USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 43
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John Penn,
Robert Strettell, - Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
His Honour laid before the Council a Letter received this morn- ing from Col. Bradstreet at Oswego of the 29th May, which he for- warded by Express :
A Letter to Governor Morris from Col. Bradstreet. " Sir :
"I think it my Duty to give You the earliest Notice that in my Way to this Place Col. Johnson and I examined a French man who deserted from Canada with his Wife, who informed Us that the French had actually sent nine hundred and fifty men to the Ohio in four Detachments, the last of which he saw at Cataraqui, and they pass'd this Place about the Time he expected, and that on my Arrival here, the 27th Instant, I made it Part of my Business to examine into the Truth of it from Indians who are constantly coming here from all Quarters, who entirely agree with his Account. Since which the movements and Activity of the French makes it still more necessary I should lose no Time in letting You know what has pass'd and the accounts I have, viz", That on the 25th of this Month twelve Battoes pass'd this Place with Men and Provisions, the 27th Eleven, and this Day eleven, which latter had on Board nine small Cannon, and they carry one with the other ten Men; and I am well informed there are more Men preparing to set out from Cataraqui, and others daily expected from Montreal there, and the French are using all their Power and artifice to get as many Indians with them to oppose General Braddock as they possibly can, and openly declare to the Indians they will send the whole Force of Canada but they will carry their Point. I must also inform You there are many Indians here and Numbers are daily expected, and they appear to be very attentive to the Proceedings between the French and Us, and that I conceive there never was a Time when the giving Provisions to such as are in real Want, and well chosen presents to the principal People than at this Time, and that great good might and I believe would result from it.
" I have sent an Express with these Accounts this Day to the General across the Country, and have wrote to the several Gover- nors from New York to Virginia also.
" I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
"JN. BRADSTREET.
" OSWEGO, 29th May, 1755."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL,
The Letter from General Braddock on which the Assembly was summoned was again considered and the Draughts of a Message read that had been prepared by the Governor, which was approved :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" General Braddock, who has begun his March towards Fort Du Quesne, has represented to me that in case his Majesty's Arms under his immediate Comand should prove successful, And he should take that Fort in its present Condition, he will make what Additions to it he may think necessary, and in it leave the Guns, Ammuni- tion, and Stores belonging to the Fort with a proper Garrison. But if the French should abandon and destroy the Fortifications, with the Guns and Stores, as he had reason to apprehend, he will in that Case repair or construct some Place of Defence, in which he will likewise leave a Garrison.
" But as the Artillery and Stores he has with him will be abso- lutcly necessary in the Prosecution of his Plan, he is determined to leave none of them behind him, and expects that the necessary Can- non, Ammunition, and Stores, as also Provisions for the Garrison, should be supplied by the Governments of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and that he may not be delayed in his Operations he desires these Things may be immediately sent up to him under proper Convoys. He has lately received Intelligence that the French with their Indians intend, as soon as the Army is far advanced, to fall upon the Back Country and destroy the Inhabi- tants, and this, tho' he thinks it a Bravado, he communicated to me that I may take all possible Precautions to prevent it. Upon this Application and Intelligence from the General I have called You together, and must recomend it to You to enable me to furnish such Part of the Things demanded by the General as is proper for this Province, and to conduct them in safety to the Place where they will be wanted, which cannot well be done without a strong Guard. I must also recommend it to You, Gentlemen, either by establishing a Militia or otherwise to enable me to protect the In- habitants of the Back Country against the Incursions of the French and their Indians.
" Immediately upon receiving the General's Letter demanding Cannon and Stores, I wrote to the Governor of Virginia and Mary- land to know what Stores of that kind they had and what Part their Governments would respectively take in that Supply, and informed them at the same Time that I had summoned You to meet, and till You were assembled could not say what I should be enabled to do in that Matter.
" I need mention no other Arguments to induce You to grant the necessary Supply than that Fort Du Quesne is within this Province, and that the great Expence the Nation is at on this Occasion will be
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thrown away, his Majesty's Intention, render'd abortive, and his Arms dishonoured if the Countries General Braddock shall recover are, through the Neglect of the Colonies, left in such a naked Con- dition that the French may take Possession of them again as soon as the Army is withdrawn.
"The Difficulty that has attended the Procuring Carriages for the Use of the Army and for transporting Provisions and other Things to the Camp, makes it necessary to regulate by a Law the Wages or Hire of Waggons, Horses, and Men, as also the Price of Provisions that may be wanted for the Use of the Troops now employed in our Defence, that his Majesty's Service may be carried on at a reasonable and moderate Expence and private Men not left at Liberty to impose upon the Publick; I therefore recommend this Matter to your Consideration.
" Knowing how necessary your Presence is in the Country at this Busy Season of the Year, I would not have called You together if I could have dispensed with it. I shall on my Part expedite Busi- ness all I can, and must desire You will not enter on any Matters upon which We have already differed in Opinion, as it will only serve to consume our Time without answering any valuable Pur- poses.
" ROBT. H. MORRIS."
The Governor recommended Mr. Lynford Lardner to be a mem- ber of Council, and as it was perfectly agreeable to all the Members he was called in, took the Oaths to the Government and likewise the Oath of Office, and then the Governor and Council made him their Compliments on the Occasion.
The Governor and Speaker of the Lower Assembly having agreed to send a Present to the Army of fat Cattle, and another to the General for the Use of his Table, the following Letter was sent along with them :
" Dear Sir:
"I have just Time by the Bearer to tell You that he brings in his Waggon the several Things expressed in the enclosed List which You will order to be received from him, and with my hearty Wishes for the General's Health and Success desire he will do the Little Government of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, the Honour to accept of this small Token of their Regard for him and the Cause in which he is employed.
"Some days ago fifty very fine Oxen went from hence and are to be joined by one hundred fat Sheep at Lancaster, which the General will put to such use as he thinks fit upon the present Service.
" I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"Philadelphia June 9th, 1755.
".To Cap" ROBERT ORME."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
A List of Things sent to General Braddock, vizt :
12 Hams,
8 Cheeses,
2 doz. Flasks of Oyl,
10 Loaves of Sugar,
1 Cask of Raisins,
1 Box of Spice & Currants,
1 Box of Pickles & Mustard,
8 Cags of Biscuit,
4 Cags of Sturgeon,
1 Cag of Herrings,
2 Chests of Lemmons,
2 Cags of Spirit,
1 Cask of Vinegar,
1 Barrel of Potatoes,
3 Tubs of Butter to be taken up at Shippensburg.
The Governor inform'd the Council that yesterday he had sent a Letter to General Braddock in these words :
" Sir :
"I wrote You two Letters by an Express that went from hence the 4th Instant, one relating to the three Months' Provisions which You ordered to be laid in at Shippensburg for the Troops, the other relating to Forage and other Matters ; And I have now the Pleasure to acquaint You that Mr. Leslie has sent from the Back Counties where he was employed forty-five Waggons loaded with Oats or other Forage, and that the Persons employed by me have at last dispatched fifty-two Waggons from this Town, each carrying fifty Bushels of Grain, one-half Oats the other Indian Corn. I have had considerable Difficulties in procuring these Waggons, and was obliged to issue a threatning Warrant to the Magistrates of four Counties which brought them in; but the several Townships made Contributions and gave from five to fifteen Pounds a piece to the Waggons over and above the Hire of fifteen Shillings # Day. This will make it very difficult to procure Waggons for the future under a very extravagant Rate, unless the Assembly who I have ordered to meet to-morrow will regulate that Matter, for the People them- selves have no kind of Scruple to make as great an Advantage as they can of the Forces that are sent to protect them.
" In mine of the 4th Instant I informed You that I had applied to the Comittee of the Assembly to enable me to send up a few Arms to the Persons employed in opening the Road, but they would not do any Thing in the Matter, whereupon I ordered twelve or fifteen Muskets to be bought and sent up to the Comissioner em- ployed in that Service agreeable to his Request ; but there are but Six to be had in Town, which will be sent away as soon as possible, and I have directed the Commissioners to procure what Guns they can in the Country for this Service.
" Since writing to You about the Provisions Mr. Turner, the Gentleman employ'd by me, has procured another Quantity of Pork, which with what he had bought before will be sufficient as to that Article, and the Men I have sent into the Back Counties writes me that he can procure the Flower.
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" Governor Shirley's Regiment will be at New York about the 15th Instant, and are without debarking to proceed to Albany; Sir Wil- liam Pepperell's is not yet full nor do I imagine he will be able to compleat it in Time For this Summer's Service, as I am told it wants nigh four hundred, this will render Governor Shirley much weaker than he expected to be. I don't learn the State of the other Eastern Expeditions, but suppose the Letters I have the Honour to send You by this Conveyance will inform You of every thing that is doing.
"I am, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient humble Servant, " ROBT. H. MORRIS. "Philadelphia, 12th June, 1755."
The Governor having received the following Examination of a French Deserter from the Governor of New York, the same was read and ordered to be enter'd as follows :
"Jean Silvestre of Nants in Britany, Trader, being examined says, that he arrived at Quebec about nine Years since, where he resided about Five Years and removed from thence to Montreal, where he lived four Years, which Place he left with his Wife the 24th April last because the General would not give him Leave to trade as he had done formerly, but would oblige him to go to trade on the Ohio, where the Examinant apprehended he shou'd lose what he had. That the French in February last sent 250 Men to the Ohio, who went in Snow Shoes; about the 2d or 3d of April they sent 400 in large Battoes, who he supposes went on the North Side of the Lake, and the 16th April they sent from Montreal about 300 (whom he passed at La Gaulet, where the French have a Stone Fort with a Garrison of about 30 or 40 Men, which Place is about 35 Leagues above Montreal and 25 below Cataraqui), and that about 250 wintered at the three French Forts in that Country; Of all these there are not more than 300 Regulars, the rest being Inhabit- ants. The Men who went in the Winter had two Indian Guides, those who went afterwards had no Indians with them that he knows of, but that the four (Cachnewago) Indians who brought him up to Oswego told him that the Cachnewagos had offered the General to go to the Five Nations to endeavour to bring them over into the French Interest, to which the General agreed; that the Cachnewa- gos had invited the Abinekies of St. Francis to go with them on that Design, who had not come to any Conclusion upon it; That the French in Canada have Wheat enough till the next Harvest ; That at Quebec and Montreal they had a sufficient Quantity of Am- munition, but that the out Forts were badly supplied; That in October last the Governor of Canada sent to Crown Point as many Men as would make up that Garrison 300, a Report then prevailing that the English intended to build Forts there, who were not re- turned when he came away, and that the French talked of sending
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Forces to no other Part of the Country than Ohio; That the Troops sent thither carried Six Pieces of Cannon, 3 & 4 Pounders; That about Four Years ago he was in the Fort at Crown Point, which is the best they have in Canada, and is capable of mounting 36 Guns, but knows not how many were mounted; That he arrived at Oswego the 6th May and stayed there 3 Days; That only one Ship of War of 34 Guns arrived at Quebec last Year and not any Soldiers ; That he knows the Number of Troops in the Towns, and from the best Informations from the Officers of the Out Garrisons he thinks there may be' about 2,100 Regular Troops in Canada ; That the People of Canada are much oppressed and greatly discontented, the General taking two Men out of every House where there are three, and where there are two one of them; That those who went to the Ohio last Year are exempted from going this, And that the men the General raises he sends to the Ohio, De Troit, and other Places he judges proper. Being asked what number of men able to bear arms are in Canada, says that in Quebec there are about 700, at Trois Riviers 350, and at Montreal 600, and that there are 120 out Parishes containing one with another 150, making in all 19,650 Men able to bear Arnis.
" A true copy of the Original taken before the Governor in Council at New York the 26th May, 1755.
"GEO. BANYOR, D. Cl. Con."
Captain Ord coming to Town with a Detachment of the Artillery Company from Nova Scotia, on his way to the Army now on their March to Fort Du Quesne, the Governor applied to the Speaker and to the Committee for Waggons for the Men and a Chaise for Cap- tain Ord, as he was fatigued and hurt with his Voyage and Jour- ney here and unable to ride on Horseback; and notwithstanding the consequence of such a Detachment to the King's Cause and the Reduction of Fort Du Quesne, the Governor could not prevail with the Committee to dispatch them, or to furnish necessary Car- riages, so that he was obliged to hire a Chaise himself and to give Warrants for pressing carriages, which occasioned great Delay at a Time when the utmost Dispatch and Kindness was so necessary for the King's services.
A Petition of Watman Sipple was read in these words :
" To the Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and the Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sus- sex, upon Delaware.".
The Petition of Watman Sipple of the County of Kent, upon Delaware, most humbly Sheweth :
" That whereas, your Petitioner upwards of Twenty Years ago did purchase a Tract or Parcel of Land and Meadow Ground com- VOL. VI-22.
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monly called Tappahannah, lying within the reputed Lines of the said County of Kent, of divers Persons who originally seated and improved the same under the Honourable the Proprietaries of this Province and the said Counties, and in their Right had been pos- sessed thereof for many Years, during all which Time they had paid their Taxes in the said County of Kent; But your Petitioner apprehending that the Persons of whom he had so purchased had not taken the proper and Legal Steps to secure to themselves the Title of the said Land, did soon afterwards in his own Name ob- tain of the said Proprietaries of this Province divers Warrants for the same Land and had them regularly laid and located thereon. Your Petitioner further sheweth, that he at a great Expence hath improved the said Land, and hath continued in the quiet and unin- terupted Posession thereof under his said Purchase and warrants until the second day of May last, when a certain Thomas Harris, of Queen Ann's County, as Bailiff of the Lord Proprietary of Maryland, under a false Pretence that the said Lands did of Right belong to the said Lord Proprietary, and that there were great Ar- rears of Rent due to him thereon to the Amount of Fifty-nine Pounds Two Shillings and Six Pence Sterling Money, did come to the Said Land and distrain one of your Petitioner's Negro men and thirty-one Head of his Cattle for the said pretended Rent, and and carried them away into the Province of Maryland, as may ap- pear to your Honour by sundry affidavits and a Notice of Distress under the Hand of the said Thomas Harris herewith exhibited to You. To the End thereof that Peace and good Order may be pre- served between the Inhabitants of the said Lower Counties on Del- aware and the Province of Maryland, agrecable to his Majesty's Royal Order, until the Determination of the Dispute subsisting between the said Proprietors about the Bounds of their Respective Provinces, and that your Petitioner in the mean Time may be quieted in the Possession of the said Lands so long hield under the Proprietor of this Province, and to the End also that the Tumults and Disorders which would probably arise and be committed in case your Petitioner should take Remedy for the above Injuries he has received by a legal Course of Procedure, he humbly prays your Honour's Interposition in the Premises, and that you will be pleased to administer to him such Relief and give him such Instructions therein as You in your Wisdom shall think proper and expedient ; and your Petitioner as in duty bound will pray, &c.
"WATMAN SIPPLE.
" Kent, upon Delaware, June the 8th, 1755."
And the Facts being prov'd by Depositions to the Satisfaction of the Governor and Council, a Draught of a Letter was prepared to Governor Sharpe and approv'd, and follows in these Words :
"Sir-
" I send You inclosed the Copy of a Petition exhibited to me by
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Watman Sipple, of Kent County, upon Delaware, complaining that Thomas Harris, of Queen Ann's County, as Bailiff of the Lord Pro- prietary of Maryland, had enter'd into a Tract of Land which was taken up above twenty Years ago under the Proprietors of this Pro- vince and the three Lower Counties on Delaware, and has ever since been peaceably held and enjoyed by him under the said Grant, and distrained on his Goods for a large Sum of Money pretended to be due to the Lord Baltimore for Arrears of Quit Rent. I am also informed that Anderson Brown, one of the Under Sheriffs of Dorsets County, with some Others, in February last came to the House of one James Anderson, who lived in the said County of Kent, upon Land taken under the Proprietors of Pennsylvania, and upon Ander- son's refusing to pay him a Sum of Money which he demanded for his Levy, seized him in a violent Manner in order to carry him to Prison in the said County of Dorsets, whereupon Weapons were drawn and a Quarrel arose between the contending Parties which was near ending in Bloodshed. As it is the Mutual Interest of the Proprietors of both Provinces to preserve Peace and good Order among the Inhabitants that live near the Borders or reputed Line till the final Determination of the Dispute at present subsisting be- tween them, and Practices of this sort may be attended with very fatal Consequences if they are not timely discouraged, and are In- fractions of his Majesty's Royal Order in Council made for quieting Tumults and Disorders on or near the Borders, I doubt not but You will join with me in suppressing them, and give Orders that his Lordship's Officers proceed no further in the Cases that are the Sub- jects of the Complaints I have mentioned above.
" I am, Sir, your most humble Servant, " ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" To Governor SHARPE."
A Letter of the second Instant from the Govornor of Virginia was read in these Words :
A Letter from Governor Dinwiddie to Governor Morris. " VIRGA., Williamsburg, June 2d, 1755.
" Sir :
" Your favour of the 2d Ultº. I received, and am glad Mr. Shirley and Yourself had the Success in the Jerseys of having their Forces employed against Niagara, as Sr. Wm. Pepperell's Regim" was not compleated, & as that is an essential Piece of Service, and am beartily glad Colo Schuyler takes the Comd. of them.
" The Arms I promis'd them were safely delivered the 19th of last Month. I have supplied the General with 400 and New York with 800, so that I have left few in our Magazine, but as I have the Expedition so sincerely at Heart I was glad that I had those Arms to supply them, not doubting they will be duly replaced.
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" Our Assembly now sitting I hope they will give a Vote for £10,000. I wou'd fain have it 20,000, but I am afraid they will not come into it from the Backwardness of our Neighbouring Colo- nies. The General wants Men to take Care of Fort Cumberland after he marches over the Allegheny Mountains ; pray cannot you supply 50 or 60 Men. I shall send all I can. I find the want of Pasture and some Money has detained them so long at Fort Cumberland.
" Colº. Washington carried from this last Friday 4,000, so that I hope he will begin his March soon. I sincerely wish him Success. The Commodore is very well & now at Hampton, but I expect him here next Week.
" No Ships from England, wch. makes me uneasy to know whether War is declared or not.
"I wish You Health & Happiness, & I am sincerely,
" Sir, Your most obed' h'ble Serv'., " ROBT- DINWIDDIE. " Gov". MORRIS."
John Shick Calamy having mention'd to the Governor "that People were beginning to settle to the Northward of the Albany Purchase," the following Letter was wrote and deliver'd to him :
" The Honble. Rol't. H. Morris, Esq'r., Lt. Governor, &ca., el.ca., doca :
" To our very good Friend John Shickcalamy :
"I have laid your Complaint before the Council in wch. You set forth that sundry People have settled beyond the Line of the late Purchase made at Albany upon Lands not yet conveyed by the Six Nations, & it is determined that the Line shall be run that it may be known for certain where the Limit extend; & when this is done I will issue a Proclamation prohibiting all Persons from Sett- ling to the North of that Line, and I hope this will have its Effects. You shall have Notice when the Line is run that you may be present & see all done right. If after this any shall presume to settle they will be punished.
"I am your Hearty Friend, "ROBT. H. MORRIS."
And a Letter of the ninth Instant from Governor Sharpe was read as follows :
“ Sir :
" Your Letters dated the 29th of May and 2d of June I have received, and also one from General Braddock much to the same Purport with that of which You sent me a Copy ; a Duplicate was also sent to Governor Dinwiddie, which was laid before the Vir- ginia Assembly that was then sitting; and he tells me they have
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thereupon granted £6,000 for the Uses and Services for which the General sollicits Supplies. If these Governments only follow the Example I hope We shall find no Difficulty in complying with his Excellency's Desire and Requisition. If they should be averse to making any Provision I know not what can be done; but this is certain, that the leaving any Troops at Fort Du Quesne without a Sufficiency of Military Stores and Provisions must be attended with the worst Consequences, and these Provinces will I doubt severely feel the Effects of it. Rather than such an Event should happen, if We liad provisions I would make a Tryal whether our Militia could not be taken out to escort and convoy them thither. I flatter myself your Assembly will not refuse to furnish some Supplies of that Sort, and then whatever be the Issue of our Gentlemen's Meet- ing, a few Cannon, some Arms, and Ammunition shall be sent from this Place. I have writ to Virginia for Governor Dinwiddie's opin- ion hereon, and to know by what means he would have Us contri- bute to the Service in case We cannot succeed So far as to obtain tlie aids now asked for such important Purposes. I really think the French and their Indians will execute their Threats against the Back Inhabitants, in hopes thereby to retard or recall the Forces that are marched under the Command of General Braddock. I have notified that piece of Intelligence to our distant Inhabitants, and cautioned and exhorted them by a Proclamation to be on their Guard and to unite for their mutual Defence. Your Kindness in trans- mitting the inclosed by the first Opportunity will very much oblige,
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