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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 349
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purchas'd and laid in Provisions for 1000 Men for one Year;
as the Fort was the most safe Place they were deposited there,
& a Commissary appointed at the Charge of this Country,
he will not allow him to discharge his Duty but refuses any of
the Provisions to be touch'd but by his Order; and tho' the
Provisions are supply'd by this Country, he insists on a Right
to supply his own Men from our Magazine, tho' Maryland pays
no part of the Charge, he otherways acts in an Arbitary man-
ner, & insists on his Rank superior to any of our Officers, &
he has not above thirty men, when Col: Washington has
upwards of 500.
This Fort was built by Virtue of his Majesty's Instructions to
me, & by my orders to Col: Iames Innes then in the pay of this
Colony, & with a great Charge to this Country; it's true it
happens to be in Maryland, but I presume his Majesty has a
Right to build a Fort where he pleases in any of his Colonies;
& the Guns mounted are Guns sent by his Majesty for the
Service of Virginia; it cannot reasonably be suggested that his
Majesty intended them for the Proprietor of Maryland.
General Braddock gave a Commission to Col: Innes to be
Governor of the Fort; his private Affairs calling him to his
Estate in North Carolina, he appointed Lieut: Col: Stephens to
command in his Absence: Capt Dagworthy with his pretended
Rank wrested the Command from him without any Rule but
his Commission of Captain in the Canada Expedition, tho' not
on the half pay list, but receiv'd a Sum of Money in lieu; by
his accepting that Money I am of Opinion he revok'd the Com-
mission.
This Affair makes such noise here that I thought it necessary
to send Col. Washington to you, who can be more particular:
If I was to call the Assembly now, I know this Affair has rais'd
the Rancour of the People so much that they would go into
Extremes of Resentment & do no Business for the Service:
I am sorry I have occasion to be so long on this Affair, but as
it makes much Noise here, & without you interpose your
Authority I do not know what will be the Consequence;
as formerly, I desire the Favour of a Brevet Commission to
Col: Washington & to the other Field Officers, & that you
would please to reinstate Col. Stephens to the Command of
the Fort 'till Governor Innes returns: As Commander in
Chief of the Forces this is in your power only, & without some
Regulation in regard to this unhappy Dispute, I shall not be
able to do any thing with our Assembly.
I forgot to mention, that Fort Cumberland being a King's
Fort, I cannot conceive that the Proprietor's Governor can
have any Right to appoint a Governor, & more so as it has
been built by this Government; the Right is in you, and I
doubt not you will assume it in order to restore Peace.
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