[Sharpe to Baltimore.]

14^th of Decem^r 1758.
My Ld
It is with great pleasure I inform Your Ldp that L^t Col^o
Dagworthy is just arrived here from the Army commanded by
General Forbes & brings us the agreeable Account of His
Excellencys having on the 25^th of last Month taken Possession
of Fort Du Quesne which the Enemy had abandoned two
Days before. A Virginia Lad who made his Escape from
them as they were going off says that about Half the Garrison
(which consisted of 500 men commanded by Mons^r Desligneris)
went down the Ohio in Battoes carrying the Artillery & all
their Stores with them & that the Rest having first set fire to
all the Houses in & without the Fort marched towards
Venango which is about 60 Miles to the Northwd of Fort
Du Quesne & where they have a small Stoccado Fort. They
had it seems been some time in great Want of Provisions,
(which was probably owing to the Loss they suffered last
Summer at Frontenac) their Indians had all left them, they
perceived that General Forbes was approaching with upwards
of 3000 Men who were within two Days March of the Fort
when they abandoned it & happily for us the Weather con-
tinued extreemly favourable.
The first Intelligence the General received of the Enemys

being gone off was from some Friendly Indians who had been
on a Scout & returned to his Camp on the Evening of the 24^th
Orders were immediately issued for L^t Col^o Dagworthy to
march next Morning at Break of Day with a hundred Men to
reconnoitre & if the Indian's Intelligence was true to take
Possession of the Fort. He had scarcely left the Camp when
he met Capt Pearisone of our Officers who had been sent out
the Night before with a small Party to make Discoveries & by
him he was assured of the Truth .of what the Indians had
before told the General. The inclosed Plan or Draft which
Colo Dagworthy has at my Desire sketch't out from his
Memory will shew Your Ldp what Works the French had
made & in what Condition they left them. & the other inclosed
Paper will inform Your Ldp how the General has disposed of
the Provincial Troops that served on this Expedition. Besides
the 200 Provincials who are destined to garrison Fort Du
Quesne this winter Col^o Dagworthy left most of the High-
landers & Royal Americans there but he supposes that they
are by this time coming in with the General (who was in a
very ill State of Health) & that all the Regulars will be sent
down among the Inhabitants for Winter Quarters. As soon
almost as our Troops arrived at Fort Du Quesne four or five
Indians appeared on the other Side of the Ohio & desired to