USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
"Sir, Your most humble and most obedient Servant,
" HOR". SHARPE.
" Annapolis, 9 June, 1755. " To GOVERNOR MORRIS."
The Sons of Kishycoquillas by Jnº Shickcalamy notified to the Governor the Death of their Father, and acquainted him that before his death he had sent a Letter to Governor Hamilton assuring him of his Love to this Province, and sent him at the same Time a small Present of Skins. As their Father was an exceeding good Friend of the English, and well respected, and the Committee did not encline to be at any Expence, The Governor recommended it to Mr. Peters to send a Present in the name of the Proprietaries to these young Men, and at their Expence, which was accordingly done, and the following Letter sent therewith :
" The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware,
" To the Sons of Kishycoquillas, the late Shawonese Chief, de- ceased :
" I am obliged to You for your Letter by our good Friend John
422
MINUTES OF THE
Shickcallamy. Your Father's Letters and Present were received by the late Governor Hamilton, who acquainted me with it, and I intended at a Time when less engaged by Publick Business to have sent You my Acknowledgments and Answer.
" I heartily condole with You on the Loss of your aged Father, and mingle my Tears with yours, which, however, I wou'd now have You to wipe away with the Handkerchiefs herewith sent.
" As a Testimony of the Love the Proprietaries and this Gov- ernment retain for the Family of Kishycoquillas, You will be ' pleased to accept of the Present which is delivered to John Shick Calamy for your Use.
"May the great Spirit confer on You Health and ever other Blessing.
" Continue your Affection for the English and the good People of this Province, and You will always find them grateful.
"I am, Your assured Friend,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"Philadelphia, 13th June, 1756."
-
Part of the Minutes of the Council of the 6th of June, omitted to be entered.
There having been no Rain for two or three Months, and all Sorts of Grain near perishing, and as the General was beginning his March, the Governor and Council unanimously thought it necessary to appoint a Fast, Which was done by Proclamation in these Words :
" By the Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS. Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware,
"A PROCLAMATION.
" Whereas, it is the Duty of every Government to keep alive among the People a just Sense of their entire Dependence on the Providence of Almighty God, and to remind them of the intimate Connection between the Divine Favour and Publick Happiness, be- tween National Calamity and National Vice, in order thereby to propagate that sincere Love of Religion and Virtue which, under the Christian Dispensation, is the great means of recommending a People to the Favour and Protection of Heaven; And Whereas, it is also the indispensable Duty of every Society of dependent Beings in all their just undertakings to address themselves for Aid and Direction to the Supreme Lord of the Universe, and in all their Dangers and Wants to deprecate his Displeasure and implore his
423
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Mercy through the infinite Merits and Intercession of his Blessed Son our Lord Jesus Christ; And Whereas, such a Conduct at pre- sent seems more especially to be our Duty, being on the very Brink of a dangerous War, and the benign Influences of the Heavens having been long withheld from Us, threatened with the Want of the necessary Means of supporting Ourselves and the Army which his Majesty has been graciously pleased to send for our Protection : Wherefore, I have, by the Advice of the Council, thought fit to appoint Thursday, the Nineteenth Day of June, to be observed throughout this Province and Counties under my Government as a Day of Public Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer. And I do exhort all Persons to observe the same with becoming Seriousness and Attention, and to join with one Accord in the most humble and fervent Supplications that Almighty God would be pleased to avert the Punishments due to our Sins, favour us with a fruitful Season, and give Success to the Measures which his Majesty, ever attentive to the Good and Welfare of his People, has concerted for the Se- curity and Preservation of their just Rights and Commerce. And I do recommend it to all Persons to abstain from servile Labour, and to the several Ministers of the Gospel to compose Prayers and Sermons suitable to the Occasion, and perform Divine Service in their respective Churches or Houses of Religious Worship on that Day.
" Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the Province of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia this Sixth Day of June, in the Twenty-Eighth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so Forth, and in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-Five.
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" By His Honour's Command,
"' RICHARD PETERS, Secretary. "GOD SAVE THE KING."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Tuesday the 17th June, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn,
Joseph Turner,
Robert Strettell, -
Esquires. Richard Peters, S
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Governor informed the Council that immediately after the Secretary had delivered his Message of the fourteenth to the House they sent two of their Members to acquaint him that "having in
424
MINUTES OF THE
that Message referred to a Letter from General Braddock, as the Ground for his calling the House together at this Time, the House, therefore, desired he would be pleased to communicate the said Let- ter to them for their Consideration;" And that by the same Mem- bers he had returned an Answer to the Demand, vizt, "That General Braddock's Letter contain'd many Matters which were not proper to be made publick, and therefore he did not think it safe to lay the said Letter before the House unless the House would previously assure him that they would not cause it to be printed ; however as he was not for concealing from the House any Papers that might be of Service, he was willing to shew the said Letter to a Committee of the House if the House shou'd think proper to appoint one for that purpose."
On the Sixteenth the Governor received a written Message from the House, which, in his Opinion, contained a Demand of the Sight of General Braddock's Letter as a Right inherent in the House, which he could by no means allow ; and the Council concurring with him in this Opinion It was recommended to the Governor to send a Message in Answer to the Assembly's :
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please the Governor-
"It has always been the Custom in this Province when the As- semblies have been called by our Governors on Occasion of Letters received to communicate such Letters to the House for their Con- sideration.
" To give a Committee of the House a Sight of such Letters does not seem to Us sufficient, for if the Letters are to be the Foundation of any important Step to be taken by the Assembly, We think they should lie before the House to be read as often as is necessary to a thorough Understanding of the Matters they contain or require.
" We know not what Assurances the Governor excepts Us to give that the General's Letters shall not be printed, nor what will be satisfactory, nor are We enclined to give any Assurances of the Kind till We see the Letter, nor do We think any previous As- surances necessary, being certain that the Prudence of the House will be sufficient to prevent the Publication of any Thing that is unfit for the Public View.
" And since the Importance of the Contents of that Letter is given by the Governor as the Reason of his hasty calling Us toge- ther at this unreasonable Time of the Year, and as We cannot take the Letter into Consideration without seeing it, we hope he will not, by starting new Methods of Proceeding and engaging Us in trivial Disputes, any longer obstruct or delay the Public Service.
"Sign'd by order of the House.
"ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.
" 16th June, 1755."
425
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
A Bill entituled " An Act to continue an Act entituled ' An Act to prevent the Exportation of Provisions, Naval or Warlike Stores from this Province to Cape Breton, or to any other the Dominions of the French King, or Places at present in Possession of any of his Subjects,'" which had been presented to the Gover- nor for his Concurrence, was read and agreed to and return'd to the House with a Message that the Governor would pass it into a Law when engrossed and presented to him for that Purpose.
Mr. Joseph Armstrong desiring to speak with the Governor about the Difficulties the Commissioners were under in clearing the new Provincial Road for the use of General Braddock, he was called in and informed the Governor that the Money sent to the Commissioners had been totally expended, and a great deal more advanced by himself and Mr. Smith, and that it was absolutely necessary that Money should be sent for this Service or it would miscarry notwithstanding the Progress already made, and the fol- lowing Message was drawn up and approved :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"Mr. Armstrong, on whose Judgment and kind Assistance I have principally relied in the Purchase of Provisions and other Necessaries for the use of the Men employed in opening and clear- ing the Road towards the Ohio, will inform You of the Progress of that Work and what still remains to be done, whence You will see that it will be attented with much greater Expence than was at first imagined.
"The Money sent to the Commissioners has been expended in advancing small Sums to workmen, either to enable them to subsist their Families in their Absence, or if living at a Distance from the Roads to bear the Expenses of their Journey there, so that the country People engaged by Mr. Armstrong and Mr. John Smith to furnish the Provisions have not as yet received any Thing for them, and as many of them are not able to lie longer out of their Money it will be necessary to enable those Gentlemen to discharge the Debts already contracted and to buy what will be further wanted.
" The Price of Hire, Provisions, and every other material article was regulated on the Spot, in the Presence of Mr. Peters and the Representatives of the County, who went there at my Instance for this and other necessary Purposes.
"I make no Doubt but tho' the Expence will be great yet it will be chearfully borne and all done in your Power to have the Roads finished with all Expedition; the General having ordered that the Provisions wanted for the future Subsistence of the Army should be provided out of this Province and conveyed through this new Road.
426
MINUTES OF THE
" The General has informed me that he has thought it necessary to discharge a Number of the Soldiers' Wives, and has desired they may be subsisted in this Province till the End of the Campaign, towards which he has ordered a Stoppage of Twelve Pence Sterling per week out of their Husband's Pay, but as this will not be suffi- cient I recommend it to you to take Compassion of these poor People, and add as much to it as will enable them to provide a Subsistence.
" ROBT. H. MORRIS. " June 17, 1755."
The Two following Letters from General Braddock of the ninth of June were read :
A Letter from General Braddock to Governor Morris. " Sir :
" I have found it necessary to discharge a Number of Women who are Wives to Soldiers belonging to the Forces under my Com- mand, and must beg of You to give Orders that they may be sub- sisted in your Government ; their Names are contained in the Passes I have given 'em for their Protection, and I have taken Care to other Stoppages to be made of one-third Part of their Husbands' Pay to defray the Expence of their Maintenance.
" I am, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant,
"E. BRADDOCK.
" Fort Cumberland, June 9th, 1755."
Another Letter from General Braddock to Governor Morris. " Sir :
" I have this Morning received a Letter from Governor Glen, in- closing Bills upon England payable to Myself for £4,000 Sterl. As You have been so good as to advance Money for purchasing Forage, and have undertaken to make Contracts for Provisions for the Supply of the Forces, I send the Bills to You to be sold at the best Price You can get for'em that You may reinburse yourself what You are in Advance, and may have a Fund in your hands for Future Contracts. When I have the Pleasure of seeing You I shall call upon You to settle Accounts with me, and am,
"Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, " E. BRADDOCK.
" Fort Cumberland, June 9th, 1755.
"P. S .- If You should have it in your Power to employ some of the Money in raising Recruits for me I should be obliged to You, and desire You would send 'em after me as soon as the Road from
427
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
your Province is opened. I want 'em to compleat the English Regi- ments. You may allow 'em £3 Sterl. $ Man ; Arms and Cloathing will be ready for 'em, and if You have any Body You can confide in to bring 'em up he shall be well rewarded for his Service.
"I beg You would send me Advice by the Return of the Ex- press of your Receipt of the Bills."
The Governor then called for Col. Bradstreet's Letter, which was again read, and it was the unanimous Opinion of the Council that a Message should be sent to the Assembly with the Substance of this Intelligence, and to recommend it to the House to grant Sup- plies for building strong Houses on the New Road, raising and main- taining a Number of Men to keep open the Communication with the Army, and to escort Provisions, and likewise to prepare a Militia Low and to put the Province into a Posture of Defence.
And on this Advice the Governor wrote the following Message and sent it to the House :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" I have lately received Intelligence and sent the same forward to the General that several Bodies of Troops have passed from Canada over the Lake Ontario in their Way to the Ohio to join the Forces already there, that the French are using their utmost Endeavours to engage the Indians to take Part with them in this Dispute, and are determined to oppose General Braddock tho' it should require the whole Force of Canada. There is also great Reason to appre- hend that when the English Army is removed to a considerable distance the French and their Indians will fall upon the Inhabitants of the Back Country, and either cut off or greatly interrupt the Communication between Us and the Army, which will be attended with very fatal Consequences both with Respect to our own People and the King's Troops employed for our Protection; And as the General upon this Intelligence will think it necessary to keep his Troops as much as possible together, not only for prosecuting his Plan but to defend himself against the Force they are collecting to oppose him, I must earnestly recommend it to You to grant such Supplies as may enable me to build some strong Houses at conve- nient Distances upon the New Road that is opening to the Waters of the Ohio, and to maintain such a Number of Men as may be necessary to keep open the Communication with the Army, and to escort the necessary Stores and Provisions to the Places where they may be wanted, that the General may not be laid under the Neces- sity of detaching any Part of his Force for that Purpose, which would not only weaken his main Body and delay his Motions but the Detachments themselves will be liable to be surpris'd and cut off by the French and their Indians.
428
MINUTES OF THE
" I must also recommend it to You, Gentlemen, by a proper Mi- litia Law to put this Province into such a Posture of Defence that the Inhabitants may not be exposed to the cruel Incursions of the Enemy.
"If a Number of Men should be raised and supported by this Province as these are by almost every other Colony upon the Con- tinent, they might not only serve as Escorts but might join the General if the Numbers brought against him shou'd make such a Reinforcement necessary. But if these Things be not done and the Army by being weakened should be defeated or rendered unable to perform the Service they are destined for, or should they be dis- tressed for want of necessary Provisions, I am fearful the Blame will be laid principally upon this Province, as we are most immediately concerned and best able to prevent those Mischiefs.
" When I consider, Gentlemen, the Duty We owe his Majesty and our Mother Country, who have sent these Troops to recover what We have suffered to be invaded; When I reflect on the Re- gard We ought to have for the Safety of those Men that are em- ployed in that Service, how much the future Prosperity and Hap- piness of this Country depends upon their Success, and how easy it will be for this Province, rich and flourishing as it is, to contribute to that Success by your doing what I have now recommended, I will not suffer myself to doubt but that You will enter immediately upon these Matters, and without Delay take the proper Steps and grant the necessary Supplies for carrying them into Execution.
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"June 17, 1755."
The Governor having yesterday wrote the two following Letters to General Braddock, the same were read and ordered to be en- tered :
A Letter to General Braddock from Governor Morris. " PHILADELPHIA, June 16th, 1775. " Sir:
" Governor Delancy by Express sent me the Letter that accom- panies this, and also a Letter from Capt Bradstreet giving an Ac- count of the passing of some French Troops by Oswego with some Cannon. I send You a Copy of his Letter under this Cover, as it is uncertain whether the Express which he mentions to have sent through the Woods will get safe to You in Time. From this and other pieces of Intelligence sent You the French seem to be mus- tering to oppose You ; but whether they will exert their Strength on the Ohio or at Niagara I can't take upon me to say, but am rather enclined to think they will chuse the latter, as they can with more Ease draw their Forces together and supply 'em there than at Fort Du Quesne, and your March thro' an uninhabited Country
429
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
will be much longer to the one than to the other, and consequently more liable to be interrupted and harrassed by their Indians and Wood Fighters, and your Communication with the Country behind You rendered more difficult.
" Upon this Intelligence I shall press my Assembly to enable me to escort Provisions and other Necessaries to You from time to time, that You may not be under a Necessity of dividing or lessening your Force ; but I have little Reason to expect any thing from them.
"On the thirteenth Instant my Assembly met agreeable to my Summons, and I sent them a Message strongly recommending it to them to enable me to supply the Cannon and Stores You had de- manded, and to regulate the Hire of Waggons, Horses, and Men, and the Price of Provisions, that private Men might not be at Liberty to distress the publick Measures, As you will see by a Copy of the Message under this Cover, but I have no Hopes of their doing any thing to the Purpose.
"I am, Sir, your Excellency's most obedient humble Servant, "E. BRADDOCK.
" June 16th, 1755, Philadelphia."
-
Another Letter to General Braddock from Governor Morris. " PHILADELPHIA, June 16th, 1756 (1755). " Sir :
" Your Express just brought me your Favour of the ninth In- stant with Carolina Bills of Exchange to the amount of £4,000 Sterling, which are drawn in such large Sums that they will not readily sell, wherefore I have directed the Merchant I employ to send them immediately to England and draw his own Bills to the amount in such Sums as may suit the Traders here, which he will do at the highest Exchange; but Bills are so plenty here and at New York, by means of Shirley's and Pepperell's Regiments, the Northern Expedition and Col. Hunter's Draughts, that I am fearful Exchange will soon fall. Before You receive this You will be in- formed of what I have done with Regard to the Forage and Pro- visions, which I flatter myself will meet with your Approbation. I have done my utmost and make no Doubt I shall have every thing You want in great Readiness before You will have Occasion for it. My only Doubt is about Escorts, but I shall try to work upon my Assembly to keep some Men in Pay for that Purpose, for the Rea- sons I have mentioned to You in another Letter of this Day. As soon as the Assembly are adjourned and a London Ship just going is departed, I shall go into the Back Counties to settle all Matters about the Magazine ; and You may rest assured that every Thing that is possible shall be done in the best and cheapest Manner.
430
MINUTES OF THE
" My Intelligence from the Road is that they are got as far as Ray's Town, and I hope they will soon join You. If some Log Store Houses were built nigh the Falls of Ohiogany or at some other more convenient Place upon that new Road, Flower and other Provisions might be sent thither from the Magazine near Shippens- burg, And You might with greater Ease be supplied when You get to the Ohio, but of this You are the best Judge.
"The getting Recruits here is become somewhat difficult, as Shirley's and Pepperell's Officers have taken great Numbers from hence. However, I will try what can be done, and if I had some Arms the Recruits might serve as Escorts from Time to Time.
" The Women You have discharged shall be taken Care of as soon as they arrive, If I can prevail on my Assembly to contribute any thing to it. I am, Sir,
" Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant,
1
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"P. S .- I send fifty fat oxen away to-morrow and fifty more in ten Days to Shippensburg, where Pastures are provided to keep them in good order, and from whence You may order them as You may have occasion."
-
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 18th June, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn,
Robert Strettell, ? Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters, S
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Bill entituled ".An Act to continue An Act entituled 'An Act to prevent the Exportation of Provisions, naval or warlike Stores from this Province to Cape Breton, or to any other the Do- minions of the French King or Places at present in Possession of any of his Subjects,'" having been engrossed and compared with the Draught it was enacted into a Law, and Mr. Peters was ordered to see the Great Seal affixed to the Act and lodged in the Recorder's Office.
A Letter from General Braddock of the eleventh Instant was read and ordered to be entered, and is as follows :
" Sir :
" I received your two Letters by Express last night, and am greatly obliged to You and Mr. Peters for the Steps You have taken
431
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
towards laying in a Magazine of Provision for me, as also for the Supply You are collecting of Forrage.
" I shall signify to Mr. Swain by the Return of your Messenger my Approbation of the Deposits being made at McDowell's Mill instead of Shippensburg. I dispatched an Express to You Yester- day with Bills upon England for &4,000 Sterling sent me by Gov- ernor Glen, and upon Notice from You I will send the Draughts from the Deputy Paymaster upon Mr. Franklin for such further Sums as You may have Occasion for.
" I have ordered a Party of an hundred Men as a Guard to the People working upon the new Road, which will set out this Day.
"I am much obliged to yourself and your little Government for the Present of Oxen they have made me, and am,
" Sir, your most humble and most obedient Servant, "E. BRADDOCK. " Camp, 5 Miles from Fort Cumberland, June 11, 1755."
The Governor receiv'd the following Letter from Mr. Shippen :
" LANCASTER, the 17th June, 1755.
" Honoured Sir :
" Capt. Ord arrived here on Sunday evening and set off again early next morning, and it was 3 o'Clock in the Afternoon before I could procure a good Waggon to carry the Soldiers, and I had more Difficulty in doing this than We had before in getting Twenty. I was obliged to ride about the Country, taking the Sheriff and a Constable along with me, and to threaten to impress the Waggons, &ca., before I could get one-the People alledging that they had done enough already.
" I understand Mr. Burd has cut the Road 5 Miles beyond Ray's Town, which is 90 Miles from Shippensburg. James Lowry (an Indian Trader) assures me that he left Wills' Creek last Thursday, and on his Way home he met a Captain & Lieutenant sent by Col. Johnson to acquaint General Braddock that there were five or Six Hundred French Men lying at the River Ohio not able to pro- ceed, the Waters being so very shallow ; and they had it in Charge from the Colonel to beg the General to advance with the utmost Dispatch to Fort Du Quesne.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.