Rocky occasions a Rippling so prodigious that none but boats or large Canoes can pass. The canoe I was in wh'ch was not small had near sunk having received much water on both sides and at the hd. Their may be a passage also got round this also upon the Maryland shoar that Vessels may be-håld up after removing some Rocks which a moderate expence may accomplish. One of the other two Falls is swift and ugly not much unlike the Spout but when the River is higher than ordinary a passage may be had round a small Island on the Other side which passage may be greatly improved. abt. 8 miles below this there is another Fall which is very easy and passable and abt. 2 Miles from that is a cluster of small Islands with many Rocks and swift water which renders the passage somewhat precarious. From this to the Seneca Fall the Water is as smooth and even as can be desir'd, with scarcely any perceptable Fall. The Seneca Fall is easily pass'd in two places and Canoes may continue within two Miles of the Gt. Falls but further it is not possible therefore the trouble and expence of going up Seneca Falls will not be adiquite to the expence and trouble [and] will not answer the Charges as all Carriages for the benefits of a good Road are oblig'd to pass Difficult Bridge from whence it is but 8 Miles to the Landing place at the Sugarland Island and is 5 Miles to the Lowest landing that can be h❜d below the afores'd Falls of Seneca. Thus Sir as far as I was capable, have I given you an acct. of the Conveniences and inconveniences that attend the Navigation of Potomack fr'm the Fall up, which I doubt but you will readily concur with me in judging it more convenient least expensive and I may further say by much the most expeditious way to the Country. There is but one objection that can obviate this Carriage and that is the Scarcity of water in the best season of the year for this kind of conveyance.

[W.H.S.]

69.

To ROBERT DINWIDDIE

[September.]

Hon'ble Sir: As I wrote so lately and fully to you, by Mr. Polson, on the subject of the Orders I had received, I have little to add now, only to acquaint your Honour, that as far as it is in my power, I shall endeavour to comply with them: what Men we can, we do enlist; but to send Officers into different parts for that purpose, would be unavailing, as they neither have money, nor can get any. I have given Maj. Carlyle memorandums of several Questions to ask your Honour, to which I beg your answers, that I may be governed thereby. I have also sent some of the soldiers' accounts, in hope of getting the money for them, as they are uneasy on that head. There are others of them that are rendered useless by their late wounds; therefore I hope you will recommend it to the consideration of the Assembly, that some provision may be made to keep them from want.

I have also desired Maj. Carlyle to mention to your Honour the great necessity there is for regulation in the Soldiers' pay; and that a certain part may be deducted and appropriated for clothing: unless this be done, we shall ever be in the distressed condition we are in at present, of which Maj. Carlyle can fully inform you, and to whom I shall refer your Honour for many particulars, especially the consequences of going as high as Will's Creek, if we cannot march farther; as, for the reasons which have been alledged, I fear we cannot, were we attempt it; and, at that place, for want of proper conveniences, we could not remain. I have the honor to be, &c."

TO

"William Polson.

When the assembly met in October it granted £20,000 for the public exigencies, and the governor received from England £10,000 sterling in specie, with the promise of £10,000 more, and 2,000 firearms. Thereupon he resolved to enlarge the army to 10 companies, of 100 men each, and to reduce them all to independent companies, by which there would be no officer in the Virginia Regiment above the rank

TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

OF BURGESSES

Williamsburg, October 23, 1754

Sir: Nothing could have given me, and the Officers under my command, greater satisfaction, than to have received the thanks of the House of Burgesses, in so particular and honour able a manner, for our Behaviour in the late unsuccessful Engagement with the French at the Great Meadows; and we unanimously hope, that our future Conduct in the Service of our Country may entitle us to a continuance of its approbation. I assure you, Sir, I shall always look upon it as my indispensable duty, to endeavour to deserve it.

I was desired, by the Officers of the Virginia Regiment, to offer their grateful thanks for the Honour which has been confered upon them; and hope the enclosed will be indulgently received, and answer their, and the intended purpose of, Sir, Your most etc.

TO THE SPEAKER, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES

We, the Officers of the Virginia Regiment, are highly sensible of the particular Mark of Distinction, with which you have honoured Us, in returning your Thanks for our Behaviour in the late Action; and can not help testifying our grateful

of captain. This expedient, he supposed, would remedy the difficulties about command. Washington accordingly resigned, as he would not accept a lower commission than the one he had held.-Sparks.

The plan of military operations agreed upon in a conference at Williamsburg between Governors Dinwiddie, Dobbs, of North Carolina, and Sharpe, of Maryland, is printed in the Dinwiddie Papers, vol. 1, p. 351. It appears to be Dinwiddie's plan, and specifically includes the independent companies, which, of course, was the cause of the rank controversy and Washington's resignation.

Acknowldgments for your high sense of what We shall always esteem a Duty to our Country and the best of Kings.

Favoured with your Regard, We shall zealously endeavour to deserve your Applause, and, by our future Actions, strive to convince the Worshipful House of Burgesses, how much We Esteem their Approbation; and, as it ought to be, Regard it, as the Voice of our Country.

Signed for the whole Corp,"1

TO COLONEL WILLIAM FITZHUGH"2

Belvoir, November 15, 1754.

Dear Sir: I was favored with your letter from Rousby Hall, of the 4th instant. It demands my best acknowledgements for the particular marks of Esteem you have expressed therein; and for the kind assurances of his Excellency Governour Sharpe's good wishes towards me. I also thank you, and sincerely, Sir, for your friendly intention of making my situation easy, if I return to the service; and I do not doubt, could I submit to the Terms, that I should be as happy under your command, in the absence of the General, as under any gentleman's whatever: but I think, the disparity between the present offer of a Company, and my former Rank, too great to expect any real

"At this point in the record "Letter Book No. 1," Washington Papers, pages 10, 11, 12, and 13 are blank. It was evidently the intention to enter here Washington's letter to Dinwiddie, resigning his commission, the draft of which could not be located in 1784-85, the year in which the letters were copied into this volume. No copy of the resignation has as yet come to light.

Governor Sharpe, of Maryland, had been commissioned by the King as commander in chief of all the forces to be used against the French. Colonel Fitzhugh of Rousby Hall, near the mouth of the Patuxent River, Md., was second in rank and commanded in the absence of Governor Sharpe. Brock thinks him a grandson of the emigrant William Fitzhugh, of Stafford, Va. Sharpe wished to bring Washington back into the service and Fitzhugh wrote persuasively to Washington (November 4): "I am confident, that the General has a very great regard for you, and will by every circumstance in his power make you very happy. For my part, I shall be extremely fond of your continuing in the service, and would advise you by no means to quit it. In regard to the Independent Companies, they will in no shape interfere with you, as you will hold your post during their continuance here, and, when the regiment is reduced, will have a separate duty.”

satisfaction or enjoyment in a Corps, where I once did, or thought I had a right to, command; even if his Excellency had power to suspend the orders received in the Secretary of War's Letter; which, by the by, I am very far from thinking he has, or will attempt to do, without fuller Instructions than I believe he has; especially, too, as there has been a representation of this matter by Govenour Dinwiddie, and, I believe, the Assembly of this State; we have advices that it was received before Deurmarree" obtained his Letter.

All that I presume the General can do, is, to prevent the different Corps from interfering, which will occasion the Duty to be done by Corps, instead of Detachments; a very inconvenient way, as is found by experience."

You make mention in your letter of my continuing in the Service, and retaining my Colo's Commission. This idea has filled me with surprise; for if you think me capable of holding a commisson that has neither rank nor emolument annexed to it, you must entertain a very contemptible opinion of my weakness, and believe me to be more empty than the Commission itself.

Besides, Sir, if I had time, I could enumerate many good reasons, that forbid all thoughts of my Returning; and which to you, or any other, would, upon the strictest scrutiny, appear to be well-founded. I must be reduced to a very low Command, and subjected to that of many who have acted as my inferior Officers. In short, every Captain, bearing the King's Commission, every half-pay Officer, or other, appearing with

"Capt. Paul Demere (?).

"That is, the independent and Colonial companies must always act separately and not in concert by detachments from each. The inconvenience of this method was proved in the case of Captain Mackay, previous to the battle of the Great Meadows. Colonel Innes, at Wills Creek, contrived to keep up a nominal command by acting under two commissions, his old one from the King, received in the former war, and his new one from Governor Dinwiddie, to each of which he appealed as occasion required.