12 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

erick are gone out with a Detachment from the Virginia Regi-
ment to fall on one of the Shawanese Towns that lye below
Fort Du Quesne. By a Letter which I have lately received
from Fort Cumberland I am informed that a Sergeant of the
Virginia Corps & a Catawba Indian who were carried away
Prisoners last Novem^r are returned & say that when they were
at Fort Du Quesne in the winter the Garrison of that Place
did not exceed 150 Men, but that the French expected to be
joined by a considerable Body of Regular Troops & a great
Number of Indians from different Nations early in the Spring,
& that they would then make an Attempt on Fort Cumber-
land, or advance into one of these Colonies, tho I hope that
the French will find themselves unable to undertake an Expe-
dition of that Sort this Summer I have taken such measures
as would be expedient if they should carry such a Plan into
execution & if certain Intelligence shall be given me of the
Approach of any considerable Body of the Enemy towards
either of these Colonies I shall repair to the Frontiers & sup-
port Colonel Stanwix in the best manner that I am able with
the Troops & Militia of this Province. &c

[Sharpe to Edmund Atkins.]

Iune I^st 1757
Sir
Having heard that you are expected at Winchester in a
few Days to hold a Treaty with the Indians that are come to
Virginia by Governor Dinwiddies Invitation & to make them
a Present I embrace an opportunity of Conveyance that offers
to send you a Copy of a Message that I lately received from
a Party of the Cherokees that came to Fort Frederick on the
Frontiers of this Province. As our Assembly was sitting I
laid the Message before them & they thereupon desired me
to send them an Answer together with a small Present.
Agreeable to the Request of the Assembly & of the Chero-
kees I appointed two Gentlemen to meet them at Fort Fred-
erick & to hold a Treaty with them imagining that you was
e'er this returned to S^o Carolina. As His Majesty has been
pleased to appoint you & S^r Will^m Johnson sole Agents for
Indian Affairs on the Continent I think it incumbent on me to
advise you of what has been done with regard to those Indians
in this Govern^t & I have for your better Information inclosed
a Copy of the Report that was made by the abovementioned
Gentⁿ on their Return from the Fort.