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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 407
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in America & that he might be shortly expected with some
more British Regiments All His Majesty's American Subjects
earnestly pray for prosperous Gales for them & I most heartily
wish His Ldp might arrive time enough to make the Cam-
paign. The Regiments already here are I beleive near com-
pleat & I learn that they have begun their March towards
Oswego on Ontario Lake where they are to be employed this
Summer, while a Body of 8000 or 9000 Provincial Troops that
are raising in the Eastern Colonies make an Attempt on Crown
Point, Colonel Winsloe who was a Captain on the Carthagena
Expedition & commanded the N England Troops last year in
Nova Scotia is to have the Chief Command of all the Pro-
vincials, & Sr Willm Iohnson is only to lead or concern himself
with the Indians who are to act in Conjunction with the Regi-
ments on the Lake. We have been in some pain for Oswego
this winter on account of some preparations that were said to
be making by the French at Frontenac to attack it before the
Garrison could be reinforced or receive Supplies of Provisions,
which it seems they were much in want of, but I hope that the
Danger is eer this over. The Virginians have expended very
large Sums of Money without being able to prevent the Incur-
sions & Barbarities of the Indians or even to raise 500 Men
for the Defence of their Frontiers; & the Pensilvanians have
spent great part of £60,000 this Winter to as little purpose &
as much more they may dispose of without doing the least
Service unless they would raise Men enough to act offensively.
About two Months ago General Shirley sent me a Commission
to take the Command of all the Forces that I could persuade
these Southern Colonies to raise for carrying on an Expedition
or making a Diversion to the Westward. As I found the sev-
eral Assemblies did not so readily come into the proposal as
the General seemed to have expected, & as His Excellency
had thought proper to order from Virginia all the Field Pieces
&c that were there & all indeed that were to be found in these
Southern Colonies, I returned him thanks for his kind Inten-
tion in sending me such a Commission, but intimated to him
that as the Colonies would do nothing & he had not impow-
ered me to draw for a Shilling the Reduction of Fort Du
Quesne would be impracticable without either Men Artillery
Arms Ammunition or Provisions, & nothing farther remains
for me to do than to urge our Assembly to grant a Sum of
Money for the Defence of their own Frontiers, tho that as has
been already hinted can never be effectually done while the
French remain Masters of the Ohio & consequently of all the
Indians to the Westward of these Provinces. We learn from
some of our back Inhabitants who were captivated by the
Indians but have lately made their Escape that the French at
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Letter Bk. Ill
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