of the battle see 2 Penna. Arch. 6, 256. See also Winthrop Sargent, History of Braddock's Expedition, Philadelphia, 1855, and Shirley to Robinson, Nov. 5, post, p. 315. Other letters mentioned as inclosed are here omitted. The Subsequent Retreat must, I suppose, be attributed to the Continuance of the Panick which had seiz'd the Men. This Blow must Operate very much to the Prejudice of the English Interest among the Indians, and disadvantage of the other two Expeditions now carrying on against Niagara and Crown point, if not immediately retriev'd by a second Attempt against Fort Duquesne; without which the Retreat of the Forces, and the Loss of our Ordnance and Artillery Stores to the Enemy must leave them intirely at Liberty to employ the whole Force, they have upon the Ohio, and possibly the very Artillery, they have taken from General Braddock, in defence of their Forts at the former of those Places, so that the Reduction of it will in such Case doubtless require double the Strength, it would do, if the French still remain in Expectation of being soon attack'd upon that River; for doing which this Season, I am of Opinion, for the Reasons urg'd by Govr. Dinwiddie in his Letters to Col. Dunbar and myself, and those set forth in mine to Col. Dunbar, a Copy of which is Inclos'd, there is time enough left; and I can't but hope that the Reduction of Fort Duquesne may still be attempted with Success this Year, which I think is of the last Importance to be done, if possible, for recovering this dangerous Wound given to his Majesty's Service at Monongahela, and retrieving the Honour of the British Arms upon this Continent. As therefore I conceive the Chief Command of his Majesty's Forces upon this Continent is, by the Death of Major General Braddock, devolv'd upon myself, I have thought it my Duty to Send Colonel Dunbar the inclos'd Letter, with Orders to march back the Forces under his Command to Fort Duquesne, as soon as may be. From the accounts I had receiv'd of these unfortunate events before Govr. Dinwiddie's packet arriv'd here, it appear'd to me most adviseable for his Majesty's Service to send Col. Dunbar Orders to march the Forces under his Command forthwith to Albany, there to remain untill he should receive further Orders from me (which I propos'd to send him immediately after my Arrival at Oswego) for proceeding from thence either to assist or sustain me in the Expedition against Niagara, or the Forces employ'd in that against Crown point, as I sho'd find his Majesty's Service would most require, according to the Inclos'd Copy of my Letter to him dated the Sixth Instant, and you will perceive, Sir, from the Extract of the Inclos'd Minute of Council, that the Governor of New York likewise saw this matter in the same light with myself. These Orders were likewise sent before I had any account whether the Colonies of Pensilvania, Maryland, and Virginia would raise any Reinforcements for Col. Dunbar, or could furnish him with another Train of Artillery and Stores in time to make a second Attempt this Year for the Reduction of Fort Duquesne; which I have reason now to depend upon, so that he may go with a Stronger Force than the General had with him at first, if those Colonies don't fail in their Promises. I have besides, the satisfaction to hear from the Governor of New York that his Govt hath, since the General's Defeat, voted 400 Men to be rais'd for the Reinforcement of the Expedition against Crown point, and I am in hopes to prevail with the Colony of Connecticutt, and my own Govt to reinforce it further with 1000 Men: The Govt of New Jerseys, I hear, hath likewise voted £30,000 of their Currency, of the Value of about £17,600 Sterling, but for the Support of which Expedition I don't yet hear. As to the Forces proceeding with me upon the Expedition under my immediate Command which consists of about 1200 Regulars of my own and Sir William Pepperrell's Regts, exclusive of about 350 of them which I must leave at Schenectady to escort Provisions and Stores up the Mohawk's River to this Place from time to time; to guard this Carrying place, and to garrison Asswego [sic]; 400 New Jersey Irregulars, 50 Albany Scouts, whom I have been oblig❜d to hire, and 100 Indians, which I already have, and may further pick up in my passage thro' the country of the Six Nations, amounting in the whole to 1750 Men, whether I say, Sir, they are now sufficient for the Reduction of Virginia, will depend upon the Intelligence, I shall receive on my Arrival |