Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

13

Your fav^r . of the 16th: Curr^t . I recd. the 29^th & observe it's
contents, as to your two Companies, I have represented them
to the Sec^ry of War, in a nue light; their tedious Delay in_
coming here has given the French an Advantage over us,
which You may observe by the enclos'd News Paper, which
is the nue report given me by our officers, if Your two
Compa^s . had come in Time the French in all probability w^d .
not have attack'd us, or if they had, if they had behaved with
the same Spirit the others did, they would not have obtained
the Advantage, & indeed, considering the few Forces we had,
they have nothing to Vaunt of ~ I have now about 1000 Men
which I have order'd to meet at Will's Creek, they are to
march over the Allegany Mountains, & if not able to _
dispossess the French of the Fort, they have my orders to build
a Fort at a proper Place that may be pister'd on by a Council
of War, if we delay till the Spring I fear the Enemy will be
greatly reinforc'd; it's very odd that on so emergent an_
Occasion Y^r . Assembly cannot be brought to their Duty to His
Majesty's Commands to grant a mutual supply._ But I am
in hopes on their Meeting & seriously considering our situatⁿ .
& the Designs of the Enemy, You will be able to prevail with
them~ As the Money rais'd here is very near exhausted, I
have called our Assembly to meet next Month, when I have no
doubt they will grant a further Supply; & I shall be very glad
You can write me that Y^r . Assembly is brought to reason, & that
they will strengthen Y^r . hands in the Common Cause, to defeat the
unjust Invasions of the French ~ I have read the Plan for
an Union of the different Colonies on this Continent, as it _
contains several new Things, not agreeable to the British
Constitution, I do not care to give my opinion on it, till I
hear how it is receiv'd at Home; but a Junction, & a mutual
Supply from each Colony is by all means extreamly _
necessary & proper ~ I agree with You, that a Fort in the
Seneca's Country wou'd be very proper for protecting the
Women & Children of the Indians when they go to War. I thank
You for the extracts of the Conferences at the Treaty at Albany, &
Have wrote M^r Wrapall to send me the whole Proceedings. ~
I doubt not when Y^r . House observes the great Danger His
Majesty's Colonies are expos'd to, that they will cheerfully _
contribute their Assistance in so iminent Danger, & I hope
You will see the Necessity of calling them soon together~

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