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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 403
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thereon & as our frugal Gentn have directed in the Bill they
are framing that no more than 200 Men shall be raised & sup-
ported by this Province unless the Neighbouring Colonies send
a Number of Troops to act in Conjunction with us I give over
all thoughts of marching against Fort Du Quesne this Summer
which I beleive is too strong for me to reduce by Virtue of
His Excellency's Commission without either Men, Artillery,
Money or Provisions. By a late Return from the Lieutt Colonel
of the Virga Regiment I find they do not yet muster 500 Men
about 200 of whom are at Fort Cumberland to guard & defend
His Majesty's Stores there, & the Rest are posted at different
places on the Frontiers of that Dominion: About a Fortnight
ago a Capt of the Virga Regiment with a Detachment of 60
Men fell in with a Party of Indians on this Side the Fort &
were entirely defeated, the Captain, Lieutenant & 15 private
Men were killed or much wounded & left to the Enemy, &
the Rest of the Detachment retired for Shelter to a little Stoc-
cado Fort which happened to have been built near the place
of Action; another Party of Virginians had just before attacked
a small party of Indians with Success the Indians were led or
commanded by a French Ensign habited as an Indian who was
left dead on the Field & in a little Bag tied about his Neck
were found Instructions from the Commandant of Fort Du
Quesne of which I inclose you a Copy. Many of the little
Forts that have been raised for the protection of the Frontier
Inhabitants both in Pensa & Virga have been attacked & some
of them reduced; the Indians carry some of those that they
make Prisoners & sell them to the French, some of the Women
& Children they keep in their own Towns with an Intention to
incorporate them with their Tribes, but in general they seem
to delight in putting such as are unhappy enough to fall into
their hands to a cruel Death. Two or three of their Captives
who have lately made their Escape inform us that the French
(how numerous I cannot learn) are all employed in building
Barracks or Houses near Fort Du Quesne for the Reception
& Conveniency of many other Tribes of the Western Indians
who have lately come into their Alliance & are to be con-
stantly employed henceforward in harrassing & depopulating
these poor defenceless & infatuated Colonies. The Commu-
nication between Fort Cumberland & our back Inhabitants has
been for some time cut off & the Country for 60 Miles on this
Side of it is laid waste & abandoned. I should be pretty well
contented if our Assembly would enable me to take such
Measures as in my Opinion would most effectually secure the
Inhabitants of this Province from any future Incursions, at least
till the Switzers shall be able to act offensively; but they are
too opinionated as well as too parcimonious to put it in my
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Letter Bk. III
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