him to come to Bakers Fort which is about five miles on this
side of Pawlins's & stands on the new Road that was lately
made, there is part of a Company of Militia posted there
under the Command of Capt Middagh who will send an
Escort hither with any such Express or with any Letter that
might be recommended to his Care. I am &c I. Ridout.
[Sharpe to St. Clair.]
Fort Frederick the 8th of Iuly 1758. 10 o'Clock A. M.
Dr Sr
I send this after your Express to inform you that Major
Wells & I are just come back from the Town Creek whither
I carried him as I find Mr Ridout has informed you to see the
Country thro which he is to open a Road between Sidling
Hill & that Place. The Major agrees with me that Capt
Shelbys Report was a very just one & that a very good Road
might be opened between this Place & Fort Cumberland by
350 men in less than three weeks proper Parties being
appointed to cover them & that when it shall be opened it
will not much exceed fifty miles in Length. As there was a
bad place just beyond Licking Creek which it was necessary to
open first that some Provision Waggons might go on with
Major Wells's Companies to Sidling Hill we left Capt Joce-
lyne there with the Remainder of his Detachment being 36
men & a hundred of the best of Major Wells's men to open it,
the worst of the Major's men in number about 50 were left
here to recover themselves & then to come on with the Pro-
vision Waggons as soon as the abovementioned Passage
should be opened. I did indeed expect that more work
would have been done by them before this time than there is,
however as waggons can pass the Rest of the Majors men
shall go off this Evening & the Major will join his two Com-
panies to morrow morning early & proceed to Sidling Hill.
As I shall be obliged to keep a Party of 50 men constantly
going with the Canoes there will remain but about 200 to
work upon the Road, a Force much too small for such a Task
especially as many of them will do nothing but cover the Rest.
As to the Carolina Troops I give over all Thoughts of seeing
them, & were they to come I am told they will not work till they
are assured of being paid. I find the Canoes could not go
beyond the Old Town I expect them back this Evening or to
morrow morning but as the 50 men that convoyed them up
were obliged to stay with the Stores till a Command could
come down from Fort Cumberland to receive them I shall be
at a Loss to make up another Party to convoy them up the
next Trip. I cannot write to the General lest your Express
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Letter Bk. III
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