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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 49
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are again easy & as free from Apprehensions of Danger or at
least as supine & indolent as they have been since the Dis-
turbances began. The Alarm was occasioned by some Letters
which Capt Dagworthy the Officer who commands at Fort
Cumberland sent the 14th of last Month to Colo Stanwix, Colo
Washington & Myself. By these Lettrs we were informed
that some Cherokee Indians who were our Friends & were
just returned from an Excursion so far as Fort Du Quesne
had declared that a large Body of French Regulars & a great
Number of Indians were actually advancing towards the Fron-
tiers of this Province with a considerable Train of Waggons
& some Artillery. As we have been told by several Persons
who having been taken prisoners had made their Escape from
Fort Du Quesne last winter that the French did really intend
to assemble a large Body there in the Summer & to make a
Descent on one of these Colonies. I could not help giving
some Credit to the Indian Advice & therefore on Sunday the
Day after I received Dagworthys Letter I proceeded towards
Frederick Town which lies in our Frontier County & is about
80 Miles West from this place. On my Arrival there I dis-
patched a Letter to Colo. Stanwix who is encamped near Car-
lyle on the Borders of Pensa & about 60 miles north westerly
from Frederick Town wherein I acquainted him with the reason
of my Coming thither & told him that if the Account which we
had received was not contradicted before the 23d of that month
which was the Thursday following, I should on that Day
certainly march towards Fort Frederick with about 400 of
the Militia of that County, where he would find me ready to
obey any orders that he should think proper to send, or to
take any Step that might in his opinion be conducive to His
Majesty's Service & the Security of these Colonies. As soon
as my Messenger was dispatched to Carlyle I issued such orders
as I thought necessary to the Officers of the Militia in Fred-
erick County & by the Accounts that were brought me next
morning I found that I should be able to march at the time &
with more than the Number that I had given Colo Stanwix
Room to expect, however on the Evening of the 2 2d I had the
pleasure to receive a second Lettr from Capt Dagworthy dated
the 17th wherein he told me that another party of Cherokees
had returned to Fort Cumberland the night before with two
Scalps which they had taken within 100 yds of Fort Du Quesne
& had assured him that the Party of the Enemy which had
been represented to him by the other Cherokees as so formi-
dable a Body was no more than a Scalping party & that they
took neither Artillery nor Carriages with them. These last
Cherokees declared that they had lain in sight of Fort Du
Quesne some Days & in particular when the Enemy marched
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Letter Bk. III
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