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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 549
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ing to Appointment on Account of the Small-Pox I prorogued:
them to the 8th of last Month, & then met them at this Place,
they have at length framed a Bill whereby I shall be impow-
ered to augment the Troops in the pay of this Province to 500
Men but they are exceedingly averse to having any of them
posted at Fort Cumberland, I have signified to them that
Capt Dagworthy has already Possession of that place in obedi-
ence to Lord Loudoun's orders,but they do not choose to take
any Notice of my Message. As the Agents named in our Bill
will contract with a Person to victual our Troops as they have
before done I can say nothing about the Salt, Flour Biskett
Hog's Lard & Tallow that has been delivered to Capt Dag-
worthy but I shall desire the Person who may contract to wait
on Colo Washington or the Officer commanding at Winchester
& with your Approbation to agree with him for the same. I
presume the Fish & Beans are part of the Stores that Genl
Braddock left, Capt Dagworthy will keep an Account of what
quantity of either he draws for but I suppose that quantity
will not be great. He informs me that there is a considerable
Number of Cherokee Catawba & Nottoway Indians with him
at present & that they expect to be joined by many others
from their respective Tribes, who upon your Invitation have
declared in our favour & are come from home to act in Con-
junction with the Forces that are supported for the Defence of
these Colonies. As our Assembly is so excessively parcimo-
nious that they will not give any Officer or the Commissary
Leave to furnish any Persons whatsoever with Provisions
beside the Men borne on the Muster Rolls & will agree to
Nothing wherein Fort Cumberland is mentioned, Dagworthy is
much distressed & knows not what to do with the Indians who
visit him, to deny them Provisions when they are come by
our Invitation & to serve us would in all Probability be attended
with very bad Consequences, & I have no Fund or Sum of
Money under my Command as Governor of this Province out
of which I could order a Shilling to be paid on the most press-
ing occasion therefore I must submit this Affair to your Con-
sideration hoping you will be able to free Capt Dagworthy
from the Difficulties in which he finds himself at present
involved. We have not yet received any certain Advice of
the Arrival of the Fleet expected from England nor of the
Embarkation of any Men in the Northern Colonies. I under-
stand that the Earl of Loudoun remains at N York & Colo Stan-
wix with the first Battalion of Royal Americans at Philaa —
I am &c —
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Letter Bk. III
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