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160 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. I.
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considerable number of Men to make up the designed Com-
plements of the said four Regiments it is His Majesty's
pleasure that you should be taking the previous Steps towards
contributing as far as you can to have about 3000 Men in readi-
ness to be enlisted, & it is his Majesty's Intention that
a Genl. Officer of Rank & Capacity to be appointed to com-
mand in Chief all the Kings Forces in North America a Deputy
Quarter Master General & a Commissary of the Musters shall
sett out as soon as conveniently may be in Order to prepare
every thing for the Arrival of the Forces above mentioned
from Europe for the raising of the others in America " the
Letter then proceeds in general terms to excite us to raise
such Supplies as the present Danger requires particularly with
regard to the following points that we should carefully provide
a sufficient Quantity of fresh victuals at the Expence of this
Gov' to be ready for the use of these Troops at their Arrival
& to provide Carriages for carrying the Baggage of such
Forces as shall arrive or be raised within this Governt & with
Regard to such other Articles as are of a more general Con-
cern Sr Thos Robinson's Letter acquaints us that it is the
King's pleasure that the same should be supplied by a Com-
mon Fund to be established for the Benefit of all the Colonies
collectively in N. America; for which purpose you will use
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p. 102
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your utmost Endeavours says he to induce the Assembly of
your Province to raise forthwith as large a Sum as can be
afforded as their Contribution to this Common Fund to be
employed provissionally for the general Service of N America
(particularly for paying the Charge of Levying the Troops to
make up the Complements of the Regiments above mentioned)
untill such time as a Plan of a general union of his Majestys
Northern Colonies for their common Defence can be perfected,
this is the Substance of the Secretary of State his Letter; on
my Receipt of which I desired the Advice of your Ldp's Council
whether to issue Proclamation for the Assembly to meet before
the Day appointed to consider of granting requisite Supplies
& paying Obedience to the Royal pleasure or whether it would
be more proper for me to proceed as I had intended to the
Camp where my presence seems quite necessary to have the
American Troops a little disciplined & to see provisions laid in
& proper preparations made for the Reception of those Regi-
ments from England as well as those Companies that are
raising in Virginia & this Province. At present there are at
the Camp the 3 Independant Companies & the Maryland
Company compleated to no. the Virginians who are at
present dispersed & quartered in several parts of that province
have Orders to begin their March thither in Divisions to Mor-
row, their Number Gov. Dinwiddie informs me when they come
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