Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 93

The Honb^le Robert Hunter Morris Lieu* Governor and Com-
mander in Chief of the Province of Pensilvania
The Honb^le Thomas Fitch Governor & Commander in Chief
of the Colony of Connecticutt
Colonel Thomas Dunbar
Major Charles Craven
Sir John S^t Clair Quarter Master General
Major Thomas Kinneer
Major John Rutherfurd.
The General's Commission being read together with part
of a Letter to him dated the 28^th of last August from the R^t
Honb^le Sir Thomas Robinson one of his Majestys Principal
Secretaries of State, and part of his Majestys Seventh In-
struction to the late General Braddock; Several Points of
Rank, which were Moved by some of the Members of the
Council were Settled, after which his Excellency Adjourned
the Council to the next day at 9 O' Clock in the forenoon

Saturday December 13^th 1755
The Council met according to Adjournment
Present as before together with Col Peter Schuyler.
His Excellency acquainted the Council that he had Con-
vened them to give their Opinion and Advice upon a Plan
of operations which he proposes for the next years Cam-
paign, in order to effect the Several Services he is directed
by his Majestys Instructions to Carry into execution: That
in order to inform them fully of the State of those Services,
it was necessary for him to acquaint them that in his Maj-
estys said Instructions it is Discovered,
I^st That whereas the French would in all probability, en-
deavour to Reinforce the Several Posts they have on the
River Ohio, and on the Lakes to the Westward of it, by
sending Troops up the River Mississippi, it was his Royal
will and Pleasure, that as the season would Allow Troops to
take the field much sooner in the Southern Parts, than in any
other parts of his Colonies he should begin his Operations
there as Soon as the Weather would permit, and was there-
fore Ordered to divide the Troops under his Command to be
carried up the River Patomack as high as Wills's Creek in
order to proceed to Fort Duquesne
2^dly That as Soon as the late General should have been
Able to drive the French from their Posts upon the Ohio he
should take proper Measures for Erecting a Good & Suffi-
cient Fort on the most Convenient pass upon the said River
and to leave a Strong Garrison Consisting of the three
Independant Companys then in Virginia Sustained by such a

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.