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L.H.J.
Liber No. 4g
Dec. 15
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to order to Virginia Two Years ago, are mounted therein; " is not
tenable against even a trifling Force, should they come with any
Cannon; and therefore humbly submit it, whether it might not be a
prudent Measure to remove his Majesty's Artillery and Stores (tho'
indeed the Provisions, we are told, are chiefly spoiled) from thence
to a Place of greater Security.
Tho' Fort Cumberland may be constructed, for any Thing we
know, near a Place proper for the stationing a Garrison at for his
Majesty's Service in general, yet being, as we have been informed,
between Eighty and Ninety Miles from the Settlements of the West-
ernmost Inhabitants of this Province, and in the Truth of that Infor-
mation are confirmed by your Excellency's Message of the I ith of this
Instant, wherein you say, " the Distance from Fort Frederick to Fort
Cumberland by the Waggon Road is 75 Miles," and consequently the
Carriage of Provisions thither very expensive; we humbly conceive
it cannot be reasonably desired, that the People of this Province
should be burthened with the great Expence of Garrisoning that Fort,
which if it contributes immediately to the Security of any of his
Majesty's Frontier Subjects, it must be those of Virginia or Penn-
sylvania, who do not at present contribute any Thing towards the
Support of it that we know of.
We understand the most common Track of the Indians, in making
their Incursions into Virginia (which have been lately very frequent)
is through the wild desart Country lying between Fort Cumberland
and Fort Frederick, and yet we cannot learn that the Forces at Fort
Cumberland (tho' most of these are in our Pay, the Summer past
have been stationed there contrary, we humbly conceive, to the Law
that raised them) have very rarely, if ever, molested those Savages
in those their Incursions; from whence we would willingly presume
their Passage is below the Ranges, which Troops stationed at Fort
Cumberland can with Safety to that Fort extend themselves to; and
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p.190
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consequently, that any Security arising from those Troops, even to
the Virginians who are most in the Way of being protected by them,
must be very remote, and to us much more so.
When, from the Incursions and horrid Depredations of the Savage
Enemy in the neighbouring Colonies, an Opinion prevailed, that a
Fort was necessary for the Defence and Security of the Western
Frontier of this Province, it was thought most likely to be conducive
to those Ends, to have it placed some where near the Place Fort
Frederick is now constructed; because from thence the Troops that
might be judged proper to be kept on Foot for the Security of the
Frontier Inhabitants, might have it in their Power to Range con-
stantly in such Manner as to protect them against small Parties; and
in Case any considerable Body of the Enemy should appear, or the
Fort should be attacked, the Troops might, at a very short Warning,
be assisted by the Inhabitants.
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