real service) was the late gunner of our Castle,1 and a scholar of his, Captn. Gridley; I must make as bad a shift in this respect at Niagara. I must desire you to send me as soon as may be, a copy of the General's Power to you to draw on me for the exigencies of the service you are engag'd in. Your drafts will be answer'd, but I desire you would particularize the Articles on acct. of which you draw; and I would have you in my absence draw on Mr. John Erving Junr. of Boston whom I will order to honour your bills. You may in the whole depend that nothing in my power shall be wanting in any regard to render the execution of your command easy and successfull and to represent in a just light, the merit of your service to His Majesty and his Ministers according to the high opinion I have of it. I am with much Truth Sir, Your Faithfull Humble Servant. W. SHIRLEY. Major General Johnson. Endorsed by Johnson: Govr. Shirleys letter concerning the officers pay and the Indians. Some things material. Sent Extracts of this to the Genl. [Braddock] May 18th, 1755. WILLIAM JOHNSON TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY SIR, [Extracts] 2 Mount Johnson, May 16, 1755. Your favor of the 7th Inst came last night to my hand. The Indian officers will doubtless and with reason request 1 John H. Bastide here noticed was made a lieutenant general in the British army in 1770 because of his services at Louisbourg and later; Richard Gridley, who also served at Louisbourg, was prominent at Bunker Hill and throughout the American war. He died in 1796. Auto. copy signed, Johnson Manuscripts, New York State Library, 1, 171. Words in brackets are erased in the draft. more pay than those of the Provincial Troops: The service will be severe and much more fatiguing and by the wear and tear of their cloaths be more expe[n]sive to them. In the last Expedition their pay was equal to that of the British. Foot, and as I propose to employ the same persons again, they will [undoubtedly] naturally and reasonably insist upon their former pay. I am fully satisfied that mere verbal assurances for their pay will not [suffice] be sufficient, that they will demand a more solid satisfaction and this ought to have been already done that they might expect to be put upon a certain footing with regard thereto. It is impossible for me with any tollerable exactness to make an estimate of the expences which may arise from my attempts to engage and maintain the Six Nations and their Allies in the British Interest. As to the £2000 which Mr DeLancey told you Genl. Braddock had put into my hands, or rather, which is the case, had given me orders to draw for on Mr O. DeLancey, £800 or upwards out of that sum is already laid out in a present for the Six Nations when they meet me here, and from the remainder I am now daily expending in previous measures and shall continue to make use of it as occasion may [require] call for, but this sum will fall very short of the services agreed upon and required, and a further provision from the Colonies will be absolutely necessary and that put upon a determinate footing [with the utmost despatch ?] as soon as possible. Herewith agreeable to your Excellency's desire I send you a copy of General Braddock's powers to me in relation to drawing on you. * I am extreamly obliged to Your Excellency for Your assurances of giving me Your friendly influence and support in the command you have honoured me with, and my dependance thereon has been and will be one of my chief [supports] resources and animates me with hopes and alacrity in an undertaking for which I confess and feel myself not so equal as I could wish [myself] to be. Upon this head I must beg leave to mention to you as my friend that hitherto the Colonies have made no provision to support me in that distinguishing character to which your favour and friendship have been pleased to promote me. As I assure you I neither seek nor desire any emolument to my private fortune thereby, so I hope you and they will judge it not unreasonable [sic] for me to be left without a necessary and proper establishment. I am with the utmost respect and with unfeigned Gratitude, Sir, Your Excellency's Most Obedt. and obliged Humb. Servt. Upon second thought it appears to me that it will be more proper and effectual for your Excelly to acquaint the several Govrs with such of this letter as you think necessary [and] so add your sentiments in order to render them effectual], and therefore I shall decline writing to them except to Mr. DeLancey. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS AND OTHERS1 GENTLEMEN, Boston, May 17, 1755. There being divers Persons belonging to the Colony of New York apprehended and committed to his Majesty's Gaol in 1L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 129. There was much trouble in connection with raising troops and other aids for Shirley in New York. See: Shirley-Johnson correspondence in Johnson Manuscripts, 3, 8; 1, 160, 163, 169; Shirley to Governor Morris of May 2, 1 Penna. Arch. 2, 297; William Alexander to Shirley of May 10 and 18, ibid. pp. 348-350; and William Alexander and Lewis Morris to Shirley of May 17, ibid. p. 314. In a letter of May 24 (post, p. 174) Shirley pledges his coöperation and influence to Johnson, and in letters of May 26 to Lieutenant Governor DeLancey and May 28 to Governor Morris he writes about the efforts made in Connecticut to raise a portion of New York's contribution in that colony, I Penna. Arch. 2, 326, 330. See also Shirley to DeLancey, June I, post, p. 182. Springfield for some Riotous Actions perpetrated on the borders of this Province where one of his Majesty's subjects was Murthered in the said Riot. I do therefore with the Advice of his Majesty's Council direct you or any two of you forthwith to make Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Commitment of divers Persons taken at Mr. Livingston's Iron Works or any other Persons committed on Account of the late riotous Disorders near the Line and that you cause the said Persons to be admitted to Bail upon their recognizg with Sureties for their Appearance and taking their Trial according to the Nature of their Offence Provided they are not charged with the Actual Murther of William Race, and that you represent the State of this Affair as soon as may be. I am Gentlemen, Your Assured Friend W. SHIRLEY. Israel Williams, Josiah Dwight and John Worthington Esqrs. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY1 SIR, Philada., May 22, 1755. Mr. Norris 2 not being in Town, your Excelly's Letter of the 14th Instant pr Express, was delivered to me. I immediately conven'd the Committee, and communicated the Contents. In answer, they desire me to acquaint your Excelly with the State of the Provisions they have procured which is as follows They have purchased but 500 barrels of Pork. It is all of the best Burlington Pork, and not one Barrel among it of any other sort. There is no more of the kind to be bought; 1 Original, Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 438. 2 Isaac Norris. so that this Article will fall short 700 Barrels of the Quantity required by your Committee. Beef, and can get no This is all choice Stall They have bought 250 barrels of more that they would chuse to send. fed Beef, exceeding good, most of it kill'd in this Town and put up on purpose, and the rest carefully examin'd and repack'd here. The Gentlemen of the Committee who purchase the Provisions are Messrs. John Mifflin, Saml Smith and Reese Meredith, all long practis'd in the Provision-Way, and esteemed thorough Judges; they are of Opinion that no better Beef will or can be brought to the Army from any Country; and as your Excelly's Request that it may be sold again, and not sent, seems founded on a mistaken Supposition of your Committee, that good Beef is not to be expected from Pensilvania, these Gentlemen will venture their own Credit and that of their Country on this Beef, that it shall prove as good as any from Boston; and they suppose that in such Case, neither your Excelly. nor your Committee would desire to have it omitted. They therefore propose to send the said 250 Barrels, and no more. All the Casks, both of the Pork and Beef, are full trimm'd, and in the best Order. Rum was one of the Articles directed in your Excelly's Orders given to the Committee here. They had accordingly bought and shipt 50 Hogsheads before they received your Committe's Letter of the 14th April, in which there is no mention of Rum. They have Advice that the Rum is arriv'd in York; so much less therefore need be sent from Boston; and the Committee conceive that the Army will not be discontented at finding it good Barbadoes, instead of New England. A Thousand Pounds worth of Pease are also purchased in Albany by Order of the Committee; and they have shipt and sent forward 140 Barrels of Meal and Flour. 600 Barrels more of Flour are purchased and actually in Store ready to send; to which they will add 50 Tierces of Rice, and the Remainder of the Sum in Bread of the kind required. If your Committee should think that Quantity of Bread too |