Govern^t however as I have used my utmost Endeavours to
serve you I hope you will take them in good part & beleive
that I am &c.

[Sharpe to Loudoun.] 20^th Oct^r 1757

My Ld
I am sorry to inform Your Ldp that the Garrison of Fort
Cumberland is in great want of Provisions while the Assembly
of this Province is determined to grant no farther Supplies for
the Support of any Troops that are or may be posted at that
place. As soon as I was advised by Capt Dagworthy that
the Provisions which had been laid in for the use of the Gar-
rison were nearly expended I communicated the same to the
Assembly & desired them to impower our Agents to send the
Troops an immediate Supply: instead of complying with my
Request the Gentⁿ thought proper to send me the inclosed
Answer & to resolve that they would never make the least
provision for the Support of Capt Dagworthy or his Com-
mand while they continue at Fort Cumberland whither your
Ldp was pleased to order them. I have in my Reply endeav-
oured to convince them of the Impropriety or Absurdity of
such an unwarrantable Resolution, but they are not to be
moved by any thing that I can urge, on the contrary they have
resolved likewise that the Troops which are at present in the
pay of this Province shall be forthwith reduced to 300, & that
they shall after such Reduction be no otherwise employed
than in ranging just beyond our Frontier Settlements. This
being the Case I must intreat your Ldp to send Col^o Stanwix
some Orders about Fort Cumberland as soon as possible, our
Troops will not I am afraid be kept together after the
Assembly's Resolution is made known to them, indeed those
of them that are at that Fort will unless they receive a speedy
supply of Provisions be obliged to abandon it for want of Food.
It is a Doubt with me whether the means which the House of
Burgesses propose for raising a Supply for the Support of the
300 men abovementioned will be agreed to by the Gentⁿ of
the Upper House of Assembly should they not I shall order
two or three Companies of Militia to march for the immediate
Defence of Fort Frederick & the Frontier Settlements & order
the officers of the several Companies that are at present in
the pay of this Province to deliver to Col^o Stanwix or the
Officer Commanding at Carlyle such of our Soldiers as are
enlisted generally for His Majesty's Service & are fit to serve
in the Royal American Regiment. Tho I should have no
reason to object to any part of the Bill which our People are