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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 441
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[Morris to Sharpe.]
Philadelphia 5th Iune 1756
Sir
I have Three of your Letters to acknowledge of the 23d
March, 24th April, and one since that not dated inclosing the
Extract from the £40,000 Act. My answers woud have been
much quicker, as well out of regard to the Importance of the
contents of those Letters as from the Pleasure your kind
correspondence has always given me, but I have been absent a
long while and engaged in a most disagreeable work that of
putting new and awkard Troops into order, and till my return
here had not a moments Respite. I have the Pleasure to tell
you that a Regiment of Eight Companies, 50 in a Company,
under the Command of a famous New England Partisan one
Mr. Clapham, is now on their March to Shamokin situate at
the Conflux of the two main Branches of the Susquahannah, in
order to build a Fort there for the Protection of such of the
Indians as remain faithful to us, and for the Encouragement of
those who joind the French to quit their Service and came
over to their old Friends, as many might have been forced
into this measure and woud be glad to retreat if they could
find a Place of Safety for their Families. The Water of the
Sasquahannah is often very low and full of Falls for a Mile or
Two at a Place called the Narrows, and the March in that
Place is likewise very difficult and dangerous, but both men
and Provisions are already got beyond those Falls and Narrows
and there being no other considerable Interruptions or Diffi-
culties in their future March I am in hopes this Service will be
effected. Sir William Iohnson has in several Letters acquainted
Sr Charles Hardie that thro' the Interposition of the Six nations
the Susquehannah Indians have laid down the Hatchet against
us and will if desird join the Six Nations against the French,
and that there may be time given to his Negotiations I have
publishd a suspension of Hostilities for thirty days on the
East side of Sasquahannah but not without having first sent
four friendly Indians to the Delaware Towns on Sasquahannah
to notify Sr Willm Iohnsons negotiations to such as might be
unacquainted with them and to find out the real state of the
Dispositions of those Indians, who are returnd, have made a
favourable Report of them & brought Messages from them for
a Cessation of Arms & Permission to renew former Treaties.
I expect to hear in a few days from Onondago where I
imagine Sr Wm lohnson is now holding a Treaty wth the Six
Nations & Deputies of the Delawares & Shawanese on this
matter. If we can divide the Indians it will be greatly to the
advantage of the common Cause, and as it is reasonable to think
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