take to bear an equal share of the expense of reducing Fort St. Frederic, and the whole Lake Champlain, with its appendages, to the obedience of His Majesty, in proportion to their abilities, when truly compared with the other colonies concerned in that enterprise; but what methods may be come into for settling such proportions among the colonies concerned, seems yet to be very uncertain; and the less to be depended on, as the Massachusetts Court absolutely refused, when earnestly pressed thereto, by Your Excellency, to nominate and authorize any commissioners for such a purpose, the preceding year.

As to the conditional acts of Assembly, in the Province of the Massachusetts, and in the colony of Connecticut, for raising men, I am persuaded they can be of very little service to the common cause.

The instructions framed by your General Court, to be given to their committee, placed at and near at Albany, for carrying their resolutions into execution, and a copy of which Your Excellency has been kind enough to communicate to me, I have shown to the committee of war, for the colony, with whom powers are lodged for the like purposes, and are fully approved of by them; and full powers immediately will be given to some proper person or persons, in behalf of this colony, to repair directly to Albany, and to act there in concert with the gentlemen appointed by your Province, for carrying all the matters mentioned in those instructions into execution; and I shall be glad to be informed what number of troops will be sent by the Province of the Massachusetts, for transporting and guarding the provisions and stores in their passage from Albany, to Fort William Henry, and at what time they will be sent away, that I may order a proportionable number to join them in season, for that purpose, which I shall not fail to do.

The list of ordnance stores prepared by the commanding officer of the detachment of the royal regiment of artillery, and communicated to me by Your Excellency, as needful to be provided by the colonies, for the ensuing expedition, I have also laid before our committee of war, who agree that

this colony ought to pay their proportion toward the expense of it; and will do it in such manner as may be proposed by Your Excellency, or others principally concerned in that matter; or otherwise, if their proportion can be set off to them, it shall be forthwith provided, and sent forward, as shall be ordered, this colony and all employed by them for this expedition, being fully determined that whatever part this colony undertakes in it, shall be executed without any kind of delay.

The committee of war here have given me a list of sundry articles they would willingly furnish towards the train, if it be agreeable, with such others as might make up their full proportion, if those should fall short of it.

With the greatest respect,

I am Your Excellency's most humble
and most obedient servant,

To His Excellency William Shirley, Esq.

STEPH. HOPKINS.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOHN BRADSTREET 1

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIEUT: COLO. BRADSTREET

[Boston, March, 17, 1756.]

You are to proceed forthwith to the City of Albany and there take upon you the Command, of all the Battoemen engaged in His Majesty's Service, agreable to my Proclamation of the 19th of January Last. You are there to Muster them, and to Form them into Companies, and to such of the Captains and assistants as bring their Companies compleat,

1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 47. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. On Mar. 13 Fox had announced to the Colonial Governors the appointment of the Earl of Loudoun as Commander in Chief and the advance of Col. Daniel Webb to ad interim command. (Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 7, 75.) This copy of Shirley's instructions to Bradstreet was forwarded by Loudoun Aug. 19, 1756. See also N. J. Arch. 8, pt. 2, pp. 209-212.

or who are deserving of the same, you are to fill up and deliver to them, the Warrants for their respective Posts, which shall be delivered Blank for that purpose. You are also to take upon you the direction of all the Whale boat Builders, and Battoe Builders, and all others Employed in building finishing or Supplying the same, both at Albany, and Schenectady, And all the Battoemen are hereby Strictly charged to observe and follow such Rules and directions as They shall receive from you, You are also to take upon you the direction and Command of all Such Waggons and Sleys employ'd at the Carrying places between Schenectady and Oswego, as may be necessary for the Transporting of the Battoes, Whale boats, Provisions etca. and all persons employ'd, or to be Employ'd in Transporting Provisions and Stores from Schenectady to Oswego, for His Majesty's Forces to be employ'd the ensuing Campaign on Lake Ontario. You are to get prepared and finished as many Whale boats and Battoes as Shall from time to time be necessary for Transporting Provisions and Stores for said Forces, and are with the utmost dispatch from time to time, to Transport the Provisions and Stores that Shall be Provided for said Forces at Schenectady, from thence to Oswego, You are to Appoint at Schenectady, and such other places as are necessary, proper persons for the Safe keeping of the Battoes and Whale boats and for keeping them in proper repair, and such other Officers, and Overseers as you find necessary for the well conducting the Business herein mention'd, And you are to constitute and make such Rules and Orders as you do from time to time find necessary for the well Conducting and good Management of the Same, informing me in Writing of them.

You are from time to time to make Application to me for what Money is necessary for the payment of the Wages of the Battoemen, and Waggoners aforesaid, and to pay them. regularly, and you are to Employ proper persons to keep Regular accounts with the Capt. of each Company of Battoemen, and all others necessary in the business aforesaid, and all Commissaries, Deputy Commissaries, and all other Officers employ'd in keeping and Storing Provisions, or

Stores for the Service aforesaid, are hereby required to follow Your directions untill further Orders. And Whereas I have order'd James Fairservice with a Company of Carpenters, and Labourers to proceed to the Clearing and Mending the Passage between Schenectady and Oswego, and to mend the Falls, Rifts, Shoals, and carrying places between the Same; You are from time to time to give the said James Fourservice [sic] such further Instructions and directions as you shall find necessary for Carrying into Execution, the Instructions I have given him, a Copy of which is herewith, and the said James Fairservice and his Company are hereby required to Obey such Orders and directions, as they shall receive from you for doing the same, or any other further Service You shall think necessary, when that is compleated.

And Whereas I have propos'd to Johan Jost Petrie Esqr. to provide a Sufficient number of Waggons and Sleds, at the two carrying places at Conojohara Falls, and the Oneida Carrying place; a Copy of which proposals you have herewith, and if you find the said Petrie has not compleated a proper Supply of Waggons, and Sleds, you are to endeavour to get him to Supply the same, and if you find him deficient therein, you are to Employ or Contract with such persons to fullfill the Same in such manner that there may be no Insufficiency of Carriages, at those Carrying Places.

And in as much as there is not Store houses Sufficient at Oswego for containing the Provisions and Stores necessary for the Service there, nor any Boards there for erecting the same, you are therefore to order four Boards to be put into each Whale boat at Schenectady, And on your Arrival at Oswego, you are to Erect such Sheds, as will be necessary to receive the Same.

And Lastly as many unforeseen events may happen in the Execution of the Important extensive Work, hereby put under your direction, and altho' they may not be particularly mentioned herein, you are to use your best Judgment and discretion in every Point relating to the Service herein mention'd.

Nothing herein contain'd, to be Construed to Interfere with the Department of the Quarter Master General.

Given at Boston the 17th day of March 1756.

By His Excellency's Command.

WM. ALEXANDER Secretary.

Endorsed:

WM. SHIRLEY.

Copy

General Shirley's Instructions To

Lieut. Colonel Bradstreet.

March 17th. 1756.

In the E. of Loudoun's Letter of

Augt. 19th. 1756.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS'

[SEAL]

WILLIAM SHIRLEY Esquire Captain Genll and Governour in Chief in and over his Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.

TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS Esqr Greeting,

Whereas it is thought necessary that application should be made to the Colony of Connecticut for a Sufficient Number of Soldiers in their pay And Subsistance to be raised and Posted at Stockbridge and Pontoosuck for the Protection and Defence of those Places.

Reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty ability and good Conduct I do by these presents constitute and appoint you the said Israel Williams to repair to Hartford in the Colony of Connecticut as soon as may be and on your Arrival there to Apply yourself to the Honble Thomas Fitch

1 D. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 207. See also Shirley's appeal to New Hampshire and Rhode Island for troops, N. H. Prov. Papers, 6, 498, and Kimball, Corres. R. I. Govs. 2, 201-203 (Mar. 16, 1756).