[Sharpe to Loudon.]

31^st of May 1756 —

My Ld.
As I entertain the most sanguine hopes that your Ldp's safe
arrival in America will very shortly give us room to congratu-
late your Ldp & Ourselves, I take the Liberty to wish your
Ldp all felicity & Success in your Undertakings, & to acquaint
you with the present Condition of the Province under my Care,
But as Gover^r Dinwiddie informs me that a Gentⁿ of the
Council of Virg^a will wait on your Ldp immediately on your
arrival & represent the Situation of Affairs in this part of His
Majesty's Dominions, I shall avoid prolixity & only mention
such Matters as my Duty seems more particularly to require —
The latter End of Feb^y His Excellency Gen^l Shirley was
pleased to send me a Commission & Instructions to take the
Command of all the Forces that should be raised in these South-
ern Colonies for an Expedition to the Westward or against
Fort Du Quesne this Summer & desired that I would recom-
mend it to the Assembly of this Province to grant their quota
of Men to act in Conjunction with such as he had asked & as
he hoped the Neighbouring Colonies would raise for that pur-
pose. Our Assembly have accordingly granted £15,700 St^g
to raise & support Troops for such Service but as it is not to
be appropriated or used unless the other Colonies shall contrib-
ute their respective Proportions; & as Govern^r Dobbs advises
me that he has according to General Shirley's Desire sent all
the Men which he has been enabled to raise in Carolina to N
York, & the Pensilvanians are averse to granting any Supplies,
No Expedition can possibly be carried on here agreeable to
the General's Instructions, I am therefore in Compliance with
the Request of our Assembly about to proceed towards the
Western Frontiers of this Province to have a Fort constructed
there for the better Security of the Inhabitants, which is to be
garrisoned with 200 Men that are raising for that Service.
Your Ldp I presume already knows or will be informed by
Col^o Ludwell that on Potowmack within this Province & about
60 Miles beyond our present Settlements there is a Fort which
according to a late Return of the Commanding Officer is gar-
risoned with about 200 Men from the Regiment that has been
raising in Virginia, inclosed I send your Ldp a Return of
His Majesty's Stores that have remained there ever since Col^o
Dunbar marched thence to Phil^a last Summer. As there was
a Necessity of having the Powder shifted & the Casks trimmed
to prevent its spoiling I lately gave Orders to the person that
was left by the Commanding Officer of the Train at Fort Cum-
berland to take Care of those Stores, to get it done & to draw