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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 305
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On the 13th a Detachment of 1000 Men marched thence to
open a Road towards Fort Du Quesne, it is not I am now
told to be carried into General Braddocks but will be several
Miles to the Northward of it. On the 15th Another Thousand
marched from the Loyalhannon who were followed the next
Day by 700 more & a Part of the Train, It was expected
that the General would also march on the 17th with the Rest
of his Troops & as the Weather has been very favourable
ever since we flatter ourselves that he is not at this time many
Miles on this Side the French Fort. In my Letter of the 3d
Inst I just intimated to you that there had been a Skirmish
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Letter Bk. IV
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between some of our Troops & a Body of the Enemy the
12th of last Month, since that time we have received an
Account of that Affair to the following purport; The
Enemy being in Number about 1200 fired upon a Party of
our Troops that had the Care of some Cattle which were
feeding at the Distance of a Mile & half from the Camp, the
Firing being heard at the Camp about 200 more of our men
that were without the Breast Work ran out to the Assistance
of them that were attacked but they were all soon obliged to
retire by the superior Number of the Enemy who pursued
them almost to the Breast Work within which near 2000 Men
were by that time drawn up under Arms, but it seems Colo
Byrd of the Pensilva Forces who happened to have the Chief
Command did not think himself at Liberty to order any of
them out to act offensively so that the Enemy's Loss was
very inconsiderable, they stayed about the Camp all night
& being employed in killing or driving away near 200 Horses
which the General could but very ill spare & indeed we were
not without some Apprehensions that the Loss of them would
have put an End to the Expedition. It is said that we had
64 Officers & Men killed or wounded in this Skirmish among
whom were three Officers & 12 Men of the Maryland Forces.
There was another Skirmish the Beginning of this Month
between some of the Enemy & a Party of our Men near Fort
Du Quesne wherein we lost an officer & ten Men, & nine
others were killed about a fortnight ago by a Party of our
own People who fell in with them in the Evening & took them
for Enemies. If the Intelligence that is given by three Pris-
oners that have been lately taken is to be depended on the
French Commandant has sent off a considerable Number of
the Soldiers as well as Indians that have been this Summer at
Fort Du Quesne, the Reason the Prisoners give for this Step
is that Provisions were scarce & it was not imagined that
General Forbes would be able to proceed any farther this
Season after the Loss he suffered at Loyalhannon the 12th of
last Month.
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p. 13
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