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Correspondence of Governor Sharp e. 269
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ing struck our Troops with Amazement & Terror they found
themselves destroyed by an invisible Enemy & were soon thrown
into the greatest Confusion, some Companies that attempted
to ascend the Hill were broke by the Fire of their Friends who
confounded them with the Enemy. In this melancholly situation
the Men were kept more than three Hours when having con-
sumed all their Ammunition they retired in the greatest Disorder
& left the Field & every thing thereon to the Enemy who did
not attempt to pursue them beyond the River but immediately
fell to Scalping those that were killed or unable to get off &
then returned with the Artillery & Plunder to the French Fort.
The General had unhappily all his Papers, His Majesty's
Instructions & the Plan of Opperations that was concerted at
Alexandria with him which fell into the Enemy's hands, & a
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Letter Bk. II.
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Prisoner who is escaped thence asserts that the 2d Day after
the Battle a great number of the Indians departed from the
Fort with a Design as he supposes by their Rout to give Govr
Shirley a meeting at Niagara. I think the General had with
him 52 Carriages the Artillery & 18 Waggon Loads of
Ammunition included, beside near 100 Beeves that had been
driven up to him two Days before. As soon as he was
brought back to Colo Dunbar's Camp he gave Orders for
the Destruction of all the Ammunition & Artillery that
Dunbar had with him except two 6 Lbrs & all the super-
fluous provision, in pursuance of these Orders near 150
Waggons were burnt, the Powder Casks staved in a spring
the Cohorns broke or buried & the Shells bursted. the
Provisions were scattered abroad on the Ground or the
Barrels broke & thrown into the water, soon after this was
executed the General dying was buried privately in the Road
& Col Dunbar immediately retreated to Fort Cumberland
where he staid 9 or 10 Days & then marched for Phila there I
suppose he will expect Letters & Instructions from Govr
Shirley how to dispose of himself till he can receive farther
Directions from home for his Conduct. Upon the Receipt of
this news Govr Dinwiddie has again convened his Assembly,
that of Pensa is also sitting & have given the Govr Room to
expect £50000 will be now granted by them for his Majestys
Service, if they prepare such a Bill as the Govr can accept I
will also call our People together on the same Occasion, but if
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p. 128
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the Quakers still persevere in their Obstinacy, I shall not
put the Country to the Expence for I am convinced that if
the Pensilvanians set an ill one our Assembly will follow their
Example. I have not received any Lettrs from the Northwd
but according to the Gazettes Colo Johnson should e'er this be
before Crown Point & I flatter myself with hopes that he will
not find great Difficulty in reducing it, the Forces in Nova
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p. 129
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