A Detachment of one Lieutenant, one Ensign, three Sergeants, three Corporals, a Drummer, and Fifty private men, under the Command of Captain Woodward, are to March on Monday next, for Fort Cumberland, and to proceed according to the following March Route: Viz.

Monday, October the 13th. To William Pickets

14th. To Martin Hardens

15th. To Joseph Nevils

16th. To Halt

17th. To Watts's

18th. To the River

19th. To Winchester

Lieutenant Lomax and Ensign Hubbard, are Subalterns appointed for this Detachment, being the eldest at present fit for Duty. All the Officers, except such as Major Lewis shall think fit to stay in Town, to take care of the Recruits, are to disperse themselves to different parts, and have a farther time, 'till the 20th. of October, allowed them for Recruiting; on which Day, they are to Repair to their place of Rendezvous, without Failure, with what Recruits they can Raise.

To CAPTAIN HENRY WOODWARD

[Fredericksburg], October 6, 1755. You are hereby Ordered, to proceed with the Detachment under your Command to Fort Cumberland, according to the Route prescribed in the General Orders: You are to provide yourself at this place, with Sufficient Ammunition for your

Detachment, as there is none at Winchester. When you arrive at Winchester, you are to procure a Waggon to assist you to Fort Cumberland.

You are to apply to the Commanding Officer at Winchester, for Arms for your Detachment: also for Sufficient Provisions to serve them to Fort Cumberland. When you arrive at the Fort, you are to see that the men are Exercised daily; and are to receive your Orders from the Commanding Officer there. You are to observe Good Order.

ORDERS TO ORDINARY KEEPERS," ON CAPTAIN WOODWARD'S ROUTE TO FORT CUMBERLAND

Friday, October 6, 1755.

You are hereby Ordered and strictly Required, to make proper provisions of meat, Bread, &c. for Sixty Men one day: they will be at your House on the Day of October, on their March to Fort Cumberland: and I will see you paid a reasonable Allowance.

From hence I set out on the 7th to Williamsburg; and from Todds Ordinary... continued my journey to Colonel Baylors, when I was over taken by an Express sent from Colonel Stephen, informing, that a Body of Indians had fallen on the Inhabitants, killed many of them, destroyed and Burnt several of their Houses.

MEMORANDUM

I hereupon wrote to the Governor, and returned immedi ately to Fredericksburgh; and wrote a second Letter to the Governour, one to the Speaker, &c.

85 These were William Picket, Martin Harden, Joseph Nevil, and Watts; Watts was at Goose Creek Ford, now Delaplane, Fairfax County.

TO ROBERT DINWIDDIE 86

Fredericksburg, October 8, 1755.

Sir: I arrived at this place, in less than three hour's after I wrote you from Colo. Baylor's," and some small time after the arrival of Colo. Stephen who brings a worse acct, than he related in his Letter; but as he is the bearer I shall be less prolix referring to him for particular's.

I shall set out this Evening for Winchester where I expect to be join'd by the Recruits from Alexandria and this place (as soon as they can possibly march that distance) also by one hund'd men from Prince Willm. and Frederick, and I have wrote to Fairfax coty. desiring that a Troop of Horse may hold themselves in readiness to March at an hour's warning, so that I doubt not but with the assistance of these I shall be able to repulse the Enemy if they are still committing their outrages on the Inhabitants.

We are at a loss for want of almost every necessary. Tents, Kettles, Arms, Ammunition, Cartridge-Paper, &c, &c, we are distress'd for, therefore I hope as your Honour did not send to Philadelphia for them, you will if possible endeavour to get them below, and send them by the first opportunity to this place or Alexandria with order's that they may be forwarded immediately to Winchester.

I must again take the liberty of mentioning to your honour, the necessity there is of putting the Militia, (when they are drawn out into actual Service) under better regulations than they are at present; as well as there is of putting us under a

"Original in the J. P. Morgan Library.

87

Col. John Baylor. His son George was an aide-de-camp to Washington in the Revolutionary War.

Military Law, otherwise we shall only be a burthensome charge to the Country, and the others will prove its ruin. That this may not appear an unmeaning expression I shall refer your Honour, to Lit-Colo. Stephen who can give you some late proofs of their disobedience, and inconsistent behaviour.

I find I cannot possibly be in Williamsburg, (as these affairs will engage me some time) till abt the 6th. 7th. or 8th. of Novr. when I shoud be glad to meet a committee in order to settle with your Honour and them some points that are very necessary for the good of the Expedn.

Colo. Stephen has orders to receive (if he can) some money below that we may be enabled to pay the Troops and to keep up their spirits, and to answer such immediate charges as cannot be dispensed with til I come down; and I shoud be glad if your honour woud order him to repair therewith (so soon as his business is done with the Committee) to Winchester and from thence with a proper Guard to Fort Cumberland. I hope the Treasury will have a sufficient sum of money prepared against I come down, that I meet with no great Delay.

I should be glad your honour woud give Colo. Stephen all the assistance you can in gettg. the money, forwarding this to me that I may be the sooner down. There are abt 70 Recruits at this place, and I left 25 at Belhaven which I suppose are augmented before this by Officer's who I am sorry to say have paid slight regard to Orders, in not being to their places of Rendezvous according to appointment which was the first Instant, the most flagrant proof of this appears Capt. Harrison who I have heard nothing of since he rec'd his Instructions. I am, &c.

89

[M.L.]

Of this the governor was convinced, for immediately after the defeat of Braddock he wrote to his superiors of his intention to press a military law, without which little dependence could be placed in the militia. In the August session a new regulation of militia was passed. (See Hening's Statutes at Large, vol. 5, p. 530.)

Capt. Henry Harrison.

TO JOHN ROBINSON

Fredericksburg, October 8, 1755. [Sir:] Being much hurried, I shall refer you to Colonel Stephen for Particulars, who brings a melancholy account of Back-Settlers. He waits on you for some money to pay the Recruits, and answer such immediate Charges as may arise before I can see you in Williamsburgh; which can not be now, until about the 8th. or 9th. of November: at which time I should be glad to see you there, and to Receive such a Sum, as you think proper to Lodge in my Hands.

I only wait here to issue Orders for the Recruits; and then shall Repair to Winchester with all imaginable Dispatch, and full hopes, of having it in my power to Repel those Barbarous and insolent Invaders, of our Country. I am &c.

TO MAJOR ANDREW LEWIS

October 8, 1755.

You are to March all the Recruits, now Rendezvousing in Fredericksburgh, under the conduct of the following Officers,

Viz:

Captain Henry Woodward, Captain Charles Lewis; Lieutenants John Edward Lomax, and Peter Steenbergen; Ensigns Hubbard and George Weedon, to Winchester immediately; using the utmost. Dispatch in your March. You are to leave Orders with Captain Spotswood, to Recruit hereabouts, and to Receive the Recruits which may be sent to Rendezvous here; and that whenever he can collect about twenty men, he is to send a Subaltern or a trusty Sergeant, with them to Winchester.

You are to collect all the Ammunition that can be had here, or what you think a sufficient quantity, and take it up to Winchester with you.