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224 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. I.
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no very sanguine hopes of finding them better disposed at this
time to comply with his Requisitions by contributing Supplies
for the Uses for which the General at this time sollicits them.
I hear the Virginians have voted £6000 for those purposes but
cannot as yet Learn by what Scheme or means the Sum is to
be raised tho it is reported that they will think of some kind of
Lottery, Money being exceedingly scarce in that Governt By
the Advice of your Ldp's Council I have called our Assembly
again the 23d Inst. but as I have already hinted I am not with-
out fears that instead of granting Supplies they will scarcely
refrain from muttering against the proceedings of the Troops
under General Braddock who have not scrupled to carry off a
good many Servants with them from this Province as well as
Carriages & Horses I shall be under a necessity of recom-
mending to the Assembly to provide for the Relief of such of
the Inhabitants as have suffered thereby but as no more than
two or three Counties thro which the Troops marched have
been at all affected or injured I doubt the Assembly will not
be influenced by the Representations or Petitions of a few to
indemnify & give them Redress. I have thought proper to
issue a proclamation cautioning the Back Inhabitants to be on
their Guard & prepared to defend themselves & each other
against the Hostilities they are threatened with & have also
sent peremptory Orders to the Officers of the Militia to Muster
& Dicipline the Men under their Command & be in Readiness
to serve his Majesty & secure their own properties from the
destroying hands of the French & their Savage Allies, but
Alass for want of a Militia Act similar to those of New York
or the Northern Governts Little is to be expected from such
Defenders or Protectors; & I am much afraid it will exceed
both Governor Dinwiddies & my Abilities to prevail on any of
them to stir toward Fort Du Quesne or even Cumberland tho
the Assemblies should give us provisions & Stores to Escort
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p. 131
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thither. I am advised that 600 Men marched from Wills-Creek
the 28th of May in Order to secure a passage over Georges
Creek which flows into Potowmack about 12 Miles above Fort
Cumberland I suppose they will throw a Bridge over it
& raise some kind of Works for its Defence in Case the Enemy
should Act offensively. General Braddock I suppose marched
with the Rest of the Troops this morning, he had about 50
Indians with him & had reason to expect more would join him
on his March. The Recruiting parties have much filled the
Virginia & the other Companies since the General has been at
the Camp, but I learn from the Northward that Sr Wm Pep-
perells Regiment is not more than half compleat, which has
induced Governor Shirley to apply to the Govt of the Jersies
for their 500 Men to be employed against Niagara under his
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