& V. S.
p.57

Sir: I have this Moment received the Melancholy Account
of the Defeat of our Troops, the General kill'd and Numbers
of our Officers, our whole Artillery taken; In short the Account
I have Received is so very bad, that, as please God I intend to
make a stand here, its highly necessary to raise the Militia
everywhere to defend the Frontiers
Your humble serv^t
Fort Cumberland July 11^th 1755 James Innes

To all to whom this may Concern

Iuly 13^th p Capt Spencer
S^r

The inclosed will show you what is already done & now in Action to the Northward, the papers from whence you have
the Transcript were brought last night by a Gent who came
immediately hither from New York. I apprehend the Accounts
may be depended on & that I shall have the News confirmed
by Express this Afternoon. A few Days since we were in-
formed by Letters from the Camp that General Braddock with
the Troops under his Command was the first Inst within 25
Miles of Fort Du Quesne which place he hoped to see in 4 or
5 Days, they had lost only 4 men on their march from Fort
Cumberland 3 of whom were scalped by Indians & one carried
off alive. No Enemy had been seen by them for 3 Days —

Annapolis luly 13. 1755 — W^m Sharpe Esq.
D^r B^r
By Letters from General Braddock's Camp dated the I^st of
this Month we are informed that the Troops under his Com-
mand were at that time within 25 Miles of Fort Du Quesne