32 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

what had been did to him by Lieu^t Col^o Steven & informed
me that the greatest part of the Provisions that were left were
on a Review found unwholsome & by his first Lieut^t the
Doctor & the Virginia D Commissary judged unfit for food.
I advised Gover^r Dinwiddie of this Report immediately
imagining that he would have given Orders for such as was
condemned to be removed or destroyed, but contrary to my
Expectations he insists on our Commissary's Accounting for it
as for good Provisions saying that Col^o Steven assured him
that the Virginians ate it while they were at the Fort. As our
Men will not touch it I cannot order or desire M^r Ross to
comply with Gov^r Dinwiddie's Requisition neither indeed do
I suppose he would regard any order of mine to do so.
I apprehend that Capt Dagworthy & He will desire you to
order some impartial Person to examine the Provision which
seems to be the only way to prevent Disputes, & if they should
I hope you will not refuse to comply with their Request &c —

[Dinwiddie to Sharpe.]

Williamsburg Iune 28^th 1757
Sir
I rec^d Your Letter of the 12^th of lune. As to the Beef
deliver'd Cap^t Dagworthy at Fort Cumberland I desire to say
no more about; what I wrote in my former Letters was from
the Information of Col^o Stephen, & on the Application of the
People here I cou'd not say less, or shall I insist on the Beef's
being eatable; it was salted last Fall & our Forces had no
other Meat, all You agreed to with me was to replace the
same Quantity of Provisions at Fort Loudoun, that was
deliver'd to Your People at Fort Cumberland, & if any of it
was useless, I shou'd be wrong to desire good in its Place; &
I think You or myself act in this only for Service of our dif-
ferent Goverments, & what I have been press'd to do; but
laying aside the Beef till it's more clearly explain'd, I presume
there is no Dispute about replacing at Fort Loudoun, the other
Species at Fort Loudoun, which I shall be glad was soon done
to stop the Clamour of our People. I do not remember You
mention'd the Person appointed to victual Your Forces, but
that You wou'd order the replacing the different Species at
Fort Loudoun, agreeable to what may be rec^d at Fort Cum-
berland; what Your Forces might have occasion for, I think
was no: mention'd; but the Quantity remaining & rec^d by
Your Officer I think was to be replac'd & as C Dagworthy
does not complain of the other Species I doubt not You will
order M^r Ross to comply accordingly: — Your Men appear to
me to be nicer than our People, who liv'd on that Provision all