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of one Captain and an Assistant, and to be put under the General Direction of one Officer well Skill'd in the many Branches of this important Trust; the due Execution of which is absolutely necessary for supplying his Majesty's Service upon the Lake Ontario with Magazines of provisions and Stores, and will require not only the whole time and Attention of the Officer employ'd in it, but likewise his personal Attendance on every part of the Duty: and for this Reason, Sir, I have been oblig'd to constitute a New Officer (Lt. Colonel Bradstreet) to superintend this Busness, which together with the Care of overseeing the Construction of the Whale Boats propos'd to be employ'd on the same Lake, and clearing the Obstructions in the whole Water Carriage between Schenectada and Oswego could not possibly be executed by the Deputy Quarter Master General, consistently with the Business of his Department; especially if his Attendance should be necessary, any part of this Campaigne on Lake Champlain; which is most likely to be the

case.

In Consequence of this Provision the 2000 BattoeMen have been rais'd, and the Chief part of them been some time employ'd in transporting Provisions and Stores to Oswego, 600 Battoe Loads at least of which, and 200 Whale Boat Loads must be, as I am inform'd, at Oswego by this time.

The 44th, 48th, 50th, and 51st Regiments are now almost compleat.

The Recruits of the 50th and 51st, and the New Jersey Regiment are march'd for Oswego; the 44th and 48th, with the Detachment of Royal Artillery are under Orders to take the Field at 48 Hours warning; and two of the Independent Companies of New York are posted at the Magazine on the German Flatts, and the little Carrying place on this Side, for the Security of the Provisions there and keeping open the Communication between Schenectada and those places.

The greatest part of the Provisions necessary for the Troops destin'd for Oswego are at Albany and Schenectada,

except that part of them, which, as I have before observ'd, are moving from thence to Oswego.

And as I can't find hitherto, that Sir William Johnson hath brought the Indians of the Six Nations to be of the least service in keeping the Road thro' their own Country to Oswego open, and free from Scalping parties of the French Indians, who have found means to surprize and cutt off a small Fort and Party of 25 Men at one End of the Great Carrying place, I have order'd three Companies of Rangers, consisting of one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Ensign, two Serjeants, two Corporals and 60 Men each to be rais'd as soon as may be, and constantly employ'd in Scouting the Country from the German Flatts to Oswego; which I am fully perswaded is absolutely necessary to be done for keeping open the Communication between that place and Oswego, and will effectually do it, besides making frequent Incursions into the Enemy's Country, and committing Ravages in it.1

I am likewise, Sir, to acquaint you that the Commanding Officer of the Vessells built on the Lake Ontario the last Year is gone to Oswego, with a sufficient Number of Sailors to fit them out as soon as possible; and 100 Carpenters are gone there to build three Vessells more, 30 of which have been at Work on them above five Weeks, and the Stores for them all are on their Way to Oswego.

I shall have the Honour of transmitting you an Account. of the Situation of Indian Affairs by the next Opportunity;

1 The following extract from a letter of Sir William Johnson to Shirley written May 10 shows the conditions on the route to Oswego:

I wish the Companies of Rangers, your Excellency mentions, were ready to go upon Duty, when I would hope to be able to join Indians with them; and unless this Method takes place, I despair of the Communication to Oswego being secur'd.

Endorsed:

Extract of Sir William

Johnson's Letter to

General Shirley dated
10th May 1756.

a true Copy, WM. ALEXANDER, Secy.

the time of this pacquets' Sailing not permitting me to do it

now.

I am with the highest Respect,

Sir,

Your most Humble, and

most Obedient Servant.

W. SHIRLEY.

Rt. Honble. Henry Fox, one of his

Majesty's principal Secretaries of State,

Endorsed:

Albany, May 7th. 1756.

Majr. Genl. Shirley.

R. June 7th.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO STEPHEN HOPKINS1

Albany, 12th May, 1756.

SIR, Before I left Boston, the Massachusetts government passed an act of Assembly, to subject the troops raised within this Province for the expedition against Crown Point, to the King's articles of war, a copy of which act, I have ordered the Province secretary to send Your Honour; and I look upon this point to be so essential an one for keeping up a proper command and discipline among the provincial troops, as well as regulars, that I must recommend it to Your Honour in the strongest terms, as I have to all the other governments concerned in this expedition, to pass a like act with regard to their troops.

The season of the year for opening the campaign, is now far advanced, and Your Honour is sensible how much the success of our operation against the enemy depends upon our entering early upon action.

1 R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 526. See ibid. 5, 492-494, for act of May 8 providing for the regulation and government of Rhode Island troops on the Crown Point Expedition.

I must therefore beg you would hasten the march of your troops to Albany, as fast as possible; and take every measure for immediately completing your magazines of provisions and stores, at Fort Edward and Fort William Henry, providing a sufficient number of oxen, horses and carriages for transporting them to the latter of these two forts, and of batteaux and other craft, for transporting them from Lake George to Ticonderoga, &c.; all which should be done without the least loss of time.

I am, with great Regard and esteem, Sir,

Your Honor's most humble and most Obedient
Servant,

To the Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Esq.

W. SHIRLEY.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO HORATIO SHARPE 1

SIR,

Albany, May 16, 1756.

Three Days ago I was favour'd with your Letter dated the 10th of April inclosing one from Colonel Washington to me dated the 4th together with another from yourself dated the 14th of the same month.

I am sorry to find from the Accounts given me in your Honour's Letters, and others from Govr Dinwiddie and Govr Morris, of the dangerous Situation of the three Provinces under your respective Governments, and the proceedings of the Assemblies within them, that there seems to be not the least Appearance of any provision's being made for prosecuting the propos'd Expedition under your Command against

1 Original, Maryland Historical Society. Printed: Arch. of Md. 6, 415. On Apr. 10, Sharpe had written Shirley, requesting among other things the appointment of second in command for George Washington in case of a westward movement by Maryland and Virginia (Arch. of Md. 6, 389), as Shirley had given Sharpe the foremost post in such an expedition. (See Sharpe to Loudoun, May 31, 1756, Arch. of Md. 6, 432.) This letter is in reply to that of Sharpe.

the French Settlements on the Ohio, the succeeding in which it seems to me, would deliver you in the most effectual manner, from the Distresses, under which Virginia and Pensilvania now labour from the Ravages of the French and their Indians.

I can't find that the Assemblies of those two Provinces have any thing further in view than the bare protection of their own Frontiers against the growing Incursions of the Enemy; and as to your own Assembly, they are upon the point of disbanding the only Company they have at a time when his Majy's Fort Cumberland within the limits of the Province of Maryland, and several of his Majesty's Stores in it, is in danger of falling into the Enemy's Hands.

As to my taking upon me, Sir, to throw the whole Expence of supporting an Expedition from the Western Colonies to the Ohio upon the Crown, after his Majesty hath been at so great an one in the Regts he has already rais'd here, and sent, and is still sending over; and whilst the New England Colonies, and those of New York and New Jersey, whose Abilities don't exceed those of the Western Colonies, have besides raising Troops for the defence of their own Frontiers, rais'd upwards of 9000 Men for the asserting his Majestys just Rights and Dominions upon the Lake Champlain, and the Lake Ontario, &c., it is what I can't justify; especially now we are appriz'd from publick Accts in News-papers, and private Letters from England, that the Arrival of Lord Loudoun may be soon expected here with the Chief Command of his Majesty's Forces in North America.1

I am likewise in hourly Expectation of receiving his Majestys Commands by General Webb concerning the plan of Operations, he would have prosecuted this year, which is another Reason why I can't send you a peremptory Answer to the

1 On Apr. 22, Shirley had written Dinwiddie of Loudoun's arrival. The Virginia Governor congratulated him in the words, "As we hear the Earl of Lowden is appointed to command-in-chief all the Forces on this Continent, it will ease you of the great trouble you have had and so carefully discharged." Dinwiddie Papers, 2, 428. Compare his letter to Fox on the same event, ibid. 2, 412.

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