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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 469
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or near the place where the Fort stood they set up & left a
French Flag & also as it is said a French Lettr but of the
Lettr Govr Morris says nothing. This Accident & some Rav-
ages that have been lately committed in Cumberland County
has it seems so terrified the Pensilvanians who were setled in
that part of the Country that they are deserting their Habita-
tions very fast & will probably e'er long unless the Assembly
makes better provision for their Defence all retire over the
Susquehanna which Governor Morris says he expects will be
their extreme Frontier. As the Inhabitants have evacuated a
Fort that was built at McDowel's Mill & which kept the Com-
munication open between the Inhabitants & Forts Shirley &
Littleton Mr Morris seems in pain for those two places which
he says if all Communication with them should be cut off
would become an easy Conquest but to prevent so fatal an
Accident I propose if the Council whom I am just about to
meet approve thereof to order one of our Officers & a Detach-
ment of 50 men from Fort Frederick to McDowels or some
other of their Forts till their Assembly which is met come to
some Resolution & can send their Back-Inhabitants some assist-
ance, Fort Granville was according to the Information I have
heretofore been able to get situated a little to the Northwd of
the luniata & about 23 Miles west from the mouth of that
River. Forts Lyttelton & Shirley lie to the Southward of
luniata, the latter about 20 miles Eastward of Ray's Town & 25
North of one I had built near Potowmack on Tonallaway Creek,
which our Assembly by the Act they made last Session for
granting a Supply for the Defence of this Province obliged me
to abandon & destroy because it was five or Six Miles beyond
our present Settlements The Fort which I have been building
& which I have left our Troops to finish is almost close on Potow-
mack & upon the North Mountain We face the Bastions &
Curtains with Stone & shall mount on each of the Bastions a
Six pounder. The Barracks will receive & lodge very com-
modiously 200 Men beside Officers & on Occasion near twice
that number. I do not know whether our Commissioners will
have Money enough to compleat it agreeable to my Plan, as
yet I think it has not cost more than £1000 & even that some
of our Patriots seem to think a large Sum & have intimated
to their Constituents that a Stoccado Fort would have been
sufficient & might have been built at a much less Expence.
however I persuade myself that this Accident which has hap-
pened in Pensilvania will incline those Gentn to change their
Opinion, & convince them that excessive Frugality is not
always the best Oeconomy. I do not learn from Colo Ludwell
that Lord Loudon expects much from these two Colonies this
year, if His Ldp writes to you otherwise or if you think of
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Letter Bk. III
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