USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 53
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Conogogee by the 7th of August, and by the return of this Messen- ger may be near Carlisle, as the Road from Potomack thither is very good. I do not conceive that his coming as far as Carlisle or Shippensburgh will at all hinder the Forces from being in a readi- ness to march to Ohio this fall if it should be Judged necessary, for they will then be nigh the new Road to the Allegheny Moun- tains, along which an Army may March with much more ease than by the Road that Gen1. Braddock took.
" Among the other things taken from us at the late Defeat were the General's Commission and Instructions, with all his Papers, and the Military Chest with twenty-five thousand pounds; this will be attended with very bad consequences, as the money will enable them to engage numbers of Indians, and as the want of it will render the subsistance of the Army somewhat more difficult. I mention these things to you that you may take order in time about them, and if you could by Indians or otherwise intercept the General's papers in their way to Canada it would be a Glorious thing.
"The more Accounts I receive about the Action the more I am convinced that our Defeat was owing to the want of Conduct in the Commanders, who suffered themselves to fall into an Ambuscade in which they were exposed to the Enemy's fire from all sides without seeing them, and could only fire at their Smoak; the confusion natural in such a situation made the slaughter more terrible, and the General and his Officers persisting in the men's keeping their Ranks and firing in platoons gave the Enemy, who lay secure behind Logs and Trees, all the advantages they could wish, and 'tis said was one of the causes of the most shameful blow that ever English troops received, for I don't find that any of the French or Indians were killed, or that they had more than five hundred in the Action, and some say not so many. .
"I am, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient & most humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"To his Excellency Governor SHIRLEY."
A Letter from the Governor to the Justices of Cumberland County & Sheriff.
" PHILADELPHIA, July 30th, 1775. " Gentlemen :
" Colonel Dunbar who has now the Command of the Forces at Fort Cumberland has informed me of his Intention to March them into this Province, and by the time you receive this I believe he will be in Motion; and having requested him to post part of his troops at the Town of Carlisle and Shippensburg, and near a place
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called McDowell's Mill, for the protection of the inhabitants of his Province, and particularly those West of Sasquehanna, I must strongly recommend it to you to wait on him as soon as he comes in or near your County and afford him and his Officers all the As- sistance in your Power, not only as to themselves but as to the Sol- diers under their Command; and as it will be very Advantageous to your County should those troops be posted in the manner I have requested, I hope and expect that you will take care that they be as well as possible provided with Houses and every other necessary, and that upon the most reasonable Terms, for you may be assured they will not be suffered to continue there a moment longer than they are well used.
"I am, Gentlemen, Your humble Servant, "ROBT. H. MORRIS."
A Letter from the Governor to Colonel Dunbar: "PHILADELPHIA, July 31st, 1755.
" Sir :
"I am favored with yours of the sixteenth Instant, which came to my hands but three days ago, and have since been informed by Mr. Burd, of your Arrival at Fort Cumberland on the twenty- second, upon which I congratulate you and hope the Officers and Men that were wounded in the late unfortunate Affair arc upon the Recovery.
"As soon as I was informed of the defeat of the Forces under General Braddock, I Summoned the Assembly of this Province that they might take proper Steps to retrieve the Loss we sustained in that Action, and they are considering of the means necessary to that end, and I have hopes that they will enable me to take some vigorous Measures upon the present Occasion, in which I have no room to doubt but the neighboring Provinces will join, and we may yet attempt the reduction of the French Fort on the Ohio this Year, and probably be successful.
"But then this Measure so absolutely necessary to humble the Insolence of the French, prevent the crucl Assassinations of the Indians, and retrieve the glory of His Majesty's Arms, cannot be executed unless the Army under your Command shall continue on the Frontiers, for should you march your Troops to this City you must be sensible that the Grain of a plentiful Harvest may be de- stroyed by the savages, the Inhabitants drove off from their Farms, and all that extensive and Rich Country which lies West of the River Sasquehannalı be abandoned and laid waste, and in conse- quence thereof the march of the Army against the French at Ohio either this Year or the next rendered almost impracticable, as it
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will be very difficult to supply such an Army with Provisions or the' necessary Carriages when that part of the Country best situ- ated for such supply shall be destroyed, and its Inhabitants become a Burden upon the rest of the Province.
" You will see the Sense the Assembly now sitting have of this matter by their Message to me on the head, which is inclosed ; and agreeable to their Request I take the liberty to lay these matters before you, and if they should receive your Approbation, and you encline to the measures proposed, I request of you to order such parts of the Troops as you shall not otherwise employ to be posted on the great Road leading from Patowmec to this City, at or near the place called McDowell's Mill, at the Town of Shippensburg and the Town of Carlisle, which are in a very plentiful part of this Province, and where the Troops may be well supply'd.
"Some of the Inhabitants of that part of the Country have al- ready left their farms, and the better sort of them have been with me to beg that they may not be laid under the hard necessity of quitting their habitations, or of being exposed to the cruelties of the Indians.
" Whatever be the disposition you may make of the Troops upon the present occasion, I shall be proud of the pleasure of your Com- pany in this Town, where it will be my endeavour to make every thing as agreeable to you as possible.
" I am, Sir, Your most Obedient humble Servant, " ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" To Colonel DUNBAR."
The Governor wrote the following Letter to the Mayor, Recorder, and Alderman of the City of Philadelphia :
" IN COUNCIL, the 1st August, 1755.
"Gentlemen :
"I have received a Letter from Colonel Dunbar, who has the command of his Majesty's Forces at Fort Cumberland, informing me that he is on his March with two Regiments to this City, and desiring I will provide Quarters for about an hundred Officers and twelve hundred men.
" I have used my endeavours with the Colonel that those Regi- ments may be posted on the West side of Sasquehannah for the Protection of the Inhabitants of this Province against the Incur- sions of the Enemy ; but not knowing what success my Application may meet with I think it best to be prepared in case he should march here, and, therefore, desire you will make the necessary pro- visions as well for Quarters as for an Hospital, which by the Ex-
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tract of his Letter to me, sent you herewith, you see he thinks absolutely necessary.
"I am, Gentlemen, Your most obedient humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS."
A Letter from the Governor to the Honourable Thomas Penn, Es- quire.
" PHILADELPHIA, July 31st, 1755.
" Sir :
" On the 16th I wrote you from Carlisle, in Cumberland, given an Account of the defeat of our Forces under General Braddock in the imperfect manner I then had it from deserted Waggoners, which, however, appearing to me to be in substance true, I issued writs to summon the Assembly on the 23d and returned to Philadelphia, having at the request of the People laid the Ground for a wooden Fort in the Town of Carlisle, and directed one of the same kind to be formed at Shippensburgh, and the people being much disheart- ened and inclining to quit their plantations, I encouraged them to Act with resolution in their own defence, and formed four Compa- nies of Militia, to whom I distributed some Powder and Lead, and have since sent a greater Quantity into that County.
"Soon after I got to town I received many Letters giving a more perfect Account of the defeat of the Forces, and among others one from Captain Orme, a Copy of which you have herewith, relating the particulars of the Engagement, with a list of the Officers killed & wounded. From the several Accounts that are given of that un- happy affair, there is reason to believe that our forces were surprized and fell into an Ambuscade for want of the precaution necessary in marching thro' an uninhabited Wilderness; That the General dis- pised an Enemy of whose strength and situation he was not suffi- ciently informed, and contemn'd the Indian manner of fighting in a Country where it has infinite advantages. But that you may form your Judgment of this Affair, I send you all the Letters and Papers that have come to me upon the head. What greatly surprises me is, that Colonel Dunbar, who says the Enemy's numbers were not more than five hundred, should with fifteen hundred effective men make a precipitate retreat, or rather flight from where he was at the time of the Action, and destroy his Provisions, Ammunition, and Baggage. This I say is what I cannot account for, as he certainly might have defended himself there by proper intrenchments, or even without them, against an Enemy said to be much weaker than hin- self, and his continuing there would have had at least this good Effect, that the French must have kep'd their forces at Duquesne, which they are now at Liberty to employ at Niagara or to harrass Shirley in his way thither, and the Army would in that case have been a protection to the back parts of Virginia, Maryland, and this
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Province; and you will see by his Letter to me of the 16th Instant that he proposes even to come to this Town to winter Quarters im- mediately, which is entirely leaving the back County exposed to the Incursions of the Indians, who will certainly destroy every thing beyond the Sasquehannah if the people should stay when the Army retires, which I have reason to think they will not, but will quit their farms and come in with the Army or immediately after them.
" Upon this head I have sent to the Assembly, who have requested me to use my Endeavours that those troops may be posted upon the Western Frontiers, at least till the winter season, and I have wrote to General Shirley to give order accordingly, and I think it is most for his Majesty's service in the present conjuncture that those forces should be posted at Conegogee, Shippensburgh, and Carlisle, as they will then be in a plentiful Country, or the Western frontiers of this Province, which will be thereby secured and very near the new Road that is open'd to the Allegheny Mountains, and along which any forces that shall be raised for the Ohio Service must go, that road being already carry'd within about fifteen or twenty Miles of the Road that the General took, and is much better than that round by Fort Cumberland.
" Our Assembly talk of giving fifty thousand pounds, and to sink the same by a Tax upon all lands, proprietary as well as others, and mean by that to drive you and your Government into the hard alter- native of consenting to have your Estate here taxed by the people's Assessors, or of bearing the blame both here and in England of re- fusing to contribute any thing towards the defence of the Province ; I have therefore resolved to make an Offer of Lands to the westward of the Allegheny mountains to those that shall engage and go upon an expedition to remove the French from the Ohio, as you will see by the enclosed message to the Assembly, upon which I had the unanimous opinion of Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Allen, Mr. Penn, Mr. Turner, Mr. Lardner, & Mr. Peters, in the manner and for the rea- sons that you will have more fully in a letter from Mr. Peters than I have time to mention here. This offer, which I do not expect will be accepted from what pass'd with Mr. Franklin previous to the making it, will, I think, put them in the wrong at home, tho' it should fail of having any effect upon the people here, which I im- agine it will not intirely do; and if the offer could have been made upon the same terms as in Virginia it would have left. them less room to find fault. I know not whether I shall be in time for a Ship that is bound from New York to Hull, by which I intend this to give you as early an account of this sad defeat as I can, that you and the Governments may take your measures accordingly ; but tho' in consequence of this defeat the Province is exposed to imminent and immediate Danger, yet no Dependance is to be had on the As- sembly or people here for any Assistance of consequence, as they are in such a temper that the danger of their Country has not the effect upon them that it ought to have; The principal thing they have in
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view being to distress you and your Governor into a complyance with them, or to oblidge you to give up your Government; the former they seem to have laid aside the hopes of, and therefore bend their force to obtain the latter.
" General Shirley, who was at Albany on the 23rd, will find the taking of Niagara more difficult by Braddock's defeat and Dunbar's retreat. The great difficultys and delays which he has met with in the course of his own and the Crown Point expedition in the Pro- vince of New York has made him thus late in his March, and pro- bably may be the means of his miscarriage, but I suppose he has mentioned these things to the ministry, and I much wonder since there were things of such consequence going on in America, and a new Govern". was named for that Province, that he was not sent out in time.
"I am, Honour'd Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Ser- vant,
"ROBT. H. MORRIS. "To the Honble. THOMAS PENN, Esquire."
The Governor having received the following Letter from Colonel Dunbar whilst the Council was sitting, the same was read as follows :
A Letter to the Governor from Colonel Dunbar. "FORT CUMBERLAND, July 24th, 1755.
" Sir :
"I did myself the favour of writing to you a few days since but in such a hurry that don't know what I said, and fear you'l be at a loss to read it. So much I remember as mentioning my intention of taking my winter Quarters at Philadelphia, as it was General Brad- dock's design the two Regiments should be there.
"I have been told since that Gen1. Braddock threatned that Province with giving the Men free Quarters. This may make the people unwilling to Quarter us, but this is not my scheme, which I beg you'l assure them. All I desire is that the troops may be with them as they are in Quarters in England, and that the magistrates will not suffer the Markets to be raised on them. I am persuaded you know all those things so well that you'l settle every thing so as to make all concerned easy, and I promise I'll do all in my power to maintain Friendship and good Understanding between the In- habitants and Military, as it has been my endeavour, which I never failed succeeding in, and hope for the same good fortune now.
" As I was not in the late unhappy affair, I can give but such an account as collect from various people ; all that can be depended on is that the General received a Wound which he died four days after of, Sir Peter Halket killed on the spot, and about 800 Officers and Soldiers killed and wounded, all the Artillery lost, and Ammunition with all the baggage. With this you'll receive two packets, yo one for
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the Secretary of Warr, the other for General Napier, both which pray forward with all dispatch, and if there be an opportunity immediately for Ireland, send the Letters for that place by it, but should an opportunity first offer for England, send them that way. Should the account of the late affair reach our Friends before they hear from us, it may cause great distress. I hope you'l pardon the freedom I take.
"I hear Gen1 Shirley is at Oswego. I have sent an Indian Express. I have told him I am on my March to Philadelphia, and hope to meet his instructions at Shippensburg, where I shall write to you again from. I am, with great Esteem, Sir,
" Your most humble and obedient Servant,
" THOS. DUNBAR.
"To Governor MORRIS."
The Governor likewise received a Letter from Governor De Lancey, which was read in these words :
"NEW YORK, 28th July, 1755.
· "Sir :
"I received yours of the 24th, which has put an End to all doubts and hopes as to the Fate of the Army under General Brad- dock. However, this disaster ought not to amaze us tu necede malis, but rather excite us to unite in vigorous measures ; why may not the Army be recruited, a new train be procured out of the King's Ships, & another Essay be made this season ? The French Army cannot stay on the Ohio till October, if they do they can- not return to Montreal; besides, after this success and the remains of the Army retreating to Wills' Creek, they will conclude we have abandoned all thoughts of Fort Duquesne this year, so that if we renew the Attempt I think we have reason to promise ourselves success ; if something be not done or at least attempted the French will be insolent, their Indians embolden'd, and ours disheartned; the papers you mentioned were not inclosed to me. I sent the list of the slain to Captain Kinnier that he might take a proper time to mention to General Shirley the loss of his Son, a very deserving Young Gentlemen; this will be a great Affliction to him.
"I am, Sir, Your most Obedient and most humble Servant,
"JAMES DE LANCEY.
" I have ordered the Assembly to meet next week.
" To Governor MORRIS."
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Monday the 5th of August, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT H. MORRIS, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor.
John Penn, Richard Peters, S
Esquires.
A Bill entituled " An act for raising £50,000 for the King's use by a Tax of twelve pence # pound and Twenty shillings # head, Yearly for two Years, on all the Estates Real and Personal and taxables within this Province," was read and amended, and Amend- ments and Bill sent to the House.
" Several persons living near this City who were employed in cutting the new Road thro' Auchquick in Cumberland county, for the use of the Army, made complaint to the Governor that the Overseers of that Road being gone to the Camp they were obliged to come down without their pay or any Settlement of their Ac- counts, and desired as they were poor and could not subsist them- selves that something might be paid to them out of the public Stock. Their request was recommended to the House in a verbal message by the Secretary, together with an Account sent to the Governor by Mr. Shippen of Lancaster, for money advanced to sundry of them to assist them in their going to the Road to work."
A Letter from Colonel Dunbar was read in these words :
" FORT CUMBERLAND, August 1st, 1755.
" Sir :
" With this you'l receive a Letter from Admiral Boscawen, which pray put under cover to him, directed to him or Officer com- manding his Majesty's Ship at Halifax, and if the dispatches I sent you are not gone or an opportunity immediately offering, I would request your sending all to Halifax directed as before.
"I march from this to-morrow with about 1,200 Men. When I shall have the honour of seeing you at Philadelphia is uncertain on account of the long march. I hope every thing will be fusillitated for our reception. It would give me infinite pleasure to hear from you on my March. I flatter myself with agrecable news of our Friends at Sea and General Shirley. The latter is my greatest concern, as I am assured he will meet with a vigorous oppositiòn.
" I have here the Virginia and Maryland Companies with some
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of the Train to protect this Fort and the General hospital, where there is about 400 Wounded or Sick. I am, with great regard,
" Sir, Your most humble and Obedient Servant,
"THOMAS DUNBAR.
" To Governor MORRIS.
"P. S .- I fear Ladys, wives to Gentlemen kil'd, are come or coming to Philadelphia. If they arrive & want a little Assistance be so good as to supply them. Mrs. Hansard, Mrs. 'Brereton, and . Mrs. Hart is their names."
At the Governor's, Friday the eighth day of August, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn,
Richard Peters, Esquires.
The Owendats and Jagrea.
Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.
Mr. Weiser yesterday acquainted the Governor that Jagrea and some Warriors of the Nation of the Owendats were arrived, and that they expected the usual Compliments, on which the Secretary was sent to them to bid them welcome with a string of Wampum; and about two honrs afterwards the Governor in person with some of his Council paid his Compliment to them and invited them to Dinner.
After Dinner they spoke by Jagrea to the Governor as follows : " Brethren :
" These are some of the Warriors of the Owendats, and are come to see their Brethren in consequence of the Message sent by me last Winter. They are not the very Men to whom that Message was sent; they are other persons sent by the Old Men and the Warriors, who would have come themselves if it would not have given too much Suspicion at this time. They return the Belt the Governor sent to them that he may thereby know they had received it, and by this String they assure him tho' they do not come them- selves yet they are his fast and hearty friends."
Here they returned the Belt and String.
Gave another String for themselves.
The Governor made answer that their visit was extremely agreable, and that they should find the kindest Reception.
He informed them that Scarrooyady with Andrew Montour and some of the Warriors of the six Nations were on the Road to this
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City, and as soon as they came he wou'd send for the Owendats and give them further marks of his regard ; and accordingly on Tuesday the thirteenth Scarrooyady came to town, and two Messages, one of Condolance for the Loss of his Son and the other of Welcome, were sent to him by the Secretary.
MEMORANDUM.
On the 9th instant the Governor received and sent to the House a Letter from the Commissioner for cutting the Road for the use of the Army, wherein they say £5,000 will be wanted to pay off the workmen.
At a Council held at the State House on Friday the 15th day of August, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor ..
John Penn,
Benjamin Shoemaker, 5}Esqui
Robert Strettell, Richard Peters,
Scarrooyady and the six Nation Indians.
Jagrea and the Owendats.
Conrad Weiser, Esquire, and Mr. Andrew Montour, Interpre- ters.
" Brethren, the Owendats or Tchanundatyhagas :
" Our good Friend and Brother Scarrooyady presented Jagrea to me in the winter, telling me he was charged with a Message from some of the principal Warriors of the Owendats, to assure the English of their Friendship for them and abhorrence of the French Schemes, and that they had a desire to come and see their Brethren, but would come under Ground and appear at any place they should appoint in the Spring; they would give out at home that they were going to trade, but when they were in the woods they would turn their Forces to such place as I should appoint.
" I gave this answer to be delivered to them by Jagrea. That his Majesty had committed the care of the War to the Governor of Virginia, and I had just received Advice from England that the King would not suffer the French to take the Lands from the In- dians, but would send a large Army in the Spring to protect the Indians and to remove the French, and that the Army was to come into Virginia ; There I advised them to go, and Scarrooyady telling me at the same time that he was sent by the Governor of Virginia to invite the six nations to a Treaty at Winchester, I desired they
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would not fail to meet the six nations there, and with them to con- sult and concert proper Measures.
"Brethren :
" As I am sensible that the way through which your Road lies has many Logs and obstructions in it, You give us the stronger marks of your Friendship by travelling in it at such a dangerous. There are, however, no obstructions in it but what we can remove. Our numbers are sufficient to make it perfectly clear and passable by all our friendly Indians, and have wished for an opportunity of seeing them in this City. We assure you by this String that we are glad to see you."
Gave a String.
" Brethren :
" We shall take care to give you some testimonies of our Affec- tion ; we shall cloathe you and supply you with a little powder and lead to enable you to hunt for your Subsistence.
" Brethren
" You may perhaps find it difficult to hunt, as so many Men are now running up and down your Grounds. We expect you will con- tinue to be our true Friends and tell us when you hear or see of any thing doing against us. Good Friends always tell one another every thing that can do them either good or harm; if they love one another they watch for one another's good. To testify our regard for you, and to enable you to continue Faithful to us, we give you this Belt."
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