them regular troops) and stores, very lately either to the Ohio or Niagara, and many of their battoes have pass'd by in sight of Oswego. When I had the honour of conferring with His Excellency at Alexandria, he purpos'd to build some vessells at Presque Isle for securing the navigation of the Lake Erie; which if effected must, together with those designed for the Lake Ontario, make us masters of the Great Lakes and Ohio and the country there, until the French can get a superior force upon those Lakes, which it seems very difficult if not impracticable for 'em to do, when our vessells shall be cruizing upon them. I hear from Govr. Morris that at the General's request he hath establish'd a magazine of Provisions in the back parts of Pennsylvania, from whence he will be easily supply'd by a new road, which he, Mr Morris, is making thro' the mountains to the waters of the Ohio, and which the General proposes to him to extend to Veningo and Niagara; all which, if executed, must be of infinite use for marching the troops to and subsisting them upon the Ohio and at Niagara from a Colony more abounding with provisions than any at present in North America. The General's presence and activity hath infus'd spirit into the Colonies concern'd in the attempt against Crown Poent, and by the Commission which he hath given to Colonel Johnson for taking upon him the management of the Indian Affairs, and the ready money he hath most opportunely advanc'd to him for engaging 'em in the English Intrest, he has greatly promoted that service. The expedition to Niagara this year is wholly owing to His Excellency's proposal of it. I am now to acknowledge, Sir, the receipt of your letters dated the 23d and 24th of Jany, and 10th of February the contents of which are answer'd in the foregoing part of this letter, except that I beg leave to observe that in the last mentioned you seem to think that the soldiers in New England are enlisted for His Majesty's service in general terms, whereas it is at present impracticable to raise any number of them without acquainting them with the place of their im mediate destination, nor will any born in these Colonies inlist to go to the Southward of Niagara, at furthest. The command under which they are to act, is likewise another very material point with them. I beg leave further to observe Sir, that the common fund, which you seem to suppose to be provided by the several Governmts in the Colonies for the support of His Majesty's service will never be agreed upon by the Assemblies among themselves, tho' acknowledg'd to be necessary to all; that, and a plan of Union must be establish'd by an authority from home or neither of them will be effected; and this you will perceive by the inclos'd extract of the minutes of Council at Alexandria, is the opinion of the other Governors who were present there as well as my own. And if I might presume, Sir, to suggest my opinion further in this matter, nothing would be a firmer cement of His Majesty's colonies, or go further towards consolidating them in the support of his service and government there, and the defence of their common interests against a foreign power, than the establishment of such a fund and a plan of Union among 'em; nor do I think they would be difficultly recd by them from the Parliament. You will perceive, Sir, by the inclosed copies of my message to the Assembly of my own government and their message in answer to it, upon the subject of their finding provisions for mine and Sir William Pepperrell's regiments, according to the directions of Genl Braddock's inclos'd letter, and paying their Quota of the levy money for the raising of them, that they refuse to do it.' Shirley's letter to the Committee of War as to Supplies for the Crown Point Expedition is in Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 467. Whether or not Shirley approved a threefold attack upon the French is not clear. It is probable that he would have preferred that the resources placed at Johnson's disposal should have been used for the Niagara expedition. At all events, he makes plain that the expedition was supported by Braddock's authority if not by British troops or money, with which he considers himself poorly supplied. If the Crown will not advance the funds, it must unite the colonies that they may support him. I beg leave to assure you Sir that I shall consult economy as much as may be consistent with His Majesty's service in the expence of the expedition under my command. I omitted to observe to you before that the reason of my being the Colonel of the two New England Regiments gone to Nova Scotia was principally for the sake of encouraging the inlistmts and saving the expence of the pay of two Colonels, having no expectation of any allowance or pay to myself in it. I hope Sir, consideration will be had of an allowance for my necessary suite in the expedition under my command, and as the execution of the command will be attended with an extraordinary charge to myself, especially in the rank to which I have lately had the honour to be promoted in His Majesty's army, I hope His Majesty will be pleas'd to order me a proper support in it during the time of the service. The expence of my travelling charges out of my own pockett in my journey to Alexandria and back (being about 1250 miles) tho' I made use of my own horses half the way and my servants the whole, and had some horses found for me in two of the governments, exceeded £200 sterling, which is near double the income of my government to me for the time I was absent from Boston. The inclos'd copy of the General's instructions will show you Sir, the extent of my command. My desire of laying before you a particular state of the Colonies with regard to the operations carrying on there against the French, and the very little appearance there is of their forming a plan of Union among themselves, as recommended by His Majesty, in one view, hath drawn this letter into a greater length than I design'd, which I hope you will be pleas'd to excuse on that account. I am with the greatest Regard Sir Your most humble and most Obedient Servant The Right Honorable Sir Thomas W. SHIRLEY. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1 SIR, Boston, New England, June 25, 1755. I have the pleasure to inclose you a copy of the letter which I received Yesterday from Lt. Colonel Monckton Commander in Chief of the forces employed in the Expedition for removing the French from their Incroachment in Nova Scotia, giving me Advice of the Surrender of the French forts upon the Isthmus on the 16th Instant, with Copies of the Articles of Capitulation proposed on the part of the French, as also of those granted them by Colonel Monckton. I hope those Troops will soon be Masters of the French Forts upon the River St. Johns in the Bay of Funda; and that like Success will attend the other parts of the general plan of operations now carrying on for the recovery of all his Majesty's just rights in North America. I beg leave to recommend Lt. Loring who will have the Honour to deliver my dispatch to you and whom I employed in the Expedition against Cape Breton. he is a Lieutenant upon half pay in the King's Navy, and was made a Lieutenant for his good Services in that Expedition, and has a thorough knowledge of the Sea Coasts in these parts. I am Sir with the highest Respect 1 B. M., Additional Manuscript 32856, 195. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. 2 Joshua Loring was born in Boston in 1716 and served as a captain in the provincial service during the Louisburg expedition of 1745. As a result of that service he became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy. He was advanced to the grade of Captain in 1757, and in 1759 commanded on Lake George and Lake Champlain. Captain Loring stood by his king in 1776 and went to England, where he died in 1781, after seeing his estates in America confiscated by the new government. 1 WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM JOHNSON 1 Albany, July 16th, 1755. SIR, Yesterday I received the Engineer's Report of the State of the Powder in your Stores, with his Opinion that it is not safe to proceed in the Expedition under your Command without an Addition of 64 Barrells, as also your Representation to me thereupon. As I have greatly at Heart the Success of his Majesty's Arms, and particularly of the Command, which I have intrusted you with, I have examin'd into the Stores of the Niagara Expedition; and as I find I may spare you 52 Barrells of Powder out of 'em, which is the utmost I think I can safely do; that the Expedition to Crown point may by no means be retarded, I have now given Directions to Lt Winder who hath at present the Care of my Stores, to deliver immediately that Number of Barrells to your Order, taking a Receipt for the same. As so much Business of great Importance was transacted between you and the General, I thought it my Duty to give you the most early Intelligence of his Death, and the Occasion of it. On the 8th Instant we encamp'd about ten Miles from the French Fort, and upon calling all the Guides, the General, from the Intelligence he could collect, determin'd to pass the 1 Doct. Hist. New York, 2, 391. 2 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. Inclosed in Shirley to Robinson, Aug. II. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. |