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 at Oswego (where I hope to be by the 16th or 17th Instant) of the Strength of the French at that place. I beg leave to assure you, Sir, that I most ardently wish the Intelligence may be such, as to render it adviseable for me to make an immediate Attempt for the Reduction of it; and nothing will give me an higher pleasure than to be instrumental in retrieving the Loss which his Majesty's Service hath sustain'd in the late unhappy Action near the Banks of the Monongahela. For gaining Intelligence of the Strength and Circumstances of the French at Niagara, I have employ'd two trusty intelligent Indians, and two Albany Traders who are to accompany them in Indian Disguise, all extremely well qualify'd for the Purpose, and who yesterday morning set out for that Place, and may, I hope, meet me at Oswego in fifteen days at furthest from this Date, with a discovery of the Situation and designs of the French both there and upon the Ohio. At all Events, if thro' Col. Dunbar's being by any Accident prevented from marching the Forces under his Command to Fort Duquesne, according to the Orders sent him, and my Intelligence of the Strength of the French at Niagara, it should appear to be a rash Proceeding for me to attempt the Reduction of the Fort there this Season with the Forces I have with me; and it would hazard not only the loss of the Troops, but of Oswego itself to the French which must be the Consequence of the other, and an irretrievable Misfortune to his Majesty's Service, yet I have the Satisfaction to be perswaded, that I shall be able with the Naval Force, I have upon the Lake Ontario to cut off the Return of the French from their Forts on the Ohio as well as at Niagara this year as also from being supply'd with Provisions from Montreal, and so Starving their Garrisons there this Winter, of Strengthening Oswego in such manner as to make it defensible against the Attempt of the Enemy, and wholly cutting off the French from the Navigation of the Lake Ontario, all which if effected this Year, will lay a foundation for such early Operations the next Spring, as must irresistibly secure the Dominon of the whole Southern Country to his Majesty in a few months. The Business, which [is] the Dispatches I am indispensably oblig'd to finish for the several Governments, both to the Westward and Northward before I leave this Place, which must be tomorrow Morning, will not permit me to enlarge on this Letter, so much as I could wish to do, But I shall have the Honour of writing further to you, Sir, upon my next Halt, which will be at Oswego in a few days. I am with the greatest Respect Sir, Your most Humble, and most Obedient Servant W. SHIRLEY. Rt. Honble Sir Thomas Robinson Knt of the Bath one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. J Endorsed: Camp at the Carrying Place of Oneida, near the Head of the Mohawk's River. Augt. 11th 1755. R. Octr. 3d. MAJR. GENL. Shirley. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1 SIR, Camp on the Great Carrying Place of Oneida near the In my Letter of the 11th Instant I informed you of the Defeat of the Forces under the immediate Command of the late Major General Braddock; and as the advanced Season of the Year, and the long March I am upon, make it uncertain whether I shall have another Opportunity, after leaving 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. this place, of writing in time for me to receive an Answer so soon as His Majesty's Service may require, I thought it better to make use of this Opportunity to lay before you the present State of His Majesty's Forces in these Colonies, and what Plan of Operations I humbly apprehend may best Suit His Service this Year, and the ensuing Spring, than to stay until my Arrival at Oswego, as I mentioned in my Letter of Yesterday's Date I should do.1 1 The letters of Shirley to Robinson of Aug. II and 12 were summarized (for the use of the Government at London ?) and are preserved in that form among the Additional Manuscripts in the British Museum. Few letters from Shirley present more adequately his views as to the needs for a vigorous American Campaign, and his plan of operations may be profitably compared with the lines along which success was obtained four years later. Because of their importance and to illustrate the method of condensed despatches the summary is here given. It is from B.M. Additional Manuscript 33,029, 198. See also the later letter to Robinson of Sep. 28, post, p. 289. Account of Braddocks Defeat has taken the Command in America - Sent Orders, at first to Dunbar to come with the Forces to Albany, and waite there till he heard farther; But, on receiving Letters from Virginia, representing the defenceless State of that Colony, and promising great Assistance from thence and the neighbouring Governments had ordered Dunbar to make another Attempt against Fort Du Quesne, but if he should find that Step impracticable, to obey the former Orders to come to Albany. New York has voted 400 Men for Crown Point- hopes Connecticut and Massachusets Bay will vote 1000. more. New Jersey has voted £30,000. Currency, about £17,000. Sterling, but uncertain for which Expedition. Shirley's own Force is 1200. Regulars of his own and Pepperell's, exclusive of 350, left at Shenectady to escort Provisions etc. 400. Irregulars from New Jersey - 50 Albany Scouts, and 100 Indians, of whom he hopes to pick up more Doubtful, whether they are sufficient for Niagara ;- has sent some proper Persons to procure Intelligence. M. G. Recites Orders, already received for raising Men, Vizt. to Compleat the Several Regts. to 1000, and to raise 2000, over and above in the Massachusets, by Sir Thomas Robinson's Letter of Febry 10th.- Which 2000. Men, Mr. Shirley understands, exclusively of the like Number, raised under Colonel Monckton for Nova Scotia, who were inlisted for one Year, which expires in |