Annapolis the 28^th of Nov^r 1758.
Sir I do myself the honour to acknowledge the Receit of Your
Letter dated the 18^th of Sept^r whereby you were pleased to
advise me of His Majesty's having thought fit to appoint
Major General Amherst Commander in Chief of All his
Forces in North America & were also pleased to direct me to
Correspond with His Excellency & to obey such Orders as he
may at any time think proper to send me which I shall care-
fully do. According to the last Accounts that have been
received here from the Westward General Forbes reached the
Post at Loyalhannin the 2^d Inst, & was then in a pretty good
State of Health. On the 13^th a Detachment of a thousand
Men marched thence to open a Road towards Fort Du Quesne
& as many more followed them the 15^th the 16^th Inst. Part of
the Artillery moved on escorted by Colo. Montgomerie with
about 700 Men & the General was to march the next Day
with about a thousand more which exclusive of 600 that were
to remain at Loyalhannon were all the Men that were then
with him. I am informed that one Johnson who had been
some time among the French & was coming out with a
Party of them to take away or kill some more of the General's
Horses was taken Prisoner the 12^th of this Month as were two
of the Enemy's Indians on the 14^th, & that if their Intelligence
is to be depended on the Commanding Officer at Fort Du
Quesne did upon the Return of the Detachment that attacked
& defeated some of our Troops near the Camp at Loyal-
hannon the 12^th of Oct^r send off a considerable Part of his
Garrison & many of their Indians imagining that General
Forbes would not be able to proceed any farther this Cam-
paign for want of the Horses which that Detachment killed or
carried off with them & which it is said were more than 200 a
Number that by all Accounts he could indeed but very ill spare.
As the Weather has been very good for this fortnight past &
still continues favourable I am in hopes that the Troops have
before this time overcome all the Difficulties that they may
have expected to meet with on their March & that by a Vessel
which is to sail hence in 8 or 10 Days for London I shall be
able to send you an agreeable Account of the Event of this
Western Expedition. Being obliged to return home from
the Frontiers to meet the Assembly at this time I have press't
them to provide for the Payment of the Maryland Troops that
have continued with the General during the Campaign but I
am afraid they will never agree to raise Money on any Ac-
count whatever unless the Gentlemen of the Upper House