The designs of the French against Oswego seems an Additional Argument in favour of Attempting the Reduction of Fort Cadaraqui or Frontenac (from whence the Attack was to be made as early as may be, and Another Strong Motive with all possible dispatch; they came and herewith I transmit to your Lordships an authenticated copy of my proceedings at this meeting. Tho' I have not General Braddocks Instructions for doing this, yet I have wrote him I should take this honour upon me, and as he is at a great distance from any of our Sea Ports Towns, I doubt not but both your Lordships and the General will approve of this method. "In the monies I have laid out, in those I shall be obliged to lay out, I have and shall be governed, by the most prudent frugality, which circumstances will admitt of; my accounts shall be kept with all possible regularity, and an undeviating integrity shall govern my whole conduct." Since the time of this letter the question of the funds from which Johnson should draw money and the person to whom he should be responsible had been constantly in the foreground. Earlier in the month (July 5) Lieutenant Governor De Lancey had written the New York treasurer that 4451 pounds had been assigned Johnson for service of the Indians and "toward supplying the train." (Doct. Hist. N. Y. 2, 391.) On Sept. 3 Johnson had complained to the Board of Trade that Shirley was interfering with his work (ante, p. 243), and on Jan. 3, 1756, he wrote the Massachusetts Governor that he preferred to continue that work under the Braddock commission if Shirley agreed. (Johnson Manuscripts, 4, 16; Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 7, 11.) The following day Shirley expressed his doubts as to a formal commission for Johnson ever having been sent by Braddock, and favored, although he did not insist on, a new commission. Johnson's reply of Jan. 5 (ibid. 7, 13) continues the discussion as to the commission under which the writer shall act, and a compromise seems to have been effected satisfactory to the Governor, for on the 7th in his instructions to Johnson for the Indian conference and for his particular duties as Indian superintendent, Shirley refers to himself as Braddock's successor, and on the 10th he sends word to James Stevenson at Albany leading to the handing over of clothing contributed by Pennsylvania to Johnson for use at Forts Edward and William Henry. (Johnson Manuscripts, 23, 177, 203, and 4, 19.) In this letter to Sir Thomas Robinson, however, Shirley brings up the Johnson question once more, and asks for a clear statement as to financial payments. See also ante, pp. 342 and 367. for doing it is, that as the French Vessells of Force design'd for the Lake Ontario the next Summer are Building in the harbour of Cadaraqui if we could be masters of that before those Vessells are Launch[ed]1 it would be the Destruction of their whole Naval Force there. I have been detain'd at this place many days longer than I design'd on Account of a Winter Expedition, which from the Intelligence I have receiv'd of the French having drawn off all their Troops but 5 or 600, from Crown point and their advanced Work, at Ticonderoga, to Montreal, and the advantage of Suddenly Transporting men, Artillery, and Stores, and in Slays over the Ice at this Season, I was incouraged to form against it, as also to have built a Vessell of Force there upon the Edge of the Lake Champlain ready to have launch'd into it, upon the breaking up of the Ice, and thereby made Ourselves Masters of the Navigation of it: this Scheme being founded upon a proposal to the several Colonies of New England, and New York to raise among them 950 Provincial Troops to have Acted with 200 Regulars and a part of a Company of Artillery, I communicated to Sir Charles Hardy who most Readily Lay'd it before his Assembly But they have declin'd raising their Quota of men, unless I would consent to employ such a Number of pick'd men for the Service out of the two British Regiments, as in the unanimous Opinion of a Council of War, Compos'd of the Field officers here present I could not spare Consistant with the Operations to be carry'd into Execution for his Majesty's Service upon the Lake Ontario, for the next Campaign, determined upon by the Council of Warr, held here the 12th and 13th of December; Minutes of which I have already transmitted, Sir, to you, and now inclose another Copy of; so that I am obliged to drop all thoughts of it.2 1 The binding of this manuscript in the volume has cut off the termination of the word "launched." 2 See Shirley to Robinson, Dec. 19, 1755, ante; Shirley to Governor Hopkins of Rhode Island in Corres. of Col. Govs. of R. I. 2, 181, 184; and Governor Wentworth of New Hampshire to the . N. H. Assembly, Jan. 14, N. H. Prov. Papers, 6, 459, 469. I had for some time Concluded in my own mind that there must be a Very Expeditious and Commodious passage for an Armament in whale boats down the River Iroquois to that side of the Island of Montreal which lies next the River St. Lawrence, whereby the Obstacles which Crown point lays in the way to it, thro' Lake Champlain are Avoided; And I had Yesterday the Satisfaction to have that Route for Attacking Montreal proposed to me by a very faithfull French man who hath lived many Years in the Jerseys, and knows the River Iroquois very well: which Article in Case of an Attack upon Montreal may be of Singlar Advantage. Mr. Johnson having several times mention'd to me that he hath no Allowance made him for the Execution of the trust of Cultivating the Friendship of the Indians and management of their Affairs for that purpose, which General Braddock Appointed him to by Commission in Consequence of his Majesty's Instructions: I take the Liberty to mention this Matter, Sir for his Majesty's Consideration: it is a trust of wide Extent as well as great Importance, which will take up Mr. Johnsons whole time and Attention and be Attended with Expence to him, and I should be glad to have his Majesty's pleasure Signify'd to me upon that head, if Mr. Johnson is to draw his pay here. I am with the highest 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 Endorsed: New York Janry 12th. 1756 Majr. Genl. Shirley. R. March 10th. ROBERT DINWIDDIE TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY [Extract]1 Extract of a Letter from The Honble. Govr. I am in hopes of prevailing with the Catawbas and Cherokees to assist us with some of their Warriors; the latter have already taken up the Hatchet, and I have no great doubt but the Catawbas will do the Same; having sent two Commissioners from this, who are to be join'd by two from North Carolina, to go to these two Nations with a very handsome Present. One hundred and thirty Cherokees, with two hundred and fifty of our Rangers are under Orders to attack the Shawanese in their Towns; these People have been very troublesome, by robbing and murdering many of our back Settlers-If Success attends this Expedition, I conceive it will be of great Service in reclaiming many of our Friendly Indians from the French and will raise the Spirits of other Indians to join us when they see the Southern Indians have taken up the Hatchet. Endorsed: a true Copy Wm. Alexander Secy. Extract of Govr. Dinwiddie's Letter to his Excellency Genl. Shirley. dated 23d Janry. 1756. 1 Inclosed in Shirley to Fox, March 8, 1756 (second letter). A copy is in the Library of Congress. On Jan. 19 Secry. Willard had written Governor Wentworth of New Hampshire, warning him of a probable Indian attack in the north (N. H. Prov. Papers, 6, 471). See also Robert Burton and John Bradstreet to Shirley, Jan. 23 (Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 7, 39), for French preparations for an attack. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO STEPHEN HOPKINS1 SIR, Boston, February 2d, 1756. I am favored with Your Honor's letter of the 16th of January, informing me that you had laid before the Assembly within your government, the scheme I had communicated to you, when I had the pleasure of seeing Your Honor, at Albany, for making an attempt, this winter, for the reduction of Crown Point, and their great readiness to join in it upon the terms proposed to them by you. In answer to this, I am to acquaint Your Honor, that since I left Albany, Sir Charles Hardy and Governor Fitch 2 have laid the scheme for prosecuting the above mentioned expedition upon the terms I last proposed before their respective Assemblies; and that though neither of those governments objected to their part of the expense, as proposed in the last mentioned terms but expressed great readiness to join in it; yet such difficulties in other respects have arisen from both, as renders the prosecution of it impracticable, so that I have been obliged to drop the thoughts of it. I now enclose Your Honor a copy of some intelligence sent me by express from Albany, which I received yesterday, and seems to demand the attention of all the colonies concerned in the expedition against Crown Point, and to show the necessity of their preparing with the utmost despatch and unanimity for prosecuting it in the most effectual manner, the ensuing spring; which I can't but hope they will. I can't determine upon the raising of the two American regiments I talked of at Albany, till I hear from England, which I hourly expect. I am, with a most real esteem and regard, sir, To the Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Esq. 1 R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 473. 2 Gov. Thomas Fitch of Connecticut. |