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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmte en commenpant par ta premiere page qui comporte une empreinte dlmpj-ession ou d'illustratior et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — »- signifie "A SUIVRE ', le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent fttre filmte d des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour 6tre reproduit en un seui ciichA. il est film* A partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 6 SSS^ ,,..;. ...?r^.J VIII I M ^^^.Ji..^.,jpi«.j, . .-,.1 - . <■ .V AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. f- i INTERCEPTED LETTERS TO THE DUKI: DE MIREPOIX, 1756. (From (he Beport of the Historical ICsauoripta Commlaeion of the Amerioan WASHINGTON: GOVBRNMBNT PBINTINa OFFICE ISflT. ''•^f-- -' ■i,i^~^-:i*-»;ii-&l_^ ttib 5a»e*««SBai ^Jl INTERCEPTED LETTERS TO THE DUKE DE MIREPOIXa756. Before bis resignation from the Commission, Dr. Donglas Brymner, Archivist of the Dominion of Canada, selected from the materials imder his command the following letters, and had them copied for the Commission. The following iutrodnction 18 due to him. The chairman of the Commission has appended a lew footnotes. To him the letters appear to have been written by some one who had a fair but not an intimate knowl- edge of what was going on, who held no important co.nmand, and who, as the Earl of Halifax conjectures in No. 10 of the series, was an Irishman. It is important as well as interest- ing to observe what imperfect information the Newcastle (Jov- ernment had as to events, preparations, and conditions in America. In the final struggle for supremacy on the northern part of this continent between Great Britain and her colonies on the one side and France on the other, which culminated in the con- quest of Canada in 17G0, the success in the first instance was largely on the side of the French. The defeat of Braddock and his death in 1755, the capture of Oswego in 1756, with the capture or destruction of the British fleet there, whidi gave the command of Lake Ontario to the French; these and sub- sequent events of a similar nature gave confidence to the French and led to the adhesion of the waiters on Providence who are always on the winning side. On both sides there were serious drawbacks to the vigorous prosecution of the war On the side of the French there was the amazing corruption which prevailed, the robberies committed by all grades in the public service, robberies by which the officials, from Bigot, the intendant, downward, in every branch of the service accumu- lated immense fortunes. Such conduct was the rule with scarcely an exception, so that the -iccess of the French troops m the field is almost wonderful. On the other side were divided councils, and generals in many cases lar from efficient 660 INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. ecA in a style of warfare to wliicih they were unac(!ustoine(l ami apiin-st which they were tlieretbio unable to take precaution/. The «liftlculty of manniug the navy was extreme, sailors desert- ing from 8hii)8 of war iiutl transports in crowds to man the jnivateers, the ])ri/e money lu'injjj for New York alone not less than £200,01)0 sterling, and the sailors being harbored in the seaport towns by the iidiabitants. It was only by the aid of the militjiry that they coidd be secured in New York and that Sir Charles Hardy's Heet was able to sail irom that port. Nor was this all that the British fontes had to contend with, as Lord Loudoun, writing to Titt in June, 1757, reported that tlie French received from all quarters information of every move- ment in the colonies. These and other facts give a greater color of probability to the authenticity of the intercepted letters addressed to the Duke de Mirepoix, although the identity of the writer could not be discovered. In the letter dated the 12th of January, 1756, the writer states that he has no doubt of obtaining the services of Ger- raaiis in the United States on behalf of the French, and this is confirmed by the statement of an Onondaga Indian made to Sir William Johnson, that the Germans of Burnettield had sent by an Oneida to the French governor of Canada an otter of their services. In a letter from Capt. John Butler to Sir William Johnson, dated in March, 1757, the place from which this letter was sent is called the "Great Flatts," and it is said that Capt. Joost Petrie wrote the letter which was sent to Canada. In Wraxall's letter it is called German Flats; all three names, Burnetfleld, Great Flatts, and German Flats, no doubt refer to the same place. The French neutrals, also, in Pennsylvaria, evidently encouraged by the success of the French at tlie opening of the war, threatened that they would go to their countrymen in the back country, and that tliey would all Join the French, as they looked on themselves as French subjects. The efforts made to trace the writer of the letters addressed to the Duke de Mirepoix seem to have been unsuccessful, as, although indications were obtained, no proper means appear to have been takeii to follow up the pursuit. The description by the writer of the letters of his own position was evidently given to mislead; otherwise there would have been no difficulty in discovering who he was. Lord Loudoun was recalled, but his successor was most % f ec2 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. unfortunate in his (iist openitions. The tlrst jjleam of impor- tant success was the takiug of Loiiisbo'Tg in 17r»8. It is doubtful, liowevMT, whether that wouhl have fallen so easily but for the effects of the nefarious couiluct of IJigot and his coufee; and beg y'(J': would also order mo a sum of money with his most Christian Majesty impression on it, to Distribute among the soldiers and Indians (and to make ])resents to sonu* great men) to gain tiiem on my side and also ab* one thousand swords to present to the Ollicers; it would greatly iiilluence 'em 1 woud not have y"^ d"" immagine, I desire the least of what I now ask for, for my self; on the contrary I assure y (i' ; that had 1 ability of myself only; my zeal, for my Koyal Master is such that 1 would go thro' the whole without craving any assistance (or I'erish in the attempt) confiding iu his Majestys goodness to consider mo hereafter — as T shall render a. just acco' of every- thing y' d'' 'II be ]>leased to comitt to my care, so I expect his Majesty '11 be rei)ai(l the charge I now desire he may be put to — .The raising, doathing and arming the array '11 be at the expence of the Ditt'erent (lovernts for whose service it's sup- posed 1 raise it — The money I ask for, is only to gain the army fiU'his Majesty; (that all powerfuU Metal gains all things) and if y Grace '11 be pleased to order it as I shall mention, it'll > ume safe to my hands, tho' I should be on the march or at T^ort dii Quesne, y' G' may perhaps think it a risque to trust a man you don't know, a'ul at such Distance but all the security 1 can at present give y G'' is only my word of honour, and can with a clear conscience assure y : G"^: that if you'll venture y G' : '11 find it on a sure Bottom neither would I have y^ G^ immagine that this writing may be tho effect of a wild Brain &c'^ because it's Jumbled together in an odd manner — ]!f. B : the raising this army is to be done very still and without noise. Least the news might reach Canada, and this serves my purpose best to chuse my men I also acquaint y^ G' : that I am not to be ready to march till next May, by order of Gov^ Shirley who is General- issimo of all the King's forces in these parts — and y G' : may also depend, that I shall delay the march as long as possible, on purpose to hear from y G"^ : I rely on y G' : to send me i 666 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. I ^ t i \ .. f 1 such Let' '^rs &c by the nr»t English \ easels next spring, or fear I shaiit so easily be able to persuade the pp : there has latly been discovered in Jersey Govern' sev- eral very good Copper mines, interinixt with silver. an hour ago a Gentl" arrived from New York, came to visit me, he said, it was reported there, that a french fleet, consist- ing of 17 men of war and transports with some Bomb Vessells, was arrived at Spanish river in Cape Breton, and ware landing their men (SiC the news was said to come via Boston, from S' Peters in Newfoundland and from Halifax in Nova Scotia, this news I coud wish with all my heart to be true as the Eng- lish fleet is sailed from thence for England — but 1 iramagine it's only his Majestys fleet w'*' sailed down the river St. Lawrence Last fall, homeward bound, w*''' might have put in there. Jan^ 7*" I am informed that M"" John de Neufville merch* at Amster- dam does business for (rentlemen in New York I've concluded to send it to his care, as from New Yovk by the name of George Spellings and shall pretend to him a recommendation from his friends there on purpose to have it immediately forwarded to y"^ Gr . and shall desire him to let me Know by that name of its being sent to your Grace. Jany 8»" 1746 [1756] The Post sets out this afternoon for New York, I shall Deliver this (under cover) to my friend here to be forwarded thither — I said in my Letter I wovild not in the Least Discover myself, but thus much Pll now venture to intimate to y^ Gr: trusting that it'll abide only with y Gr: untill I have accomplished my Designs — . I was born'd, and all my relations Live, in old france in good repute and Loyall subjects to his Majesty; and assure y"^ Gr : some of 'em not unworthy y"^ Gr" notice, and some of 'em not unknown to y"^ G' as by a Letter I received some time ago from one of them. I intended at first to have sent this Letter under cover to him — but I have my retisons V ^ M INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 673 for not doing it, besides 1 don't believe an English Capt" woud deliver a Letter from on board his vessell, at this time, that was directed to France — I shall send y Gr : a few lines again next spring, in the best manner I can — but expect y"" (Ir: '11 be doing for me in the Intrim and if I succeed in my attempt, (as I don't in the least doubt, if I am now granted what 1 re(iuire) I'll return home and Tjay myself with gratitude at y"^ (ir.'s feet, for I am tired of playing the prodigal, and Long to be home with my friends, and relations again from whom 1 have strayea these many years; but should not chuse to return to them but in honour — L shall be 38 years old nex August, am still a single man and most part of my Life has been spent in the service of the English, w''' I have always faithfully Discharg'd but now again to be employed and tight ngoi rny King and country I cant any more bear to think oil"; and yet shall be obliged to do it, for subsistance, as I've no other Dependance here, and no lilstate at home I was sent near the close of the last war a commissioner to Canada, where seeing the contidence of the English placed in me, and hearing how much I was in the esteem of all sorts ol" People among them, and knowing my Principles and fiom whence I was it was there agreed upon, that if the English shoud at any time thereafter promote me to a general of an army ag*" them, that I shoud employ my whole force in behalf of his most christian Majesty, and write home ab* it and I should be immediately assisted. This now is come to pass, contrary to my expecta- tions; it's a fourtnight since I was appointed and am already confirmed (since the evasions of the french and Indians on their frontiers as afore mentioned,) and hoije now to be enabled to put my scheme in execution as above said; and hope y Gr: '11 excuse me for making choice of y^ Gr: to write to, its not in my i)ower at this time to acquaint the (Jentl" in Canada of what has happened to me, neither woud it avail any thing until! I had sonie assurance of being assisted from home — . Y'^ Gr : may perhaps hereafter accuse me of perfidy and Ingrat- itude to the English, and a person not fit to be trusted; to W' I beg leave to answer y"^^ Gr :, that as to Perfidy I have already intimated toy^Gr: how my heart has always been disposed and coud at any time satisfy y"^ Gr: to the contrary, and as to Ingratitude; if the English have given me commissions and promoted me to honours among them it was to serve their own purposes, and they've had my services for it w"'' they've uevei- had reason to complain off; Besides I expect greater H. Doc. 353 43 I. I 51 674 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. ^ <1 m m m 1 ! prefforments, if I succeed, by his Majesty, and then I shall be among my own people and enjoy my religion freely, w"'' 1 have not dared to do, since I've been among the English, but must tamely bear to hear my religion King and country reflected on by Heriticks, and have never yet been iu the Chapel at Phil* for fear of giving suspicion, however 1 shall always retain a gratefuU sence of the English civilities and good will toward me while they thought me their own, and intend to be kind to them — espetialy those I have received great friendships from — . except some of tlieir Gov'" N.B: There is a reward of 700 p 8/8 oflFered by the Governt of Phi» to any who shall bring the heads of Shingas, and Jacobs, two chiefs of the Delaware Indian Nation who have revolted from the English.' I shoud be very sorry to see their heads Bro*. as they are my very good friends — . but am not iu much concern about them as they'll not easily be taken. Most of the back Inhabitants of Phil* Maryland Ac" are fled to the cities, and have left their Plantations a prey to the Indians. — . The sight of one Indian '11 frighten and drive away a score of Englishmen — 1 must also acquaint y"^ Gr: that it was the appearance of the Indians that frightened Braddocks men, and put his army in <;onfu8ion. — here is a certain acco' come yesterday from Hal- ifax in Nova Scotia that some of King George's Soldiers who had strayed iu the woods; were taken Prisoners by thefrench and Indians there; that the New England troops w'' were hired to take Mines ; were Quarreling with the Governor there, ab* their pay, and because the GoV^ had not prepared vessells to carry them home according to promiss; that the New Eng. land troops, and the Kings troops were fighting with each other &C'' — N. B. I mention the Inroads of the Indians &c» to Let y"^ G"^ see the Deplorable Condition most of the British Collonies are in at present, and how easily they may be at this time subdued. A Mon Seigneur Mon Seigneur Le Due de Mirepoix Copy The original given to the Earl of Loudoun. Paris 'Jacobs was killed about April 1 ; Pa. Archive*, ii, 612. Shiogas survived ; ibid., iii, 533. ilS «B& OB ■rrgri INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756 675 8. "FILIU.S (iALLIC/E" TO THE DUKE J)H MIREPOIX. Jaay 12"' 1750 The Original I have sent under cover to M"" John de Neufville Merchant at Amsterdam to be forwarded from New York j). the Nightingale Man of War, which I heard was soon to sail the Express to London. My Serjeants have within these 3 days Enlisted 600 men, my compli'" is to be 15000, and if I shon'd have occasion I believe I con'd raise 50,000 in Pensilvania (lovernment only, for there has been yearly vr t nnmbers of Germans imported from Hol- land, who are very i)oor and wou'd be glad to do anything for a living as most of them are oblig'd to sell themselves to pay their passage thither. These people I am persnaded, it would be a matter of Indifference to them (if they were paid) whom they serv'd; whether the King of France or the King of Eng- land, and I know most of them would from principle rather choose to serve my Royal Master : There has also been from time to Time, transported from England vast Nnmbers of Irish, to Virginia and Philadelphia for the Peopling The Kings Plantations Most of these are of the true Roman Catholick Faith. There has also been continually transported from England to the above places, what they call convicts, for crimes com- itted there, for which they are Sold in Slavery for seven years — Some of these that I have happened to speak to, have profess'd the true Catholick Religion, but their Religion is much the same with most of the Hereticks in this Country, who (by what I can perceive) mind no other than that of get- ting Money; and may be hired to do anything. We have an account here that a Body of Eleven hundred Indians had appeared at Goshen' and behav'd very insolently that all the Country thereabouts were in alarm, they were said to be Delawar Indians, who always had i)rofes'd themselves friends to the English — But of late seem'd to be wavering. Goshen is between New York and Albany up Hudsons River (call'd at New York the North River) back of the High- lands, on the other side the River with New York — at (JO miles from New York — N. B. We've had the Winter hitherto . :> • See New York Colunial Documents, vit, 96. 676 AMERICAN HISTOHICAL ASSOCIATION. very moderate almost evry day like Spring and can't hear of any snow hciufj; fall'n yet to the Northward. Endorsed: — Copy of an lnterceptei)e) w''' did not sail from tlie hook afore the 7"' nit: The liook is twenty miles from New York Harbour from whence all their vessells i)ut into Sea, I am Tiot now under the Least Concern in case any of my Letters to y (t"": should bo inspected; that it wou» the Least be suspected, But it would be Imagined that those Letters were forged by some Malicious Persons, to umlernsine me and f can easily deny them if they shoud come ag"' me as my name is not fixed and I in a great measure contertieted a Dittereut hand from what I naturally write, as I have already mentioned to y G^ to whom I ha\ e under cover Directed them. In oshen;> a plac(4 between Albany and New York; that body haa since been (^uiet by a throat sent them from tlie Mohawks — I also on s'' cover mentioned to y (Ir: the great number of Irish &c» that have been transported from Kn;xland to Vir^rinia and Philadelphia for tho better j)eoplin;> of the King's plantations and also of the Vast number of (lermans, that have been yearly imported from Holland, who are all very poor and are oblidgcd to sell themselves to the Inhabitants to pay their Passage. Most of the above Pooph? are of the true Roman Cfitholick Koligion and I am persuaded they wou'd rather (from principle) chuse to serve my lioyal Master. I also men- tioned to y G^: that most of the hereticks have minded lu) other Religion than that of getting money, i"tc" «S:c" and that I believed they might be hire See note to Xo. 3, supr*. h % A 680 AMERICAN HISTOBICAL ASSOCIATION. copy to one of my offlcens, wliom I can confide in, to be for- warded to any of his friends in Ireland. Endorsed : — A Men Seigneur Monaeigneur Le Due de Mirepoix a Paris NB: the 1'* and 2'* of this date W' were again sent to New York to be forwarded from thence, I have hear, were put aboard the Packet there, Bound to London. ,:« ! I «. "JAMES ALLEN" TO MENKV GAMBLE. Copy Philadelphia March 3'' 1756 s-- Having neglected a conveyance I had from hence to Holland, and asking niy Friend M"^ Eedmond Gunnynfi^ham, if He Knew of any other Vessel for Europe, he informed me that there was one Lying ready at New York bound to Newry, and said, He would take Care to forward the Enclosed for me, But Master Gamble (who without Flattery is a pretty promising youth) desired me to send it to your care, assuring me, it would not be delayed with you, so I have made free to trouble you with it, requesting you would have it sent, P first oppy and I shall send it to New York to have it put aboard s'^ Yessell — . as this Letter to the Duke contains chiefly a complaint made for In- juries suffered by the french you'll greatly oblige the parties concerned, and it shall be acknowledged by, Y"^ unknown Hb'" Serv* James Allen Directed To M"" Henry Gamble at Londonderry Via New York. Endorsed ; — Copy of a Ijetter from James Allen to M* Henry Gamble Philadelphia March 3'' ITilG The Original of this Letter was given to the Earl of Loudoun. BHWiMi INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 631 6. "FILIUS GALLICS." TO THE DUKE DE MIREl'OIX. Copy America March 19*'' 1756 May it please your Grace, I ask your Grace's Pardon for troubling your Grace ajjain vrbeu I said 1 wou'd not, but cannot omit ac(iuaintinjj your Gr: that I have disclosed in a great Measure what I have wrote to Your Grace to ten of my Oflicera who I know I could confide in, and We have all f oleninly sworn to each other (in case my Kequest to your Grace be granted) not to sheath the Sword 'till all the Country to the Westward and Sonth ward be the Property of His Most Christian Majesty. And as we are all sensible in an Enterprise of this Nature that We must either vanquisli or perish in the attempt. We are i)repared to meet whatever Fate may attend us in behalf of our King and Country — these Ofticers assure me that most of the Men they have listed are of the true lioman Catholick Religion and do not in the least doubt but that they'll very easily i)revail with them to join them, but we shan't dare to trust them till We hear from your Gr: I wou'd still further reijuest the favour of yr : Gr : , to cause to be sent immediately to The proper Passes from his most Christian Majesty for Liberty to pass thro any of his Dominions either by Sea or Laiul for Persons and Ves- sells, I shall have Occasion to employ, there may be r»lank8 left for their Names. 1 shall soon be in want of them. I wou'd observe to yr: Gr: that the Armies of Shirley and Johnson will not be made up to the Number I at first men- tioned nor near so soon ready, these generals are obliged to give large Bounties to the Men they now enlist — the New Eng- land Troops viz, w' '' last year only for a twelve month being sent home during the Winter Season will by no Means be pre- vailed upon to return and serve again this year, and many of their men have deserted since they've been in Quarters and altlio' the Winter has been Exceeding moderate in these i)arts, there has been scarce nothing done towards the Expeditions to be carried on by said generals this year — they liave but lately began to enlist men to compleat their compliment, and raize them very slowly. The Difterences between the Different Governments there still subsist; and even in each City there are Parties against each other — 1 mention this again to let yr: Gr: see the delitoriness &c of the English here, and cou'd wish the Canadians were made sensible of it, the Governments T I* i t' ia IV h 682 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. I! I I .11 : here to the Westward (notwithstanding the Defeat of Brad- dock last year, and Major Washington the year afore, and the Invasions on their Frontiers at present) seem to be much the same employed \7ith the other Governments in scribbling one against another and often publickly in their Gazettes, but I don't find that any of their scandalous Disputes were inserted. They are so busied with each other that they leave every thing now with regard to the Army — they have highly applauded the Secrecy and Dispatch in which I ha»e acted, for no men- tion is scarce made of my enlisting men — and the Printers have been strictly forbid to insert any thing about it in their Papers, least the French might hear of it, as the above men- tioned defeats were chiefly owing to Intelligences the French had got, and must acquaint yr : Gr : that those Defeats are the cause in a great Measure of their exerting themselves jhus at this time. TheQuakers of Philadelphia &cchearfully contribute towards my raising men to free them and country from invasions of the french and Indians but will not, notwithstanding all the Calamities they have already suffered from the War be pre- vailed upon to have a proper Militia A ct pretending it's against their Religion to bear arms (tho' the other Citizens have asso- ciated and formed a compleat Regiment) how easily is a coun- try conquered when the People are thus infatuated, and while their Heads and Rulers Keep thus divided — there are some in the armies of Shirley and tlohnson in my Interest, who are pri- vately causing discontents among the soldiers— I have com- plained to the Philadelphia Assembly of Shirley and Dunbar &c having their recruiting OflBcers in Pensylvania to enlist their Men; at a time when we want them so much for the frontiers to the Westward &c\ Since my last Letter to yr : Gr : most of the ablebodied Acadians, which have been transported from Nova Scotia and dispersed thro' out these Oolonies have flocked to me, and enlisted under me, and this is approved of by the (governors, Oh! Blindness and Stupidity of the English to Imagine such men will fight their Battles who wou'd rather chuse to cut their Throats, but their confidence in me makes them thus careless at this time. My Officers to the Southward and here have enlisted 1800 Germans and Irish &c besides since my last, and now only lack about 2200 which I shall soon get — W' a fair opportunity has his Majesty at this Time to gain whatever he pleasea in America, mv"^ if neglected will iWflM INTERCEPTED i-ETTERS, 1756. 683 be too late for ine to intiuence the Soldiery, as I sliall now be able to do, and it will never hereafter be in my Power to offer thus again, as I shall be obliged to destroy those Countries and People whose assistance wou'd otherwise be of great Service, and those Indians which are now so hearty in his Majesty's cause must Join me for their own safety, for my Orders are to carry fire and Sword as far as I can go for which purpose I have cliosen men (not such as IJraddock brought over to be frigbt- tened and put in Confusion by the yellowing and hooping of the Indians) and must acquaint yr: Gr: that Shirley's and John- son's Armies have also picked men, for altho' the English are jangling together (which considerably delays and Injures their Expeditions) they wou'd seem as if they were determined now to do their utmost endeavours to drive the ffrench (if possible) oat of America, that they may no more be under their Invasion and must say that were they heartily united they wou'd be considerably an Overmatch for the ffrench they are much more numerous, and have the best Countries, and much Wealth among them — I have at this Time considerable to communicate to y"^ Gr: if I shou'd be assured of what I requested, but I'll content with what I have already intimated to y Gr : in hopes of being better able to do it hereafter — and now can thus far rest satisfied to my conscience that I have in part discharged my duty and affection to my King and Country and my Engagements at Canada and now assure y^ Gr: that these shall be my last Letters that yr: Gr: shall receive from me without your Grace's Commands, I woud observe to yr: Gr: that my last Letters to yi-: Gr: were dated the 1"' March, tho' they were writ the 20*'' ffebs" for a peculiar Reason to myself, they were again immediately sent to New York (where I had heard were Vessells lyin^x ready to sail for Europe) under cover to Messrs Joshua Vaneck in London and John Neufville jit Amsterdam and were put aboard the packet boat w'*' sailed the next for London, but these is written this Day, my first Letters sent last .lan'^y to y*^ Gr- were also under cover to said Mess: Vaneck and de Neufville, and were put aboard the Nightingale Man of War, but did not with that Dispatch my last Letters did, for said Man of War lay waiting about 3 weeks for a Wind which is uncommon at that T''.ne of the year, y^ Gr : will be pleased to observe that the chief of what I wrote is hints of my design upon the English, and to shew the great probability there is, and with how much ease his Majesty may v^ f *■ • V I 684 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. •t;= Mf I I i^ subdue them at tiiis Tiino (which is the only thing needful! at present to write) and to induce your Gr: to cause me to be enabled thereto, 1 have wrote y^Gr: nothing but plain Matters of fact, but must confess I can't so well explain myself this way as verbfitim I inform'd y'. Gr: at first that I was not designed a Scribler, but was bred to the Army, and if my writing is not so elegant and correct as it shou'd be, I trust your Grace's goodness will excuse me, for I dare not yet trust any to copy my Letters: I pray yourG': notwitlistanding the incorrect- ness of them to pay a due regard to what 1 have wrote and said I am With all du*} deference and Eespect to y"" Gr: your Grace's most obed'. Humble Servant Filius Gallicae P. S. I have in my !»' Letters given y Gr : proper directions for me, and have since wrote y' Gr: to whose care I had sent them, and if yr : Gr : will be pleased to direct To M' Pierre Fidell to be left at M"^ Eoemers Coffee House (until asked for) in New York in America it will without fail come to my hand — Endorsed : Intercept \ Letter to the Due de Mirepoix March 19 1756 t. THE E.aiL OF HALIFAX ' TO SIR CHARLES HARDY." Copy] Grosvenor Square March 19, 175G Sir Charles Hardy Bart ) Governor of New York ) Dear Sir This Letter, which I write to you upon a very particular occasion, shall be solely confined to it; and I will not mix any other Matter that may draw your attention from it. ' George Montegiie Duuk (1716-1771) earl of Hiilifnx, afterwards Secretary of State, was from 1748 to i 781, with slight intorruptioiis, President of the Board of Trade and Plan- tations. * Sir Charles Hardy (n71(l-1780;. afterwards admiral, served as governor of New York from Septttmber, 1755, to June, 1757. k If wywi INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 685 The other day M' Fox sent me an intercepted Letter, directed to the Duke of Mirepoix, the contents of which, upon a fiill consideration of them ; appear to uie of a very extraordinary Nature, and oi the utmost Importance. The particulars of the Letter, as the Original will be put into your Hands by Col" Webb, I will not enumerate, nor trouble you with my notion how f'.e Treason may be best discover'd, as I have given my Thoughts thereon in a paper Col. Webb will deliver to you, you and He will make such Improvements upon my proposal for the 13iscovery of the Author of the anonymous Letter, as to your Judg'iments shall appear right and most conducive to His Majesty's Service — But whatever be the method you shall think proper to pursue, I would recommend to you to keep them as secret and entrusted to as few as possible. The character of Teter Joncourt' in many respects seems to agree with the Uescrii)tion which the Author of the Letter gives of himself; But whether that description is a real or fictitious one is doubtful. In many respects Lydius's'^ character agrees with it; in some it differs. But that Difference may be made with Design to to elude Detection. How such a Fellow as Lydius came to be employ'd last year by M' Shirley, is matter of astonishment! What inclines me to think much more seriously of the anony- mous Letter than I otherwise should do, is that almost every Fact mentioned in it is, either in the whole or in great part, true. The only circumstance of it tliat appeared new, was that a large Body of men was to be rais'd ia Pe..insylvania. But upon looking carefully over the Instructions sent by M"^ Shirley to S"^ W'" Johnson, when at Mount Johnson (a copy of which we have lately received from S' William, and which I have likewise given to Col" Webb) I find that particular conflrm'd. It is wonderful however to me that jM" Shirley should have engaged in such a Plan without accpiranting Government at home with it, or with the methods by which he purposes carry- ing it into Execution. The Orders given for the Indians to march to the Ohio, to examine Fort du ( Juesne, to sound the Intentions of the French, and afterwards to return to Pennsylvania, to be join'd by a Body of Forces, are very mysterious, or at least very vague visionary and absurd. l:L 1^ ' j?eter de Junoourt was French interpreter to the (Jovnmmout of New Tork. ' John Henry Iiydius, 8(iu of u ltl;^l'lll('(l iin.stor nt Antwer]). had bm-n iiger.t of !MaBa<^- chusutts at Albany. Shirley niado him a colonel of Indians, much to Sir William iJohn- son's disgust. See post, No. 8. i i; v ' 686 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. lU rl The Promise that their Wives and children shall be pro- tected in a strong Place, Avhen there is none I know of in those parts, but Fort du Quesne, is very strange to me. If Orders have been given to raise Forces in Pennsylvania, you probably know of it, or (be they ever so secret) Gov*^ Mor- ris, I should imagine, must. If not, the state of Things is rotten indeed! Col" Webb supersedes M' Shirley's command, and has it Eight to know, and 1 hope will kno,w every order he has given and the names of every person he has employ'd in Amer- ica in any shape or character whatever. But as M"^ Shirley is at some Distance and these Matters may not be so soon known by a Correspondence with him, I would strongly recommend to Col" Webb and yourself, privately to get every Information you can with regard to every particular Measure taken and person employ'd. You will observe in che Letter that a charge of Treason is laid upon three of His Majesty's Officers. I know none of them, and hope they are innocent. But as the clue is given, you and Col° Webb will soon be able to form a judgement of them. One guilty person apprehended may and probably will discover more. Thus I leave this matter with you, find should be infinitely uneasy if the Conduct of it was entrusted to any other Hands but yours and Col" Webbs. — It may be nothing. — It may be an Artifice to draw a little money from France — It may be fraught with some other wicked Design. — But on the other hand, it may be a matter of the highest consequence to the Wellfare of America, the Safety of His Majestys Subjects, and the Honor and Success of his Arms. I have never conceived the least suspicion of Disloyalty in those whom His Majesty has vested with command, as you will easily perceive by the other Letters Col" Y/ebb has in charge for you. But yet there are circumstances so strange with regard to this whole affair, that I hold it my indispensable Duty to recommend the whole of my observations to your most serious Consideration. But I must strictly enjoin you to look upon this Letter and the whole Transaction it alludes to, as matter of Secrecy between Col" Webb, you and me. I am etc Dunk Halifax. P. S. M"^ Pownall * informs me that one Baron Lak ) Augustin Davis^ (a common Soldier in M'^ Shirley's Eegiment) was lately ' See post, No. 20. *ifohu Pownall w»s Seci-etaiy to the Board of Trade and Plantations. Mamt«%r INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 687 taken up as a Spy. The particulars he relates couceruing him are of an extraordinary nature and well worthy your attention. Endorsed: — Copy of the Earl of Halifax's Letter to S' Charles Hardy, Gov' of New York dated 19 March 1756 §. EXTRACT OF A REPORT Made by the Commi8sion* Colonel Webb w.ih Hent out to take the chief coniumiul from Shirley aud hold it till the arrival of A.berprouibip, ■K^i^MaMMMMI ( 688 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. I have been also honored with two letters from you, and with a Copy of a second lntercei)t letter, and no pains shall be 8i)ared on my part to endeavor to discover the Author, and to brinf? whoever may be concerned to answer as they deserve for so bold and destructive an undertaking, the delay in the Messengers returning in proper time, was owing to my going a Saturday evening to the He of Wight, to take leave of a good old Aunt and some other relations, and the terapestious- ness of the weather a Sunday that, prevented my Servants getting over with the Dispatches, altho' he had a strugle with the winds in the Notinghams long boat for near six hours, this whole day indeed was employed in writing a Copy of the flrst Intercepted Letter, which I have the honor to send by this Messenger, the Smalluess of the writing and closeness of the lines have so strained my eyes, tliat if M' P. F.'s was in my custody, few arguments would be necessary to persuade his dispatch, 1 am with the greatest respect Sir Your most obedient and most humble Servant Daniel Webb. P. S. 1 beg pardon for having omited to acknowledge the receipt of the extract of a letter from Pensylvauia Indorsed : — Portsmouth March 30^'' 175G Colonel Webb E-i 31«t by Mytton I 4t lO. THE EARL OF HALIFAX TO SIR CHARLES HARDY. Duplicate. Grosv"^ Square March the 31«* 1756 Dear Sir Colonel Webb, to whose care I have already committed two Packetts for you, (the last containing matter of the highest importance to His Majesty's Service) not being yet sailed, gives me an opportunity of acknowledging the Keceipt of your Let- ter by M"^ Pownall, and likewise that of the 23'"'^ of February ; for both which I desire you would accept my best thanks. I should not however have troubled you again so soon, but that I hold it requisite to embrace the first occasion of acquainting you with some new determinations of His Majestys Servants on the subject of the anonymous Letters lately intercepted. INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 689 I thiuk I observed in my last to you, that I consi we have it under his own hand, that he loves the whistling of Bullets, and they say he behaved as bravely in Braddocks action, as if he really did.^ From the phraseology of the Let- ters I think it very clear they were not wrote by a frenchman, ' Halifax is here amusing liimself with a boyish expression in one of Wasliington's letters. Horace Walpole scys (Memoirs of George the Second, i,347): "In the express, which Ma,jor Washington iWspatched on his pjeceiliiig little victory (the skirmisli with Junionville) he concluded witli these words, ' I heard the bullets whistle, and, believe nie, there is something charming in the sound.' On hearing of tliis the King said sensibly, 'He would not say so, if he had been nsed to hear many.' However, this Oravo braggart learned to blnsh for his rhodomontade, and, desiring elt) bcinj-- spelt according to the Irish pronuiKuation I am apt to believe the Author of them !»u Irish mat- Mt Townall,' tho' his name shoidd not be mentis -'d on the occasion, gives me reason to imagine that one Croghau is the man, and orders have been accordingly given by the Sec- retary of 8tate for the apprehending him. The Letter however directed to Peter Fidel will be deposited at the New York Cotlee House, and other measures recommended before lollowed. No Suspicion at all attends M' Sliirley, but numy particulars of the last years Transactions are highly disapproved, and I greatly dislilce his present beliaviour in his Province; ibment- ing disputes, promoting ineffectual Enquiries, and counte- nancing a paper-war against your Province are ill-adapted to the Complexion c f tlie Times, and tlie Ueneflt of His Majesty's Service. Orders are given for his return to England as soon as possible, and tlie reason given for it is, that he maybe con- sulted on Several matters relative to the King's Service in America. It gives me great pleasure to hear your Provincti have come to so spirited lie.wlutions; but I am ecpmlly concerned and surprized to find that no steps were taken in 23 days after towards following so good an example in the lour Governm'* of New England. I am happy in the thought of your chief Difficulties being removed by the late Permission given you to wave a part of your Instructions.— That Honour and Happiness may «lttend you in your Governm^ will be the constant and sincere wish of Dear Sir, ^'niost faith full and obedient humble Servant Dunk Halifax To His Excellency Sir Charles Hardy. Endorsed:— The Earl of Halifax's Letter to His Excell'y Sir Cha's Hardy. Gov of New York. Duplicate Dated March the 31" 1756 ' Tliia might be Thomas Powniill, afterwards jjovernorof MasaachusettB, who was in Enghind for a short tinio tliis spring; but it is iiuire ))robably his brother John, secretary to the Board of Trade and Plantations. George Croghan, tlie Indian trader, was, I am assured, not the writer of the letters. INTKUCEPTKl) LETTKRrt, 1756. 11. HENKV FOX TO COL. HANIKL WHHIt. 691 AVhitt'hulI Mar(!l» .{l"' 175(5. (^oloncl Wfbh, Secret, Sir, The Kiiif; has ooimnandcd me to sifjniCy llis IMeasiire to yon, that you shouhl, iiumt'diately upon your iirriviil in North Anieru'a, make the strictest Knqiiiry, in ('oii.jui)ctioii with Sir Charles Iliirdy, into tht Author, or Autliors, of the Two anony- mous Letters, hitely interceptiul from Anunitia, addressed to the Due de JMirepoix, Copies of which have been already i>ut into your Hands; and you will call to your assistance and admit to your Councils, su<:h (lovernours of His Majesty's Trovinces, or such other Persons, as you shall judjje necessary upon this Occasion. It has been surmised here, that M' Georjjfe Croghan, a principal Trader, and employed in Indian affairs, in Pennsylvania, may possibly have been concerned in these Letters; you will, therefore, make i)articular Encjuiry with regard to llim, and if you shall find there is just cause for this suspicion, you will secure Him, and all other suspected Persons, as soon as possible, and you will send all such Pris- oners to England, with the Informations, Examinations, and material I'^vidences against them. I am to desire you to com- municate this Letter, together with those Intercepted Letters, that make the subject of it, to Sir Charles Hardy, acquainting Him, that this is to be considered as an Instruction to Himself. You will be pleased to return to me, by this messenger, the Blank Warrants 1 put into your Hands, before you left Lon- don, and likewise my Letter to (iov Shirley upon this subject, the same being, at present, unnecessary, and indeed improper. I am (Sjc* H. Fox P. S. I send you, under Flying Seal, my Letter to recall Governor Shirley Endorsed:— March 31«^ 175G By Blackmore to 1 My mouth Secret. la. THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE' TO HENRY FOX (EXTRACT). I have sent you, by this night's Post, a very extraordinary Letter, which came in a Merchant Ship to Newry, consigned 'Williaiu Cavendish (1720-1764), dukii of Devonshire, was lord lieiitonnut of Ireland from March, 1755, to November, 1730, wliou lio became First Lord of the Treasury. 692 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. to one M*^ (Gamble at Derry; lie oi)enod it, and theu sent it to me; 1 at first tliought it was a Counterfeit, as t>ie Contents, at the Beifinning, seemed very improbable, but It is so uircum- stantial, and so much knowledge of the Country contained in it, that I imagine It must be genuine; The Letter sign'd Allen, if I'oc observe, you will, find to be the same. Hand Wriciug as the other; and He is thought to be a Vopish Priest. I have intercepted a Letter from Hatzell to Zobell, directed to Meister Josep Muller at M' Brownell Shoemaker in Chequer Lane, Dublin: It it* wrote partly in Fiench, an i i:3me German in it; I have sent it to Dublin to be translateil, and question whether It will be done time enough to send by this Night's Post; as soon as we can get to know His Person, I will take care to have Him seized, and all his Papers. Endorsed: — Extract of a Letter from the Duke of Devonshire to M' Fox Cartou April 10"' 1756 13. HENRY FOX TO THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE. Whitehall April 20*" 1766 Duke of Devonshire Secret. My Lord I received, yesterday, the Hoaor of your Grace's Letter of the 10"» Ins*, together with That to M' Gamble of London- derry, inclosing a very extraordinary one to the Due de Mire- poix from America; and, in order to assist your Grace in your furthr .' Enquiry I have the King's Commands to ac'xuaint you, with V. lat hgis lately passed Here, concernii;^ the same un- knort: Correspondent. A Letter, dated America, the 6<^'' of Jan^, and another, the !•* of March last, having been intercepted Here, were lately brought to me; The Latter was in the same words with that your Grace has now transmitted; and Both these Letters, being of the most dangerous Nature, the King ordered me to give copies of them to Col" Webb, who was then setting out to take the Command of His Majesty's Forces in America, and to suggest to Him the most probable m^ans, that had occurred to the King's Servants Here, for the immediate Dis- covery of the Authors of them : — One Cap* George Croghan, *it^' muma '■ mm> ,i 0' ^m INTERCEI'TEI) LETTERS, 175fl, 6dd un Intripruint', Disutt'ectetl Person, iiud Iiidiim Tra 1756 1«. WILLIAM GAMBLE TO ROBERT uaMBLE. Copy) Dublin April 28»h 1756 D' Cous" Your Father received a Letter from one James Allen of Philadelphia, covering a Lettt^r to be forwarded to the Duke de Mirepoix; To tins Allen He (your Father) is a stranger; but with Him you are well acquainted; therefore I intreat you will take the Bearer hereof to said Allen, that he may transact with him some Business. I shall be very glad to hear soon and often from you, being, D"^ Bob, Your Att'ect' Uncle W" Gamble Directed To M"^ Eobert Gamble at M* Kedm'i Coningham's Merch* in Philadelphia. Endorsed : — Copy of a Letter from M' W" Gamble to M' Kob* Gamble Dublin April 28*'' 1756 The Original of this Letter was given to the Earl of Loudoun. 16. WILLIAM GAMBLE TO REDMOND CONYNGIIAM.i Copy. Dublin April 28t»' 1756 Sr. In a Letter of the 4"' Ourr*, which I received from my Brother Henry Gamble of Londonderry, He sent me Two Let- ' Kedramid Coiiyugliam, esq., of Lottorkeniiy in Irolancl (whoso nephew becair the Loril Chrtiicvllor liaion Phiuket) canio to Pliiladeliihia in 1755. ami was a iiieiiiber of the (\riii of J. M. Nesbit & Co. Ho returuetl to Irelanil in 1767. Panusylvauia Magazine, VI, 18, 19. ■■m-Mir4tt Ji4 INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 695 ters, which he desired I should read, and consider well, as l)088ible.y they may be proper to lay before His Grace the Duke of Devonshire Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; I accordingly ])eru8ed them carefully, and consulted some Gentlemen of Distinction and Judgement about them, and tliey agreed with ine, that they ought to be laid before His Grace, which was accordingly done. One of these Letters is from one James Allen of Philadel- phia, Covering a Letter for the Duke of Mirepoix; which he begs of Him to forward; He acknowledges Himself a stranger to my Brother, but says He is well acquainted with you, and His son (whom he calls a premising youth) and on the recom- mendation of you Two, He has wrote to Him, and committed the care of forwarding the Letter to the Duke de Mirepoix; therefore It's reasonable to think that you and my Nephew (to whom I now write) are acquainted with said Allen; and as It's thought necessary to examine this man closely, in regard to his Inclosure, I now intreat your taking the Bearer hereof to said Allen, that he may be brought before proper people, who may pick from Him things of Consequence to the Country you live in. To a man of your Principles, I need not urge your Readiness to a Discovery of a very evil Intention in this Affair, because I am convinced you will go about it with the greatest alacrity. On this Head, or any other, I shall be glad to hear from you, being. Dear Sr. Your most Obed* Serv*. W™ Gamble Directed To M"^ Eedm'^ Coningliam, Merch' in Philadelphia Endorsed :— Copy of a Letter from M' W" Gamble to M' Hedm'i Coningham Dublin April 28*'' 1756 The Original of this Letter was given to the Earl of Lou- doun. 696 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. It. THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE TO HENRY FOX (EXTRACT). I send you a copy of another Letter from the same Person to the D. de Mirepoix: M^^ Gamble at Deriy opened it, and sent only a Copy; I have wrote for the Original, and desired, that, if any more Letters come. He would send them to me unopened. Endorsed : — Extract of a Letter from the Duke of Devonshire to M'^ Fox Dublin May S'l' 1756 1§. THE EARL OF HALIFAX TO HENRY FOX. Bushey Park* May the 9^^ 1756 Dear Sir I am obliged to you for the sight of the last iT»tercepted Let- ter transmitted to you by his Grace the l''nk^ > Devonshire in his Letter of tlie 3'^ of May, which I this uay received at Bushey; and will trouble you with a few Eemarks I hpve made on it, necessary for My Lord Loudoun's Information, tho' very probably you have already made the same. I think we had so many data in the former Letters, that it wou'd not have been possible for the author to Escape Detec- tion, but in the last there are some very remarkable ones. In the first Place he says he has communicated the Plan of his Treachery to ten of his OflBcers, by which (if true) it ap- pears that he must have the command of a Eegiment at least. He says the said ten Officers assure him that most of the men they have enlisted are Human Oatholicks; upon which I would submit to you whether it woud not be right to « luia- meud to Lord Loudoun to send an officer or two whom ' na trust to Examine into the Character of the men enlist<^d f '^ .¥■ ten Officers under the Author's Command, and to dismiss Lm. I« as are known or strongly suspected to be Papists. He says the Governments to the Westward have highly ap- plauded the Secrecy and Dispatch with which he has enlisted men, it will be easily known whom the Governors to the West- ward have so applauded, and who has been authorised to raise men in their Governments. He tells the Duke of Mirepoix that the Quakers ?n Pensyl- vania have given their consent to his raising men there; by » The Earl of Halifax was ranger of Bu»hey Park from 17^9 to 17i"i. V \ ■ f' INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1159. 697 which the Doubt we were in concerning the Province in which the Gentleman was einploy'd in raising men is cleared up. If he has complained, as he says he has, to the Assembly of Pensylvania of Shirley and Dunbar's officers raising Becruits in that Province, when they are wanted for the Service to the Westward, it will be very easily known who the Gentleman is who has made these Complaints to the Assembly. if he has already raised, as he says he has, 1800 men, Ger- mans and Irish, and expects soon to have 2000 more, he must be of a Character and Authority not to be mistaken. ' If most of the able bodied Acadians as he assures the Duke of Mirepoix, have flo(!ked to him, I submit it to you whether My Lord Loudoun should not be directed to make diligent Enquiry into the matter, and immediately discharge them from his Majesty's Service. And as he likewise says that some in Shirley and Johnson's Army are in his Interest, and are now privately fomenting Discontents among the Soldiers, I would submit to you whether My Lord Loudoun shoud not have an Hint to be in an Extraordinary manner watchful on this Head. I have but one other remark to make, and that is on his say- ing he is order'd to carry Fire and Sword as far as he can ; which, if true, seems to intimate pretty clearly that he is to have the Command of the Expedition. In the Letters you sent me the other Day M"^ Shirley tells you that M"^ Sharpe Governor of Maryland is to Command the Western Expedition. I send you these Eemarks as short as I can because I woud not take up more of your Time than is necessary and am Dear Sir Your Most Faithfull and Obebient Humb' Servant Dunk Halifax Endorsed : — E. of Halifax May 9, 1756 To be sent to Lord Loudoun 19. COLONEL DANIEL WEHB TO HENRY FOX. New York June 17"' 1756 Sir, Having sailed in the Gen^ Wall Packet from Falmouth the IS*'' of April, and having had a passage of eight weeks, I did not arrive h( re till the 7"' iust; but immediately on my arrival 0^ 1 698 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. r forwarded by express, the Dispatches I had the Honour to be charged with for General Siiirley, to Albany, where he has been for about a month, I at the same time informed him of my intentions to proceed thither in Ave or six days, his expect- ing to see me so soon, has probably been the cause I have not yet heard from him, or it may be for want pf opportunity as there is no post established betwixt this place and that, all letters going by the Sloops tbat so frequently pass and repass. 1 should have proceeded according to my first intentions if a ship from Carolina had not assured us of having seen the fleet from Plimouth fifty Leagues from tlie Coast and becalmed, and his intelligence has seemingly proved true, by the arrival yes- terday of Major Genl Abercrombie^ and all the transports excepting one with two Companys of the Highland Reg*, which was seperated in a hard gale ten days ago, another ship with five Companys of that Reg' was seperated at the same time, but she is come into the mouth of the river this morning. The Harriot Packet that took up the Germain Commission and non Commission Officers at Dover, arrived the day before the transports, and were on the point of proceeding to Pensil- vania under the care of Maior Rutherford, when we had an account of Gen' Abercrombies being Anchored at the entrance of this harbour. On my communicating the intercepted letters to Sir Charles Hardy, he was very much surprised, and equally pusied, and is still at a loss what to conclude on the whole, and will give a fuller account by the Packet which he proposes to Dispatch for England a Monday next the 21** instant, than it would be prudent to trust by a common merchant ship, I shall trouble you with a Duplicate by the Packet, in order to have a double chance of y^ receiving it the sooner, this is the first ship for England since my arrival, I have the Honor to be with the greatest esteem. Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant Dan' Webb. M"^ jb'ox Indorsed : — New York June IT*!' 1756 Coll Webb Ri July 26*" ' Aborcromblo wns to take the chief command from Webb and to hold it till the arrival of Loudoun. mm ■IHPH INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 699 itO. THE EARL OF LOUDOUN TO HENRY FOX (EXTRACT). I have not had it in my Power to do anything about the Intercepted Letters ; before I arrived M' Webb had talked that affair over with Sir Charles Hardy, but they could iind nothing from any lights it gave them, nor could 1 on my tirat arrival, but lately 1 Iind from M' Oragou, that there were some People in Pensilvania, who were going off to the French, and some of them were stopt; but this scene lies in Pensilvania, and as some of the People, I am informed were brought before Magis- trates, it must be known both to M' Shirley and (lovornor Morris, so you certainly must have had accounts of it, since I left London. I do not chuse to make a noise till I have further lights, but the moment I can get to Pensilvania, I will endeavour to bring to light, whatever I can come at in this affair. I find Barron Leake &c&c' who was a soldier in Major General Shirley's Kegiraent, was taken up in Jersey, and Papers and Plans found on him, and Commissions, but was discharged, as a Soldier on Furlough in M-^ Shirley's Regiment, he went then back to Pensilvania, and 1 have never been able to learn, whether he went to the Regiment at Oswego, or deserted, but when we come to make an Enquiry, into the affairs of that Regiment, I shall endeavour to find this out." Extract of a letter from the Earl of Loudoun to The Right Hon'*''' Henry Fox. Dated Albany Ocf^ S-i 1756 } ^ 31. THE EARL OF LOUDOUN TO HENRY FOX. New York January 4:*-^ 1757 Sir, I have the honor of your Letter of October 2'', by the Packet, in which you acquaint me, that His Majesty had been pleased, to Order Major General O'Farrell's Reginient, and the twenty four additional Companies from Ireland, to New York. I have prepared Quarters for them here, and in the Villages on Long Island, and in this Neighbourhood. I shall immediately on their Arrival, eorapleat Major General O'Farrell's Regiment, to one thousand Men, and altho' I have reason to Imagine, that the three Regiments in Nova Scotia, ' See postsiript to No. 7, ante. 700 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCtATtON. I \i are very near compleat, if not quite 80, as by tlieir returns to me of the !•* of October, tbey wanted but two hundred and eighty two men to compleat them to the numbers expected ; and one Regiment there Has since that, received one Hundred Men, and a great many Recruits gone to the other Regiments the numbers of which I do not exactly know, but after enquir- ing of Captain Ooterell, who is Secretary to the Province, at present here, for the Recovery of his Health, I shall reserve for those Regiments three hundred men, and shall send them to Halifax as soon as I can with safety; the remainder shall divide among the Troops here, according as I find them, when they arrive. Last night, one of the Transports was off the Land and got a Pilote on board ; as it blew very hard off the I^and, she could not get in; but I do not apprehend any danger; the People in the pilote boat acquaint me, that they told them, they had parted from the Fleet about ten days ago, and that they had two hundred and Fifty soldiers aboard, which was all he could hear. On the first of this month we got Intelligence from a Mer- chant in New York, that a Gentleman at Philadelphia, in the Coffee House, about a fortnight ago enquired if there was a Letter at the Post Office here directed for Pierre Fidel, and on being told there was, said he wished he would forward it to him, as the Gentleman for whom it was directed, is now on the Frontiers, the Merchant did not know the Man, but says, he was dressed like an Officer, and thinks he is a Stranger. This Intelligence came to Sir Charles Hardy, and on Sunday morn- ing I sent off Colonel Stanwix, and the Merchant to point out the Man, with Orders, if he is still there, to secure him and his Papers, and all such Persons as appear, either from examin- ing him, or from his Papers, to be engaged with him. Before the Information arrived, M"^ Webb was going to Phil- adelphia, to take command of the Troops, and to enquire after an Account, I mentioned to you in a former Letter, I had of a number of Men, that had assembled and marched off, to join the Enemy, that they had been pursued and taken ; but I do not find, that any one was ever punished for this, or that it has ever been reported to the Government at home; but M' Webb has been so much out of order, for ten days, that it was not in his Power, to undertake the journey. I hope Colonel Stan «f ix may be there this night, tho' the snow is very deep, ..'A. ■*- Wm^mm ■ggggup^ Ks:: ?1 INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756, 701 all over the Country, which makes Travelling very tedious at X)resent. On the 5*'' at night, the Transport I mentioned above, arrived here; she proves to be the Baltimore; Colonel Rolls is on board, by whom I am informed, the;^ *ailed from Cork Novem- ber 6"-, and parted with the Fleet on the 18"', in a hard Gale of Wind, before they reached the Western Islands; they have in her, one hundred and Seventy Eight Soldiers, and acquaints me, that the whole amount to Seventeen hundred. They have taken in their Voiage, the S' Vincent, of Bourdeaux, and retook the Muscovy belonging to London, coming from Jamaica, and bound to London. I shall mention nothing of the drafts, till I see them, and when Colonel Prevost arrives, who has the different returns of them, from their llegiment, I shall send you a propper return of their numbers, and what they are. As I must set out on Saturday Morning for Boston I shall only add, that I am most impatient to know, how the General plan I proposed for next Campaign is approved of, because, according to the p!an that is to be execmted, the preparations must be made, and will be extremely different for different Flans. I have the honor to be, with the greatest Bespect. Sir, Your Most Obedient and Most Humble Servant Loudoun The Eight Hon"!*" Henry Fox Endorsed:— New York, Jan^ 4'" 1767 Earl of Loudoun RFebyll*" 93. TFi EARL OP LOUDOUN TO HENRY FOX (EXTRACT). "Last night, I had a Letter from Colonel Stanwix, dated Philadelphia, January 10"', by which I find, the Person he went in search of, had nc J then appeared; that he was still in Search after him, privately : " Extract of a letter from the Earl of Loudon to the Bight Hon"* Henry Fox Dated Boston Jan^ 25'" 1757. if 702 AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. \l I 93. THE EARL OP LOUDOUN TO HENKY FOX (EXTRACT). " When I was .it Pensilvania, I found the French Neutrals there, had been very mutinous, and had threatened to leave the Women and Children, and go over and join the Freneh in the back Country. They sent me a Memorial in French setting forth their Grievances; I returned it, and said 1 could receive no Memorial from the Kings Subjects but in English, on which they had a general Meeting, at which they determined, they would give no Memorial but in French, and as I am informed, they come to this resolution, from looking on themselves entirely as French Subjects. Captain Cottcrcll, who is Secretary for the Province of iNova Scotia, and is in this Country for the recovery of his Health, found among those Neutrals, one who had been a Spie of Colo- nel Cornwallis,' and afterwards of Governor Lawrence,'' who he tells me had behaved well, both in giving accounts of what those People were doing, and in bringing them Intelligence of the Situation and Strength of th*) French Forts, and in partic- ular of Beausejour: by this man I learnt, that there were five principal leading men among them, who stir up all the disturb- ance tliese People make in Pensilvania, and who persuade them to go and join the Enemy, and who prevent them from Submitting to anj-^ regulation made in the Country, and to allow their Children to be put out to work. On finding this to be the case, I thought it necessary for me, to prevent as far as I possibly could, such a Junction to the Enemy; On which I secured those Ave ringleAders, and put them on board Captain Falkinghams Ship, the Sutherland, in order to his carrying them to England, to be disposed of as His Majestys Servants shall think proi)er- but I must inform you, that if they are turned loose, they will directly return, and continue to raise all the disturbance in their Power; there- fore it appears to me, that the Safest way of keeping them, would be to Employ them as Sailors on board Ships of War." "In a former Letter I acquainted you of the Intelligence we had received, Of a Person at Philadelphia, enquiring for the Letter directed to Pierre Fidel, and the steps taken to discover and apprehend him ; that miscarried, and we could never dis- ' Edward Cornwallis (1713-1776), afterwards general (brother of tlie archbishop and uncle of tlio famous marquis), was governor of Kova Scotia from 1749 to 1762. * Col. Charles Lawrence governed Kova Scotia from 1753 to 1760. P7 ^ INTERCEPTED LETTERS, 1756. 703 cover, who the Person was that made the enquiry, or what is become of him. By the Indian Intelligence, from Sir William Johnson en- closed, you will see, that there are reports, of the People at the German Flatts negotiating with the French; Tliey are there at a great distance, and still more disobedient to Government, than those that live nearer; but as yet we have not been able, to fix on any of them with (iertainty: Ensign Wendel, who is named tliere, came to me a few days before this Intelligence arrived, and threw up his half pay, rather than run the risk of being employed again as an officer: On this Intelligence, I sent immediately and secured him and his Papers, and was in hopes by him, both to have discovered what there was in that correspondence, and likewise to have got some lights, into the affairs mentioned in the intercepted Letters. When he arrived, Sir Charles Hardy, Major General Aber- cromby and i, searched his Papers, but nothing appeared. I then acquainted him, of our having discover'd his correspond- ence last Summer with the enemy, from the German Flatts; and likewise of his Correspondence and Engagements the year before. He immediately acquainted us with the Letter he writ, which was to a Cousin of his. Ensign Schuyler, who was taken Pris- oner at Oswego, telling him, that all his friends were well, and employed building a Fort; told us of the Indian he gave it to, who was going to Canada from the Indians, which agrees with the Information; Said he was sorry if that gave offense; That he writ the Letter at the Table, in the Place where he Messed with several other Officers of the Regiment there.— As this seem'd to be an Imprudence, arising from Ignorance, and noth ing further appearing against him, we have dismissed him." Extracts from a letter from the Earl of Loudoun to the Right J joQbie William Pitt Dated New York, April 25t»' 1757.