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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 251
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You will suppose the News of General Braddocks defeat has
thrown the People into the greatest Consternation I have
called the Gent" of the Council to take their Advice & writ
Circulary Letters to have the Slaves, Convicts &c well observed
& watched & given Orders for the Militia of the several Ct!es
to be prepared to quell it in case any Insurrection should be
occasioned by this Stroke, we are encouraging Subscriptions
among the Gent" & People for the Defence & protection of
the Frontiers, whereby I hope & expect to be enabled to raise
a hundred or two Men in a very few Days, if the Burgesses in
the several Cties do not oppose it as they lately did & per-
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Letter Bk. I.
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suaded the people that if the Govr should raise Money by such
Methods they must not hope to have any more Assemblies
convened but that the people must expect & obey Orders of
Council & Ordinances instead of Laws made by their Repre-
sentatives & with their own Consent, thus may these Tribunes
impose on the weak minds of the People & while they delude
them with the empty sounds of Liberty & Priveledge most
effectually contribute to their Destruction & the Loss of His
Majestys Dominions indeed if the French wd determine to
make the greatest use of their Victory I question whether 2000
Regular Troops with as many Indians would not descend to
the Bay of Chesopeak such an opinion have I of our Militia
wch are about 18000 & any Force that can be mustered in Vira
to oppose them. While the above was writing a Gent from
Potowmack came & informed me that the Courrier who
brought the fatal News to Coll Innes said also that Sr Peter
Halkett was among the slain & that Sr I Sc Clair had lost an
Arm & was much wounded & also said that Colo Dunbar with
the Rear & Baggage Guard consisting of abe 700 was retreating
to Fort Cumberland, of the safety or Escape of any of the Rest
I despair if what he further relates be true that with the French
Regulars that attacked the Genl there were not less than 2000
Indians —
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p. 142
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[Sharpe to Dinwiddie.]
luly 15th 1755 To Govr Dinwiddie —
Sr
I have just now received a Copy of a Lettr directed to all
whom it may concern which was sent by Colo Innes to Lord
Fairfax the i Ith Inst. & by him forwarded to you. The Gent"
belonging to the Nova Scotia Regiments (who having not yet
received any Letters from those two who went to wait on the
General remain still in Town) have been with me desiring my
Advice or Directions for their Conduct; as they were only
*
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Letter Bk. II.
p. 107
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