de Reserve left for that purpose, and to keep a quorum of his Majesty's Council with me as their advice to me for taking any extraordinary measures, which the present Service may require, will be agreeable to the Assembly. And as expresses by whale boats are continually passing and repassing between me, the forts, and forces now on their march, I hope sufficient precautions are taken to prevent surprizes, and secure the success of the service I am engag'd in. I am with the Highest Respect, Sir, Herewith you will receive my Orders to you in form; the Execution of which I with great Satisfaction intrust you with, being persuaded of your abilities, and zeal for his majesty's service, and that of the province at this critical conjuncture. I must not detain the express longer than to assure you that I am Sir, Your real Friend and Colonel Israel Williams. W. SHIRLEY. 1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 75. SIR, JOSIAH WILLARD TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS 1 Late last night, I received a Packet from his Excellency, by the Express I sent on Lords Day Evening with your Letters, advising of the Mischief done by the Indians in the Western Parts. In these Dispatches I have his Excy's Warrant to you for doing what is necessary for the Protection of the Frontiers in the Western Parts; but it being thro' Haste much altered, interlined and obliterated, His Excellency orders me to have it transcribed fairly, and that I should sign it in his Name, and send it to you by Express. He also ordered me to call the Council together, and have their Advice upon these Matters, Leaving it to them to make any Alterations as to these Instructions which they should judge needful; But upon Consideration thereof they thought them full and sufficient; And have only directed me to put you in mind of sending to the Government of Connecticut (which is covered by our Frontier Towns) for Assistance upon the next Emergency. I am Your very humble Servant, J. WILLARD. P.S. I have sent you by this Express twenty blank Commissions which are all that can be spared at present; the Govrs. Return is expected within a few days. I have this Minute received Advice of the Assault of the Enemy at Stockbridge and of Connecticuts sending Succours. The Council have no doubt of your doing every thing in your Power for the Safety of the Frontiers. Colo. Israel Williams. 1 Original, L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 76. 1 WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS 1 SIR, Boston, September 11th, 1754. Your two last Letters to the Secretary, dated the 8th and 9th of September Current, with an other from Colo. Worthington, giving a more full Account of the Incursions of the Enemy upon the Frontiers, and what he has done for the Relief of the Places in his own Regiment, have been laid before me: And as you particularly mention in your first Letters to the Secretary the Advantage of keeping the Inhabitants of the outmost Frontiers upon their Lands, for the Security of the Places within them, I had immediate Regard to that Matter in my special Power to you, sent by the Secretary, and intended that you order a Number of Soldiers to be posted in the exposed Towns, if you should think it needful, and there to remain 'till my further Order; And now perceive by Colo. Worthingtons Letter that many Difficulties may arise, unless I give him the Power contained in the inclosed, which is a Copy of the Orders I have sent him, and which I apprehend to be consistent with the Command with which I have invested you by my former Orders to you: And I would have you accordingly act in concert with him, pursuant to my aforesaid Orders to him. And you are hereby especially directed to post such a Number of Soldiers in the expos'd Towns within the Limits of the Command which I have given you, as you shall think their Safety and his Majesty's Service may require, there to remain untill farther Orders from me. I am, Your Faithfull Friend, and Servant, W. SHIRLEY. 1 Original, L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Man uscripts, 71 D, 77. P.S. The inclosed to Colo. Worthington, after you have perused, seal up and send to him. Colo. Israel Williams. ISRAEL WILLIAMS TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY 1 SIR, Hatfield, Sepr. 12th, 1754. I conclude by this time you are fully inform'd of the hostile attacks of the Indians, and the mischief done by them in our own Frontiers and the neighbouring Governments in one of which they have made terrible waste burning and destroying all before 'em. It is now open war with us, and a dark distressing scene opening. A merciless miscreant Enemy invading us in every quarter, push'd on by our inveterate Enemy (as if their savage nature and blood thirsty temper needed excitement to cruelty and barbarity) with views and designs to prevent our settling any further to the Northward, the Northern Governments sending any assistance to Ohio, impoverishing them as much as possible, preventing their Indians trading to Albany, preparing the way for the reduction of that City; the securing the Six Nations of Indians the more easily in their Interest, which when effected, farewell Peace and Prosperity to New England, yea, to North America. It gives me no small satisfaction that, under God, we have your Excellency still to apply to for relief in our distress, whose Enterprizes against our constant enemy have been attended with success, and of whose Resolution, Wisdom, Care and Compassion, we have had large Experience. In full assurance of your readiness to grant us succour and relief under our pressures we shall as to our common Father make application. My situation and circumstances makes the Western Frontiers the more immediate object of my attention, and the 1 1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Col. Ser. Letters, 54, 329. violent attacks of the Enemy in this quarter calls for the publick more than any other part of the Province. I beg leave therefore to represent the state of this Frontier and to lay before your Excellency what I think would most conduce to the safety and security of his Majesty's here and the Neighbouring Governments. Herewith I send a plan of the Western Parts of this Province by which your Excellency will be able to form a judgment of our situation and whether what I am about to propose will serve the general Interest of the whole Which is, That there be a Garrison at Fall Town, another at Morrisons in Colrain, two at Charlemont, Massachusetts Fort and a garrison at Pontoosook. The People are preparing for their defence, as I suppose, and the charge of making those places sufficient will not as I apprehend be very great to the Government. I propose that there be at least fifty men at Fort Massachusetts, thirty at Pontoosook, they to maintain a constant scout from Stockbridge thro the Western part of Framingham township, and the West Township at Hooseck to the said Fort and from thence to the top of Hooseck Mountain. That there be 14 men at Fall Town, 20 at Morrisons and 12 at each garrison at Charlemont, these to perform a constant scout from Connecticut River against Northfield to the top of Hooseck Mountain. These scouts thus performed will cross all the roads the Enemy ever travel to come within the aforesaid Line of Forts. There will doubtless be more wanted for the Protection of some Places within the Line. However if the scouting be faithfully performed there will not, I apprehend, any considerable body of the enemy get within the Line aforesaid undiscovered and there will be a great restraint upon small parties who will be afear'd of being ensnar'd. I propose that some of the men posted at Massachusetts be employ'd to waylay the roads from Crown Point south of which places I conclude has not been ceded to the French. The Enemy generally when they leave that place come to the South side of the Lake or drowned lands, leave their canoes and come down to Hooseck, or they may turn off to the East; let which will be the case that Fort is best |