Letter Bk. III

during the Campaign.

[Sharpe to Wm. Sharpe.]

Fort Frederick the 27^th of Aug^st 1758.
D^rB^r
My last was dated from Frederick Town the 27^th of May at
which time T was on my way toward this Frontier in order to
settle some Plan for the immediate Defence & Protection of
the Inhabitants after the Troops which had been supported
here for that purpose should march westward in obedience to
the General's Orders. Our Troops having received such
orders the 15^th of Iune I have garrisoned this Place with
Militia ever since that time & it gives me pleasure to be able
to inform you that notwithstanding our Assembly men have
taken infinite Pains to dissuade & discourage them from
marching in obedience to my Commands yet these Patriots
have not succeeded & the Behaviour of all that I have yet had
occasion to call out has indeed far exceeded my Expectations.
As our Militia Officers were quite inexperienced & no one
was left to give them any Advice or Instructions & as I appre-
hended that my presence here would be necessary during the
Campaign & that I could be of some Service to the General
in forwarding his Stores &c from this Place I have taken up my
Residence at Fort Frederick ever since the i6^th of Iune except
that I went to Carlyle towards the latter End of Iuly soon
after the General arrived there & staid with him a few Days.
Before I took my Leave the Gen^l was laid up as it was said
by the Flux, but I believe it is rather a total Decay of his Con-
stitution, he tells me in a Letter which I received from him
a few Days since that he cannot paint the misery which he
has felt since I saw him but he flatters himself that he is now
on the Recovery & that he shall be able to travel in two or
three Days. As he is very desirous to march against the
Enemy with as great a Force as he can he has desired me to
garrison Fort Cumberland for three or four Weeks with
Militia, which will leave him at Liberty to strengthen the Rear
of his Army with the Virginia Troops that are at present
there. I am apprehensive that if I was to order any of the
Militia to that distant Post none of them would be afterwards
prevailed on to come thus far, but I am endeavouring to get
200 or 250 Voluntiers for that Service. All the Encourage-
ment that I give them is that I shall take the Command of
them myself & stay with them at Fort Cumberland as long as