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402 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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LetterBk. III
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himself in my favour, I embrace this Opportunity of making
my Acknowledgments to him, & beg the favour of you to
present or send him my Letter; To return again to the
Army on the Footing of a Lieutenant Colonel with a pros-
pect of being obliged to serve many years in that Capacity
here where I have had a Governt is not I think what I
ought to desire especially if there is a Glimpse of hopes
that Success will some Day attend your kind Solicitations on
my behalf. I suppose General Shirley will never refuse a
good Governt but I much doubt whether he will at this time of
Life be able to win the Affections of a strange & new People.
The Sentiments of the Inhabitants of N England & the Island-
ers may not possibly be quite similar & tho he might during
many years Residence among them have well studied the
former yet perhaps he will find some Difficulty in pleasing or
conforming to the Customs of the latter. I am afraid the
Gentln mentioned as his Successor will have a difficult Task to
manage that people who are not looked on to be the most
tractable & can make their Governors a good deal dependant
I think Mr Belchier is said to have lost Money in their Service
& I do not find that the General has amassed any great for-
tune. We imagined Mr Pownall was to succeed Mr Belchier
who must certainly very shortly leave the Jersies destitute of a
Governor but I presume Mr Pownall will be glad to exchange
his Expectations of that for an Appointment to the other
Province — So far by way of Answer, I now proceed to give
you a brief Account of the present posture of our Affairs in
America. For the plan of Operations concerted at N York I
refer you to Governor Dinwiddie's last Speech to his Assem-
bly in which however you will see he enjoins Secrecy. The
Troops that are raising in the Colonies Northward of the
Iersies will make a Body of 8000 or 9000 Men & I hope they
will not let so much of the Summer elapse as they did last
year before they begin their March toward Crown Point. All
the Regulars & the lersey Provincials commanded by Colo
Scuyler are proceeding to Oswego, which place I hope is safe,
but it has been reported & beleived that the Enemy were pre-
paring to attack it before the Garrison could be reinforced
or receive fresh Supplies of Provision of which it is said they
were a few Weeks ago in great Want. The General was
pleased since our Assembly met to send me a Commission &
Instructions to take the Command of all the Forces that should
be raised in these Southern Colonies for an Expedition to the
Westward. I thanked him for his good Intentions & assured
him that if the Colonies would enable me I should readily
undertake the Service, but as I have not learned that the Pen-
silvanians or Virginians have yet come to any Resolution
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