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262 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. I.
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[Sharpe to Calvert.]
11th of August 1755 transmitted by Capt Garnet, & a Dupli-
cate by Capt Carrol.
Sr
The 23d of July I addressed a Lettr to his Ldp & another to
yourself acquainting you with the fatal Engagement that had
happened near the Banks of the Monongahela. I was then
proceeding Westward with an Intention to send up a Supply
of fresh Provisions & Wine to Fort Cumberland which I
imagined the Troops must have been in great need of. On
my Arrival at Conegogee which is 30 Miles beyond Frederick
Town I was informed that they had plenty of every thing at
the Camp & that Colo Dunbar had determined & was about
to leave Fort Cumberland & to march with the Remains of the
two Regiments & the three Independant Companies to Philaa
This News so soon after the Depredations of the Indians & the
General's Defeat had much alarmed & thrown our distant
Inhabitants into great Consternation, they concluded that when
the Troops should retire from the Frontiers the Enemy would
repeat & renew their Devastations & that twas better for them
to fly naked & leave their habitations than remain an easy
Prey to an enraged & cruel Enemy, who may now have free
& uninterrupted Access to these two infatuated & defence-
less Colonies, some that were retiring to their Friends in
the more populous Parts of this & the neighbouring Prov-
inces I persuaded to return back with Assurances that a
sufficient Body of Troops would be left at Fort Cumberland
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p. 146
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for the Security of that Place & that I would take proper
Measures to prevent the Inroads & Incursions of any French
or Indian Parties which I hope will be effectually done by the
small Forts that I have ordered to be built, one on Tonalla-
way Creek & three under the North Mountain in each of which
I shall place a small Garrison with Orders to them to patroll
from one to the other & to Fort Cumberland & in case
of Alarms to receive the neighbouring Families into their
Protection. The Subscription that has been made in this
County & some other Parts of the Province has enabled me
to take this Step for the Security of our Frontiers & to
continue on foot the Maryland Company which the late
Resolves of the Lower House had made me desire the General
to distribute between the two Regiments. The Virga Assembly
is again convened & that of Pensa is also sitting as you will see
by one of the inclosed Gazetts they have given the Governor
room to expect £50000 will be granted at this time for his
Majestys Service but I am told they propose to raise it by a
Land Tax to which the Proprietary's unpatented Land will be
likewise subjected, if they still insist upon such unreasonable
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