the Ascent up Sidling Hill is gradual the Descent on this
Side pretty quick it is about a mile over, I suppose to make
this mile a good Road would employ 200 men four Days.
from the Foot of Sidling Hill to the Mouth of little Tonallo-
way Run the Distance is 7 miles over a gravelly Soil,
I believe 100 men might make it a good Road in 2 Days,
the Distance from little Tonalloway Run to Tonalloway
Creek is two miles, here is already an old Waggon Road
but it will require Widening & some Digging I suppose a
hundred men would finish it in one Day. The Distance from
Tonalloway Creek to Fort Frederick is 9 miles, near Licking
Creek (which is about 3 miles from Fort Frederick) are some
Rocky Points that ought to be blown (perhaps 7 or 8 Blasts
will be enough to make the Road sufficiently wide for two
Waggons to pass abreast, there must likewise be a Bridge
thrown over Licking Creek which is about 80 yards wide &
five Log Bridges ought to.be made over as many small Gutts
that intervene, I suppose it would require a hundred men
about 17 Days to make these 9 miles a good Road. Upon
the whole it is my opinion that a Road might be made between
the two Forts which will not be 60 miles in Length & there
will be no bad Pinches for Waggons to ascend nor any bad
Fords which I submit to Your Excellency & am Sir &c
Evan Shelby —
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Letter Bk. III
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[St. Clair to Sharpe.]
Carlile the 27th June 1758.
Dear Sir
I have received your Letters of the 23d & 25th for which I
am extremely oblidged to you for the great care you have
taken in promoting every part of the service, I hope by this
time Captain locelyn has joined you, I shall make up his
command to a hundred men, as soon as I can lay my hands on
them; in the mean time I shall send you off three Com-
panies of the Lower Counties with Major Wells of a hundred
men each, I am not able to tell you if they can all march
to morrow untill I see my next convoy up, I intend sending
all the Shott and Shells by fort Frederick, for which purpose
I beg you will get the Canoes on Pottomack collected, and as
many made as possible. I shall pack off to morrow all the
entrenching Tools I have at this place, which will be barely
sufficient for your Service, but with a hundred & fifty good
felling Axes some timber may be cut down. The second
Engeneer on the Establishment shall attend you, I hope to
learn his name to day at dinner, he has strong recommenda-
tion to your favour & protection from your friends in England,
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Original.
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