USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 62
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
"The four Vessels upon Lake Ontario will make us Masters of it, and is a matter of the greatest importance, for while we are so the French can send no considerable supplys to Niagara or their Forts to the Southward, which must all fall into our hands if we can main- tain our Superiority upon that Lake.
"I am, Sir, Your most Obedient humble Servant,
" ROBERT H. MORRIS.
" To Sir THOMAS ROBINSON."
At a Council held on Friday the 29th of August, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.
John Penn,
Richard Peters,
Robert Strettell,
Lynford Lardner,
}Esqrs.
The Governor reminded the Council of Governor Delancy's Letter of the Seventh Instant, wherein he gives it as his Opinion, from advice received from Governor Lawrence of the distress the French were in at Louisburg for want of Provisions, that there should be a general Embargo; and the same being taken into Consideration it was the unanimous opinion of the Board that an Embargo should be forthwith laid on provisions, which was done by the Governor's orders to the Collectors of his Majesty's Customs within the Province and Counties.
Sundry Petitions from the Inhabitants of the Frontier and other Counties were read, praying that they might have Officers and be formed into Military Companies, and the Governor was advised upon said Petitions & all others of the like nature to appoint for Officers all such as should be Recommended by the respective bodies of People who desired to be formed into Companies, and hereupon several Companies were accordingly formed and Commissions granted to their Officers, who took the Oaths to his present Ma- jesty before the Governor.
At a Council held at Philada' on Tuesday the 2nd Septem"-, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.
John Penn, Robert Strettell, Richard Peters,
Baquies.
Several Petitions from several Captains, owners, Factors, and Freighters of Vessels were read, praying that they might be per-
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MINUTES OF THE
mitted to be cleared notwithstands the Embargo, but they were all rejected and a Message sent to the Collector to take all the measures in his power to prevent the Intraction of the Embargo."
A Letter from Governor Dinwiddie of the 25th of August was read in these words :
A Letter to Governor Morris from Governor Dinwiddie. " Virginia, WILLIAMSBURG, August 25, 1755.
" Sir :
" The people in general of this Dominion are under great Dejec- tion on Colo. Dunbar's marching to your place for Winter Quarters ; this step of his gives our people almost as much concern as the Defeat at Monongahela; he has marched the two Regiments & the three Independt. Companies. The Road to the Ohio being opened facilitates the Invasion of the Enemy, and he left at Fort Cumber- land 400 Sick and Wounded and the remains of the Provincial Troops who do not exceed 170 effective men fit to do Duty. By what Authority he ordered the three Independant Companies to march with him I know not, as they were ordered by his Majesty immediately under my Command for the Service of this country ; after his march the Provincials deserted ten or 12 in a day, think- ing the Colonel had left them to be destroyed by the Enemy, and it is more than probable the French and Indians on hearing the march of the Regulars, they will come in a Body with fire & sword to destroy our Frontier Settlements; I have represented this to the Secretary of State in its true Light, and hope we shall have some orders for a Regulation.
In the meantime I have sent out six Companies of Rangers to protect our Frontiers, but what can they do against an Enemy (if they come in a Body) that defeated 1,200 pickt men.
" Our Assembly rose last Saturday ; in June they voted 22,000, and now they have further voted 40,000 for the service of the Expe- dition. I propose augmenting our Forces to 1,200 Men, & with the assistance of your Province and Maryland I would propose marching over the mountains in the mo. of Octo". to build a fort at the Great Crossing or at the Meadows, and leave a Garrison of 800 Men all the Winter to carry Six of the Guns from Fort Cumberland and to order them to burn the Woods for a mile round the Fort to prevent any Surprize; a Fort there will be of infinite Service on a second attack next Spring against the Fort, for I think we should not let the French remain quiet; they will become Insolent, their Indians emboldened, and ours disheartened, and Col. Innis writes me that from the best Intelligence he can have he does not think they are more numerous at the Fort than they were last Year, and as the General's Instructions, &ca., are fallen into the Enemy's hands its more than probable, as by that they are Masters of our plan of Ope- rations, that many of the French and Indians are gone up the River to the aid of Fort Niagara, &ca .; to incourse their Numbers must be
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small at the Fort, and they must leave the Fort in October to go for Canada, and its very likely they will be short of Provisions and all other Necessaries. On seriously considering all these Circum- stances, I am of Opinion that the above proposal is very eligible, and I doubt not being able to compleat our men to the number as above in a Month's time.
" If Colonel Dunbar had entrenched himself in the Meadows and sent in to the different Governors for a reinforcement, it would have been a wise step, For Colo. Innes writes me the day after the en- gagement the French destroyed all our Artillery except the Six Pounders, which they carried to their Fort, being apprehensive that the main Body of our Army would have made a second attack, and afraid the Artillery would have fallen into their Hands. It appears to me that an Infatuation attended all the Motions of our Forces.
" However, Sir, I think we should endeavour to retrieve the great loss we have sustained, and, therefore, I think building a Fort the other side of the Allegheny will be a proper Step towards it, and as I hope Your Assembly have strengthened your hands to give a pro- per assistance, and if my proposal meets with Your approbation, I entreat You'll write me the number of men You can supply, for 2,000 Men now is better than double the Number in June or July next; and as the Regulars have left us it will be a glorious step if the Provincial Troops should effect the building a Fort at the Mea- dows or any proper place the other side of the Allegheny Mounts., which may be a Magazine for Provisions, &a., and may be near to supply the Army next Year on their attack on the Fort. Our people at present are full of Spirit and Resentment, and I have great reason to expect that they will exert themselves in opposing the Enemy & in the protection of every thing that is dear to them.
"If we put this Scheme in prosecution we shall want a great many Tools, such as pick axes, Shovels, Saws, and all other Utensils fit for constructing a Fort with Nails, Hammers, Tomahawks, &ca., which I hope you'll be able to supply ; for I formerly picked up all of these kinds that cou'd be purchased here. If it meets with your approbation, Dispatch & Secrecy is absolutely necessary. I therefore entreat you to dispatch this Express with all imaginable haste; in the mean time I will order the enlisting of men to compleat our Number.
" I much long for accounts from General Shirley & Gen1. Johnson, hopeing they have had better success than the Forces on the Ohio. Pray write me what News You have, and I remain, with the very great Respect, Honble. Sir, - " Your most h'ble Servant, " ROBT. DINWIDDIE.
" Pray forward the inclosed as soon as possible.
" Please to deliver the inclosed to Cap" Orme. I suppose he is with you before this.
" Governor MORRIS."
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The Contents were considered, and the Governor made a Draught of an answer which was agreed to :
Governor Morris' Letter in answer to Governor Dinwiddie's.
" PHILADA., September 3rd, 1755. 1 " Sir :
"I was very much surprized at the first accounts I had of Colonel Dunbar's marching to this town with intention to take up his Win- ter Quarters, and immediately represented to him & to General Shirley the consequences that wou'd attend his leaving the Western frontiers of these Provinces in a naked and defenceless State. Since which General Shirley ordered him to proceed to the Westward, and with the assistance he should receive from these Provinces to make a second attempt upon Fort Du Quesne ; but he and the Offi- cers have given reasons to General Shirley why the thing in their opinion is impracticable, and continued their March to this Town, where they all arrived the 29th of August, and I am in expectations of Shirley's orders to them to proceed to Albany, which will be as disagreeable to the Colonel as a Western march; however, as they may be useful there for some months to come, and can be of none here, I hope they will be hurried thither.
"I am much with you in opinion that it would have been right in these Colonies to have made an second Attempt upon the French Fort this Fall, & can't help thinking that it might have been at- tended with success, but the Concurrence of this Province and Mary- land wou'd have been necessary, & how little I am able to do towards that or any other publick Service my last Letter will inform you, wherein I have mentioned the disposition of my Assembly, who instead of promoting the King's Service are doing all they can to render his administration odious, and to set the great Body of Ger- mans in this Province against the Government under which they live, which may, and I believe will, more than any thing prepare them to receive the French proposals. This State of Affairs makes it absolutely impossible for me to afford You the assistance I would otherwise do in a work so necessary to protect our Frontiers and to facilitate an attack of the French as the building some place of Strength at the most convenient pass near the great Meadows. If you persist in this scheme you may have all Tools and other things necessary sent from hence, and I shall be glad of your orders upon that head.
" I have this Minute Letters from General Shirley, he was at. Oswego wth. the greatest part of the Troops on the 20th ult., and the last division under Colo Mercer was expected in a few days. He has three Vessels upon the Lakes that are very useful, and not only reign Masters of it but bring him constant Intelligence from every part. He has also some Whale boats & Men and Indians stationed at proper places to observe the French Motions; the best accounts he can yet get from Niagara are that they have thrown a
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
new Stucads round the Fort, but have made no other works, and that there were only 150 French and 50 Indians; but this last is 'only Indian Intelligence.
"I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
" ROBERT H. MORRIS. "Governor DINWIDDIE."
15th of September, 1755.
A Message was delivered by two Members of Assembly that the House was met according to adjournment, and ready to receive any thing the Government might have to lay before them. 1
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17th of September, 1755.
The following Message was delivered to the Governor by two Members :
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please the Governor :
" As the House cannot now long continue together, their Year being near expired, they are desirous that if the Governor has any Business of Importance to lay before them he would be pleased to let them have it soon under their Consideration, and particularly if any application has been made to him by the Eastern Governments for a farther Supply of Provisions from this Province for the King's Forces now gone towards Crown Point.
"Signed by order of the House.
" ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.
" September, 17th, 1755, P. M."
- On 18th of September, 1755. " PRESENT :
The Honble. The Governor.
John Penn.
The Governor laid before the Board two Letters from Governor Phipps of the Ist and 8 Instant, which were read together with the papers enclosed therein :
A Letter to Governor Morris from Governor Phipps. BOSTON, 1st September, 1755.
" Sir :
" Major General Johnson has by repeated Expresses been apply-
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ing to the several Governments engaged in the Crown Point Expe- dition, to Reinforce the Troops under his Command.
" This Government have already agreed to raise Eight hundred men over and above what was originally agreed upon ; and the ap- parent necessity of a further Augmentation has induced me to summon the Assembly of this Province, which stood prorogued to the 24th Instant, to meet on the fifth.
"I this day received an Express from Gov" Fitch of Connecti- cutt, informe me that his Assembly had agreed to raise 1,500 Men in addition to the 1500 which they had before provided.
" Governor Hopkins of Rhode Island tells me that his Assem- bly have agreed to raise 150 additionals, and by the New York papers I find that Governor De Lancey have called his Assembly upon this pressing Occasion. So that upon the whole we may expect this Army will consist of double the number which was at first proposed, and that it will likewise be much longer in Service than was expected. I am, therefore, by advice of his Majesty's Council to pray your Honor to move to Your Assembly to furnish an additional Quantity of Provisions for the Army in proportion to this extraordinary Demand.
" I now transmit Your Honour a Copy of the last Letter I re- ceived from Major General Johnson, together with the Opinion of a Council of Warr, consisting of the principal Officers in his Army, upon the present face of Affairs.
"I am, Sir, Your Honour's most Obedient and most humble Servant,
"P. PHIPS. " ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esq"."
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A Letter to Governor Morris from Governor Phipps. " BOSTON, 8th September, 1755.
" Sir :
" Having wrote on the 1st Instant and advised you of my Ap- prehensions that a considerable addition would be made to the Army march'd towards Crown Point, I am now further to acquaint You that the General Court of this Province have passed an Act which will enable me to raise 2,000 Men over and above the 800 additional Troops before determined on, And such effectual Provi- sion is made for an Impress in case there shall not be a sufficient seasonable Inlistment, that I have no great doubt of compleating the whole Number in all the next Week.
"I hope the Province of Pennsylvania will afford a proportion- able Assistance in the prosecution of this grand affair ; I shall send
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
herewith the Vote of the two Houses desiring me to make this re- quest to Your Honour, and am with Esteem,
"Your Honour's most obedient Servant,
"P. PHIPS.
"The Honble. ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esq"."
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A Letter to Governor Phips from Gen1. Johnson. " CAMP AT THE GREAT CARRYING PLACE, 24th August, 1755. S " Sir :
" Herewith I enclose your Honour the Minutes of a Council of War which I called, and at which were present all the Field Officers in Camp. I refer You thereto for particulars.
" That we have many natural Obstacles to expect, that the French may of themselves out number us, That they will take post and fortify themselves in some advantageous place on this side of Crown Point, probably at Tionderogo, That they will greatly out number us in Indians, and that by the Cagnawagas engaging in their Fa- vour our Indians will in general be less willing to take part with us as they are very many of them related to the Cagnawagas & have Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, &ca., among them, and that some of our Indians will upon that account actually decline engaging. I say that I incline to these Opinions, and therefore do agree with the Council of War in thinking, that all present Circumstances col- lected, very strong and speedy Reinforcements are necessary to ob- tain the acquisition of Crown Point.
"The Road is now making from this place to Lake St. Sacra- ment, where I propose to build Magazines and to raise a defensible Fortification either as a safe Retreat in case we should find the Enemy too Strong for our Force and be obliged to Quit our Ground, or upon well-grounded Intelligence find it the most prudent Measure to halt there till we receive Reinforcements.
"As I think the Troops under my Command, both Officers and Men, seem to be animated with becoming Resolution and Courage, I hope they will approve themselves in all respects worthy of the Confidence which this Country hath reposed in them, and I shall endeavour to the utmost of my Abilities to fulfil the Duties of that station in which I am placed. If we should not be so happy as to gratify the Expectations of all, I hope we shall not deserve the Re- proach of any. Under the Conduct of the greatest Humane Abilities, success is ever precarious, and determined by that power which no mortal hand can resist, We are engaged in a Righteous and Glo- rious Cause, and as far as Courage ought to carry Men I hope it will carry us.
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"I hope the Governments in general, and yours in particular, will consider the naked state of these people, who in the approaching season will stand in need of some warm Cloaths and Bedding; surely they deserve this Consideration and Relief, and I think it would be an affront to the Humanity and Generosity of your Colony if they needed any arguments to stimulate them on this Occasion.
" I propose to march to-morrow or next Day with the first division of about Fifteen hundred Men and some Indians and a few Field pieces for Lake St. Sacrament, and to order the Remainder of the Troops to follow as soon as possible with the heavy artillery and Baggage.
"I am, Sir, Your Honour's most Obedt. & hum. Servant, " WILLIAM JOHNSON.
"The Honble. Governor PHIPS.
" A True Copy Examined Pr.
" THOS. CLARKE, Dpty. Secry.
" CAMP AT THE GREAT CARRYING PLACE, 22nd August, 1755.
" P. M.
" At a Council of War held by the Honourable Major General Johnson, Commander-in-Chief of the Provincial Troops raised on the present Expedition against Crown Point,
PRESENT :
" General Johnson,
"Lieutt. Colo. Cole,
" Colo. Moses Titcomb,
" Major Ashley,
" Colo. Wm. Cookcraft,
" Major Foot,
" Lieutt. Col. Whiting,
" Colo. Timothy Ruggles,
" Major Nicholls,
" Colº. Eliz". Goodrich,
" Major Dennison,
" Lieutt. Colo, Pomroy,
" Major General Lyman,
" Major White,
" Col. Ephraim Williams, " Major Hoar,
" Lieut. Colo. Bagley, " Major Fitch,
" Captain Eyre, Chief Engineer and Quarter Master General.
" Captain Peter Wraxall, Secretary.
" ARTICLE 1. The General directed the Secretary to read to this Council of War a Letter he received last night from Colo Blan- chard, of the New Hampshire Regiment, with the Letters and Papers therein referred to, and also part of a Letter which the Gen- eral received at the same time from the Lieutenant Governor of New York relating to the matters contained in Col. Blanchard's Dispatches, and desired the opinion of this Council of War what
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
they judged necessary to be done in consequence of the Intelligence and matters contained in the aforesaid papers.
" ARTICLE 2. The General then proposed for the advice of this Council of War which way towards Crown Point from this place they would advise a Road should be cut for the march and Embarka- tion of the Army, and whether that Road should be immediately set about. And that he had directed Captain Payson, Lieut. But- ler, and some Indians to attend in order to assist with their Infor- mations the Deliberations of this Council of War on this important Question.
1
" ARTICLE 3d. The General laid before this Council of War the last Returns made him of the state of this Army, and desired they would take the same into their serious Consideration, together with the Informations of some of the Indians present who arrived here last Night from Canada and Crown Point, as also the Sentiments of all of them now present relative to forming a Judgement for future proceedings and Measures necessary to be taken hereon.
" Upon the first Article-
" It is the unanimous opinion of this Council of War that the New Hampshire Regiment should be retained in this Service, and that they be furnished with Provisions by the Commissaries of the several Governments concerned in this Expedition.
" In answer to the second Article it is the unanimous opinion of this Council of War that the Road to Lake St. Sacrament appears to them the most eligible, and that it be immediately set about. Upon which the General put the Question, what number of Troops the Council thought safe and sufficient to carry on that work & build a place of Arms & Magazines ?
" Voted in the Affirmative,-Two thousand Men And half the Artillery and a suitable Quantity of Artillery Stores. The Council of War at their own Motion was adjourned to 9 o'clock to-morrow Morning."
" Saturday, between 9 & 10 o'clock, A. M.
" The Council of War met according to the adjournment of Yes- terday Evening, and having taken into their serious Consideration the present State of this Army as laid before them by the General in the last returns made to him the 17, 18, and 19 Instant, by which they find the whole Amount of the Men fit for Duty, includ- ing Sergeants, Corporals, and Drums, were at that time 2,932, Since which the number of the Sick are increased considerably, and 16 Deserters from one Regiment, So that when the New Hamp- shire Regiment shall join the Army they apprehend the whole number of Men fit for duty may be estimated between 31 and 3,200. The Council also find by the answer of the Coghnawagee Indians VOL. VI .- 39.
f g
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to General Johnson's Embassy, sent by the four Mohawk Indians who arrived here from Canada and Crown Point the 21st Instant, and the said Cognawagaes' Speech to those Mohawks, which the General laid before this Council of War, that the Conawagaes will join with their whole Force the French against us; that from the account General Johnson gives of his Conversation with the said 4 Indians it appears that the French are all in Motion in Canada towards Crown Point ; that the road from Montreal to St. John's is constantly crowded with Carriages passing to and fro with provisions and Stores to be dispatched by the Brigantine and one small Vessel up Lake Champlain to Crown Point, which vessels are constantly employed therein ; That the Enemy are flinging up new Works at Crown Point and every body there busily employed.
" The said Indians further informed, that there appeared to them a great plenty of Provisions ; That three Men-of-Warr from Europe had arrived at Quebeck with Provisions, Arms, Cloathing, and 6,000 Troops, which the French said were designed for Crown Point; that the Governor of Canada was calling in all the Indians settled round that Country, who these Indians do not doubt will readily and warmly join the French, and will with the Conawagaes amount to a very considerable number; That the French Governor at Montreal told them he waited impatiently for General Johnson and his troops, and shou'd be very glad to see him, that he should have ready to oppose him 8,000 Men besides Indians ; That the French have had pretty exact Intelligence of all our Motions from the Marching of the First Divisions from Albany; That if we marched by the way of the Wood Creek they designed to attack us at South Bay ; if by the way of Lake S' Sacrament at Ticonderogo; that when these Indians passed by Crown point there were not above 100 Men there, and 200 more on their way from St. Johns, but that by this time they doubt not they are greatly encreased, & daily arriving, as also the Indians; That our Indians are of Opinion that the French will fortify at Ticonderogo, and be much too strong for us even there; that some of the most steady and best affected In- dians who came here with the Gen1 as also these now arrived from Canada, have several times with apparent uneasiness assured the General and the Indian Officers that we were far short of a sufficient number to expect any success against the French, and have further added, that they were of opinion that we should be defeated, yet they were our Brethren and would live and die with us.
"These Informations from the Indians were confirmed and sworn to before the Council by Lieutenants Adams, Butler, and Stevens.
" This Council of War having taken all these matters into their most serious Considerations, and examined since last night to the utmost of their Abilities the great subject now before them, in which Examination they have made allowances for the natural
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Boastings and Vapour of the French to our Indians, are unanimously of Opinion that the Minutes of this Council of War be with all possible Dispatch transmitted by the General to the several Gov- ernments who have raised Troops on the present Expedition, and that General Johnson do urge to the said Governments the necessity of speedy and sufficient Reinforcements, as there is great reason to believe we shall be opposed by the main strength of Canada, And that in the mean while the Army do proceed with all possible Dis- patch and Vigour upon the present Expedition; that General John- son do also inform the said Governments of the necessity there will be of Cloathing and Blankets to be sent for the Troops who are too thin Cloathed for the approaching Season, except it be the New York Regiment, who only will want additional Bedding.
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