WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO HORATIO SHARPE1

SIR,

Boston, Febry 23d. 1756.

I receiv'd your Favour of the 24th Jany. a few Days since and am very glad to find what good Effect the Steps already taken have had towards engaging the Cherokees to the British Interest, and I have great hopes that if you can prevail on the Gentlemen of your Assembly to enable you in behalf of the Province of Maryland to join in the Measures prepar'd, the Friendship of not only the Cherokees, but also the Catawba's may be secur'd to us, and that they may be induc'd to join us with a considerable number of their Warriors, which certainly will be of exceeding great Service in the Operations of this Year.

I now inclose to your Honour, at the Request of the Assembly of this Government, a Copy of their Resolves concerning the part they will take in the plan of Operations propos'd by me to them and his Majesty's other Northern Colonies as far Westward as Virginia inclusive, for removing the Incroachments of the French at Crown-point, upon the Lakes Ontario, Erie, &c, and the River Ohio; and am in hopes, the Provinces of New York, Rhode Island, Connecticutt, New Hampshire and the Massachusetts Bay will raise Troops sufficient for the propos'd Expedition against Crown point, the last mention'd Province having, as you will perceive by the inclos'd Resolves of the Assembly, determin'd to raise 3000 as their Quota, and if the others do in proportion, it will produce a Body of 9000 Men for that Service; But unless the Government of Virginia, Maryland, and Pensilvania send some considerable Assistance, I shall not have a number sufficient for the Service propos'd on Lakes Ontario, Erie, &c, as I shall not have any Troops for that Service but his Majestys four Regular Regiments and the Independent Companies of New York, all which are still very incompleat,

1 Original, Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

2 Sharpe's letter of Jan. 24 is in Arch. of Md. 6, 337.

and together with the Jersey Regiment of 500 will, I am affraid, fall far short of 4000 Effective Men.

The Reduction of the French Forts at Niagara, and getting the Mastery of the Lake Ontario, according to his Majesty's Instructions to the late General and myself; which expressly mention it as a more important Service than the Reduction of Fort Duquesne, is doubtless the most effectual Measure for securing the Southern Colonies from the Incursions of the French and Indians, and the breaking in the possessions of the former on the Ohio and Lake Erie, as those Settlements principally, if not wholly, draw their Support from Canada, from which they would be cutt off, if their passage over the Lake Ontario was barr'd; at the same time it is necessary that the Western Colonies should raise a Body of Men strong enough not only to repel the Incursions of the French and their Indians, but to attempt the Reduction of Fort du Quesne; for which Services I believe you will think 4000 Men a sufficient Force.

By the inclos'd List your Honour will find that if the Governments of Virginia, Maryland, and Pensilvania do furnish their Quota for the Operations of this Year, in the same manner as the Northern Colonies seem dispos'd to do, according to the proportions settled by the Commissioners at Albany in 1754; which I don't doubt his Majesty expects, and I can't but hope they will do; they ought to raise 7284 Men; and if 4000 of them will be sufficient to be employ'd on the Frontiers of those Colonies, there will remain a Body of 3284 Men which I think cannot be employ'd more to the Advantage of those Colonies, than on the Lake Ontario, and when join'd with the other Troops, I intend to take with me these will give me a sufficient Force effectually to secure that Lake, and by that one Stroke to give an irrecoverable Wound to all the French Incroachments upon the Great Lakes and Rivers; after which Fort Duquesne may very easily be reduc'd in the Course of the Summer, if the French should not abandon it without waiting till they should be attack'd there what an Effect this would have at the same time in our Favour upon all the Indians on the Continent I need.

not observe: and if the Cherokees and Catawbas can be induc'd to furnish the 1000 Warriors they have promis'd to be join'd to the 4000 Men of the Southern Colonies, it will doubtless be sufficient to do every thing necessary on that Side, and nothing seems wanting to enable us to carry every point against the French this Year but the Southern Colonies exerting themselves in the same proportion with the Eastern ones and sending 3000 Men to join the Regular Troops, intended for the Operations on the Lake Ontario, &c.

I can't but hope that your Honour will see these Matters in the same light with me, and do every thing in your power with the Assembly of your Government to induce them to enable you to furnish the Quota of your Province for repelling the French of Canada at this most critical Conjuncture (and before they are strengthen'd with fresh Reinforcements from France) from their dangerous Incroachments upon his Majesty's Territories, and for putting an End to the Ravages and Depredations of them and the Indians in their Interest within the Borders of his Western Colonies upon this Continent: with regard to myself, Your Honour may depend on my doing every thing in my power for the protection of the Frontier of Maryland in particular.

As it is necessary that an Officer of Rank in his Majesty's Army should be appointed to take upon him the Command of all the Forces rais'd in the Colonies of Pensilvania, Maryland, and Virginia and South Carolina to be employ'd in an Expedition against Fort Duquesne, I have appointed you, Sir, to that Command, and now inclose your Commission.

In Answer to that part of your Letter relating to the payment of the Waggoners, &c. that attended General Braddock from Wills's Creek, I am to inform your Honour that Mr. Leake Commissary General of all his Majesty's Forces on this Continent has my Orders and instructions to Settle and pay off all unsettled Contracts made by the late Genl Braddock, and whatever may be due for Water Carriage on the Potowmack or for Waggons or Horse hire for the Forces late under his Command; Mr Leake went from

Philadelphia on this Business about the time I left New York, and I hope will be able to finish it to the Satisfaction of all parties by 25th of March.

I am with great Esteem and Regard,

I am sorry to give you the trouble of the Inclos'd; I must further beg the favour of you to give orders to some justi

11 Penna. Arch. 2, 582. On Feb. 24 Morris wrote Shirley: DEAR SIR,

I wrote you a few days ago, and since have the honour of yours in answer to one from the President of the Council about indented Servants, and tho' the Burthen will fall much heavier upon this Province than any of the others, as we have a much greater number of Servants of that kind than any of them, Yet as his Majestys service is at this Juncture so much concerned in having the regiments filled in time, and there was little reason to think they would soon be done by the ordinary method of recruiting, I must approve of the determination you have given as to that matter, having no doubts in my own mind as to the Legality of taking into his Majestys service any subject that offers himself; for that purpose, I immediately sent your letter to the Assembly in hopes it would satisfy them, but they adjourned upon it for a week without any reason assigned, or indeed giving me notice of it. I have taken some pains to come at their intentions as to the Crown Point expedition, but cannot learn what they mean to do, or whether they will do any thing.

Immediately upon my return from the frontier counties I appointed Commissioners, in Conjunction with Mr. Leake, to settle the demands upon the Crown, for the service done by order of Genl Braddock, pursuant to your former letter to me on that head, and

fiable person to assist the officers, who shall be molested in the service, both with respect to their defending themselves in actions, which may be brought against them, and prosecuting in such as it may be necessary to commence against others for Injuries done them. I am determin'd the point shall be brought to a peremptory, authoritative Decision from home, in some shape or other. Whatever Assistance or Advice you can give the officers, without involving yourself in any Disputes or Trouble whatever with your Assembly or People, I shall be obliged to you for, But would by no means desire you to run the least risque of doing that.

As it seem'd necessary for me to appoint some person to the Chief Command of the Western Forces, which should be employed in an Expedition against Fort du Quesne, &c., and the circumstances of Govr Sharpe having been appointed to a like Command before by the King, with a Brevet Commission of Lt Colonel in his Army for that purpose, I thought my self likewise under a necessity of pitching upon him for the Command, and sending a Commission to him.

I am greatly obliged to you, Dear Sir, for supplying my late son, Shirley, with the sums express'd in two notes, which Mr. Alexander hath shew'd me, and I have order'd payment of, together with the balance which you paid Captn Orme for him.

He will give directions concerning the list of things you have been so kind as to transmit to him inclos'd in your letter.

of your Instructions to Mr. Leake, and they sat ten days at Lancaster upon the accounts brought in by the People of this Province, which they have adjusted, and are now sitting in this town upon those of Virginia and Maryland, and in as little time as Possible, will complete and settle the whole. Mr. Leake and the other officers assure me that it would have been impossible to have settled these matters without the aid of men of weight here, and that the savings on the part of the Crown through their means will be very considerable, but as I shall send your Excellency their Report at large, when the whole is finished I will not trouble you further upon the subject at present.

A draft of this letter is printed in 1 Penna. Arch. 2, 583.