Letter Bk. III

Town I believe he might get many, the owners of which may
decline going to Carlyle upon what they will perhaps think
an uncertainty notwithstanding I have told them they will cer-
tainly be engaged & taken into immediate Pay. Be pleased
to send me an Acco^t of the Quantity & Kind of Provisions
that is allowed to the King's Forces in America every week
or Day that ours may be victualled after the same manner I

Copy of Capt Shelby's Report. Fort Frederick the 25^th of
Iune 1758.
S^r
In obedience to Your Excellency's Orders communicated to
me the 15^th Inst I have reconnoitred the Country that lies
between this Place & Fort Cumberland & am of opinion that
a good Road might be made between these two Forts by the
following Rout, From Fort Cumberland to Evat's Creek 5
Miles over a good gravelly & level Soil, I think a good Road
might be opened between these two places in two Days by 50
Men, the Distance from Evats Creek to a small Run called
Flint Stone Run is 5 miles the Land is pretty Level & firm
I am of opinion that 50 men might make this a good Road in
two Days. From Flint Stone Run to Town Creek is 6 miles
a level gravelly Soil, there is heavy Timber on it for the Dis-
tance of about 3 miles. I suppose 50 Men would open this
Road in five or six Days at the Distance of two or three Miles
from Town Creek lies Middle Ridge & at about the same
Distance from Middle Ridge on this Side is the Main Fork of
Town Hill Creek the Soil is gravelly & I think 50 men might
make a good Road from Town Creek to the main Fork of
Town Hill Creek in 10 Days, from the main Fork of Town
Hill Creek (where is a very good Ford which is never impas-
sable unless after a very heavy Rain & then not more than
for 24 hours at most) to the Beginning of the Descent of the
Ragged mountain is about 6 miles, it is a Slaty firm Soil, as
it is Sidling it will require a good Deal of Digging & I sup-
pose 200 men may be employed 10 Days in making it a good
Road, from this the Descent down the Ragged mountain for
about a quarter of a mile is pretty steep it is a Slaty Soil not
broken, 200 men would I believe make it a good Road in two
Days by making one Traverse. At the Distance of 5 or 6
miles from this lies Sidling Hill Creek, the Land is pretty
much covered with small Stones but is not Rocky & I think
200 men might make it a good Road in two Days, the Ford
over this Creek is a very good one. from Sidling Hill Creek
to Sidling Hill the Distance is about 7 miles firm & level
Ground & I imagine 200 men would clear it in a Day.