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 1 2 3 
 
 1 
 
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 6 
 
]( 
 
 Geographical^ Hijlorkal^ 
 Political, Philofophical and Mechanical 
 
 ESSAYS. 
 
 Number 11. containing 
 
 - i- 
 
 A 
 
 L E 
 
 T E R, 
 
 Reprefenting the Impropriety of fending Forces to Virginia : 
 The Importance of taking Frontenac -y 
 And that the Prefervation of Ofwego was owing to 
 General Shirley % proceeding thither. 
 
 
 Containing Objedions to thofe Parts of £iw/j's General Map and Analyfis, 
 which relate to the French Title to the Country, on the North- Weft 
 Side of St. Laurence River, between Fort Frontenac and Montreal^ &c. 
 
 Pubiiflied in the New-Tork Mercury, N^* 178. Jan. 5, 1756. 
 
 tr:'^'-'t-^' 
 
 WITH AN 
 
 A N S WE R 
 
 To fo much thereof as concerns the Public : 
 
 And the feveral Articles fet in a juft Light : 
 
 By LEWIS E FA N S. 
 
 ->'if '-f ' ' ""^ ' '■■' ' ' ^ . -^ ^ - ' - U-- 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for R. and J. D o d s l e y in Pall-mall. 
 
 MDCCLVI. 
 
93B38: 
 

 
 .a 
 
 LETTER 
 
 Publilhed in the New-Tork Mercury, January 5, 1756. 
 
 Mr. Gaine, 
 
 The following Letter from a Gentleman in New-Torkt to his Friend at 
 Philadelphia.^ is upon a Subjedl of fo much Importance, that I beg you'll 
 give it a Place in your Paper. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 /Thank you for the Copy <?/'Evans'j Map of the Middle Britifli Colonies. 
 // fheivs in a veryftriking Point of Lights that the Virginia Solicitations 
 for the Landing of the European Troops in that Colony^ in order from 
 thence to make a Defcent upon Fort Du Quefne, ivere to the lajl Degree abfurd^ 
 abflratlcd from their Fitncfs to ferve the Intereft of a private Company, at the 
 Expence of the fVelfare of the Public. Had General Braddock'j Anny fuc- 
 cecded in that Enterprize, it ivould, in my humble Opinion, have been a ufelefs 
 and untenable Acquifition -, and therefore nothing could be more fortunate, than 
 that Part of the Scheme for dividing the Troops, and General ShirleyV pro- 
 ceeding to Ofwego, by which Means that Garrifon has been preferved from fall- 
 ing into the Hands of our Enemies ; vjhich but for hisfingular Precaution, would 
 ■have been it's inevitable Fate. If we can maintain the Command of the Lake 
 Ontario, the Forts at Prelque Ifle, Riviere Bcuf, and that at Du Quefne, 
 with all the other Encroachments on the Ohio, mufi neceffarily fall, becaufe the 
 only remaining Rout from Canada, thro* the Outawais-River, the Lakes Huron 
 and Erie, will be attended with infuperable Difficulties. But if the French are 
 permitted to pafs thro' the Lake Ontario, and to continue their Forts at La 
 Gallette, Frontenac and Niagara, // will be impoffible to preferve the Country, 
 or the Fidelity of the Five Nations, or to defend the Frontiers of our South- 
 wefiern Colonies. This appears evident from all the Maps of the back Country -, 
 and if one may argue from the Fejfels which General Shirley built laft Summer 
 upon the Lake, the IVorks erefied at Ofwego, and theflrong Garrifon left there 
 this Winter, doubtlefs he confiders the Poffeffion of the Lands on both Sides of 
 that Lake, and the compleat Command of it, as the grand Objeil which he ought 
 to have in View. But nothing to Purpcfc can be done, without the Redu^ion 
 <?/ Frontenac, which commands the Entrance from Canada, and is diflant about 
 1 80 Miles from Montreal. Confidering the Matter in this Light, I was ex- 
 tremely furprifed to find the Author of the Map you fent me, endeavouring to 
 cbjiru^ the Attempt upon Frontenac, by putting in a Claim to it, on the Behalf 
 
 A 2 of 
 
i/ A Letter puhlijfoed in the New-York Mercury, January 5, 1756. 
 
 cf his mcjl Chriftian Majefty. For, be/ules the Colouring in the Map, the Ju- 
 tbor in a Pamphlet, or Anahfis, which accompanies it, tells us, that " the 
 " t'rencli being in Poffcjjion of Fort Frontcnac, at the Peace of Ryfwick, 
 " wbich they attained during their War with the Confederates, gives them an 
 " undoubted Title to the Acqui/ition of the North-wejl Hide of St. Lawrence 
 *' River, from thence to their Settlement at Montreal. But the Confederates 
 " flill preferi'cd their Right to the other Side, fully to Lake St. Francis, 
 " leaving the Refl to Montreal as a Boundary.'* 
 
 '7 his Pamphlet is inlitlcd. Geographical, Ilijhrical, and Political FJfaySf 
 fv'c. and doubtlcfs //'^_Frcnch King is much obliged to the Author, for this I'ta- 
 foiKible Specimen of his Politics. For thoufanda -who obfcrve this Pajfage m his 
 Anahfis, may take the DoElrine for an incontefiable Truth, and thro* an Indo- 
 lence., common to mcJl Men,fpare themfelves the Tr ubie of examining the Treaty 
 of Ryiwick, which would give the Inquirer as indifferent an Opinion of Mr. 
 I'vans'i Talent at Reafoning, as ice ought to have of this his Political 
 Tenet. . /// that the Treaty contain.-, that can be thought to be in the leaji 
 J^Xree applicable to the Matter noiv under Confideration, is in the With Article, 
 '.vhich is in thefe Words, " That the mcft Chriftian King fhall refiore to the 
 " King of Great-Britain, all Countries, Jflands, Forts, and Colonies, where- 
 " foever fituated, which the Englifli did poffefs before the Declaration cf the 
 *' prefent IVar : And in like Manner the King of Great-Britain fhall refiore 
 " to the mojl Chriftian King, all Countries, IJlands, Forts, and Colonies, where- 
 " foever fituated, which the French did poffefs before the faid Declaration of 
 " IVar : And this Reftitution floall he made on both Sides, within the Space cf 
 " fix Months, or fooner, if it can he done." 
 
 Now upon the Sttppojition, that this Treaty has any Relation to the prefent 
 Debate, and admitting, that the French attained the Fort at Frontenac during 
 the War, the moft obvious Conclufion is, that they ought by Virtue of this Treaty, 
 to have reflored it to the Britifh Crown -, and this Confequence appears to me fo 
 natural and r.eceffary, that Mr. Evans, or the Gentleman who fuggefted this 
 1 lint to him, is under the ftrongefl Obligations to his Majefiy, and the Public, 
 to make a Declaration of his Inducements to advance this extraordinary Doctrine, 
 cfpeciatly at fuch a Jundlure as the prefent. Had Mr. EvansV Conclufton been 
 founded upon a long Thread of Argument, all the World would in Charity fup- 
 pife that he had fallen into an Error thro* Inattention % but to publijh a Map, 
 and affcrt in Print, in the mcft pofitive Terms, that the King of France has 
 an undoubted Title to the very Lands, for the regaining of which his Majefiy 
 is now in Arms, end to found that Title upon a folemn Treaty, and yet fupprefs 
 the Publication of the Articles relating to it ; is a Piece of Condu£l, for which 
 I ccnfejs myfelfat a Lofs to account. Certainly it has a mofl mifchievous Ten- 
 dency. The Bulk of .Mankind are weak enough, to repofe an implicit Faith in 
 every Thing ajj'erted in Print ; and few but will take Mr, Evans'j Word that 
 l-Vontenac bi7o\ ■ to thi. French, efpecially as it is fo ftrongly afferted, with a 
 Reference to a Treaty /or Proof, which one would prefume mujl be plain, fimple 
 and exprefs. 
 
 Should 
 
A Letter puhlijhed in the New- York Mercury, January 5, 1756. 
 
 Should his Mtfjejlfs Orders to the General exteud only to the Removal of En- 
 croachments^ without naming them in particular^ no Man can tell how many of 
 his Siibjeifs may refufe to be concerned the next Campaign^ in en Attempt upon 
 Frontenac ; whichy according to this furpriftng Piece of Politics, would be 
 unauthoritative and illegal^ and of Confequence expofe all who may be concerned 
 in it to Lis Miyefty^s Refentmeut. ITe do not want Men of evil Drjigns, in 
 fome of our Colonies^ at leafly who would doubtlefs gl<uVy improve Mr. Evans'j 
 Mapy to free a French Intercfi \ and it is well hmi-.'n^ that net long fmcc a 
 very refpctlable Bcdyt unacqud, t:d with his Majejifs Rights in America, cr 
 iiifucnced by falfe Geographical Reprefentations^ jcemcd in Anfwer to a Mfffage 
 Jrotn one of our Governors, to doubt the Equity of our Claim to the very Lands 
 on the Ohio, which even iVIr. Evans himlc-lf has included in the Province of 
 Penfylvania. Other Confequences equally prejudicial to the Britifli Intercfi, may 
 attend the Difpcrfion of this Chart, and it's n.cre inifcLiez'ous AnalyfiSy in FurojiC. 
 l^he intefline Enemies of the Government, and all thofe who are difcffeiled to the 
 prcj'ent glorious and vi^^orous Meafures of the Minijlry, wcidd Kut fail to vicke 
 the worft Ufe of our Author'' s Do Urine, to fiir up the Coals of hi f ant cut m 
 Great-Britain and Ireland \ which the French, after our Example, would 
 doubtlefs urge the Map as exclufive Evidence againji our Right to the Lands en 
 the North-fide of the Iroquois River, which ijfues from the Lake., and falls 
 into St. Lawrence at Montreal. 
 
 V 
 
 
 It is true indeed, the Britifh Title to that Country can be eflablifJjcd by the 
 tnuft irrefragable Arguments, founded on the folemn TJeci/tons of the tzvo Trea- 
 ties of Utrecht and Aix-la-Chapelle ; but this hinders not the malignant Con- 
 fequences I have mentioned, nor dees it weaken the Obligations Mr. Evans lies 
 under y to correB his Error ', for I hope you have Reafons to think it dcferves a 
 Name no worfe : and let me intreat you. Sir, to prefs him to do it with the 
 utmojl Difpatch. Nothing could be more unfeafonable, than the Edition of his 
 Map, in the prefent i>ituation of Affairs. And 1 could wijh the refpe^ive CcL- 
 nies, for the future, would pafs a Law to reftrain thefe Gentlemen, who divert 
 themfelves with fetting Bounds to Provinces and Empires, till their IVorks have 
 flood the Teft of an accurate Examination, by Judges whofe Capacity enables 
 theniy and whofe Office may oblige them to give fuch Kind of Performances the 
 fevered Scrutiny. 7 believe you will agree with me, that this Map of Evans'i 
 affords the Jirongeft y/rgument in favour of fuch a Regulation -, for fhould the 
 difputed Limits receive a Settlement according to that Gentleman's f ige Opinion, 
 and important Difcoveries, thefe Colonies could never be fecured againji the 
 Irruptions of the French, and mujl, in a fbort Procefs of lime, be entirely loji 
 to Great-Britain. 
 
 iJlBec. 1755. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your moft humble Servant, 
 
 A N 
 
( r ) 
 
 £1^2^M3K> 
 
 r*(:;» 
 
 A N 
 
 NSW 
 
 E R 
 
 To fo much of the foregoing LETTER as concerns 
 
 the Public. &c. 
 
 The INTRODUTION. 
 
 A Paper publiihcd in laft Monday's New-York Mercury^ being in a 
 particular Manner diredled to mc, I am obliged, in Juftice to my 
 own Charafter, and for the Satisfadion of the Public, to give 
 Anfwer to fo much thereof, as relates to four Points. 
 
 1. Whether the Virginia Solicitatiom for the landing the European troops 
 in that Colony^ in order from thence to make a Defcent upon Fort Du Quesne, 
 be not to the hfi Degree abfurd \ which the Author aflerts, upon the Autho- 
 rity of my Map \ is true in itfelf,. and agreeable to any Intimation of mine j 
 or not. 
 
 2. Whether//?'^ Prefervation of Ofwcgo was owing to General Shirley's 
 proceeding thither ^ as the Letter Writer aflerts j is true or not. 
 
 3. Whether Frontenac is of the Importance the Author reprefents it i 
 or not. 
 
 4. Whether a Pafiiige in the Analyfis of my General Map, which runs 
 thus : '* The French being in Pofleflion of Fort Frontenac at the Peace of 
 " Ryfwick, which they attained during their War with the Confederates, 
 " gives them an undoubted Title to the Acquifition of the North-Weft 
 
 " Side ot St. Laurence River, from thence to their Settlement at Montreal^ t" t P- '4' 
 is truey as I thought it was, or falje^ as this Author afTerts. 
 
 I muft premife an Apology, that as this Paper was publifhed, when the 
 Author knew I was in New-Tork^ and of courfe mull be deftitute of the 
 Papers and Books, neceflary to carry on a Controverfy fo deeply founded as 
 the latter Article, and the fudden Departure of a Ship now going to England^ 
 to carry the Charges againft me, not admitting me time enough to go or 
 
 fend. 
 
'Hh- .ll'fuiM:)' of /ending Biiinsn Torces to ViROi>fiA, anfwerid. 
 
 Iliul for iliLni to lV:iUuU!phui \ he thought it advifable thui to non-plus me» 
 tor the lake ot ilanmiiig my Credit, and impofingon P..'oplc in England by 
 thtlc fgrcgio s Mifioprcrentations. But tho' I have not been able to bor- 
 row litre- any one public I'aper neceflary in the Difputc, but the Articles of 
 the Peace ot Ryj':ciik\ I hone however my Familiarity with the AHairs of 
 yvhiriciiy atul a lew Notes I had cafiially by mc, will Le fufficicnt to fet the 
 AlVairin a <li.ar L,ig!u. And the Reader is defired to obferve, that this 
 l\ipcr is only thrown out occafiv)nally •, and that the various Rights and I're- 
 tcnliuiis oF liie F.n^liJJj and French to all this Country will be ready for the 
 [\x\\ in a lew Months. But as it would not be proper to intermix with 
 v\!i u To immediately concerns the Public, any Replies to the perfonal Infults 
 thar the Author, from his fuperior Station, throws down uj on me, whxh 
 are worcliy only of Ridicule, I Ihall not fo far gratify him, as to make 
 him the Reply hcdererv(s, left he have the Excufehe wants of having Par- 
 II s formed agmtifl liiji to impede his Dejigns \ and he is with fo much Induf- 
 try endeavouring to make. And as every Reader would not be f nfible of 
 tIcNeceirity I am under of this Publication at this Time, I have prefixt the 
 i'aper which is the Caule of it — And were I to inform him, by whom it is 
 iifhrrcd to the Public, he would imagine the Author would have had fomc- 
 tliitii? elfe to do. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 yln Enquiry into the Propriety of fending Britifh Forces to Virginia; 
 the Confi-quences that have followed the ordering tbofe to Albany 
 that had been fent thither j and will follow^ if not fupplied. 
 
 Tlie Letter 
 VVr:ti'r rerre- 
 fi.':its tllf \b- 
 furtiity of 
 fend in J Forces 
 to I'tr^iriii!. 
 AVhich wants 
 no Relutatiou, 
 
 ^ p. ?3 .'v 2(. 
 hv r-ij^iitia is 
 ilic only near 
 jHafi'u-c to 
 
 O/.'i0. 
 
 I'hc PortJge 
 about -o 
 Allies, 
 
 THE Author of the Letter begins with faying, " That Fvans*s Map 
 " of the Middle ^n'///Z' Colonies (hews in a very flriking Point of 
 " Light, that the ^/>^;«/rt Solici ations for the Landing of the £«rd/f<?« 
 " Troops in that Colony, in order from thence to make a Defcent upon 
 " Fcrt du ^iefne^ were to tlie laft Degree abfurd." Let any Perfon look at 
 the Map, and he will perceive that this wants no Refutation -, becaufe of 
 the Ncarnefs of that Fort to the Sea by that Way, and the vaft Diftance it 
 is by any other -, and none deltitute of Woods, D files, and Indian Enemies. 
 But let him look into the Analyfis, § and he will find that there is but 
 about feventy Miles Land C;irragc between Potomack and the Branches of 
 thr Ohio. This Land Carri.ige begins at a Place, till of late pretty well 
 fettled by the F.ngtifh. Potomacky in all the Way from the Falls to JVills 
 Creeky Spring and Fall, when the Water is high, or to the South Branch 
 in dry Sealbns, at the Head of an infand Navigation, has not in all the 
 
 Way 
 
The Mfurdlty of fending Vkv^n'\%\\ Foucrs to ^'IROJ•Jt^, <in'x\'i\'J. 9 
 
 Way fo many bail Kitis m tlic Mohccb River lias, iVoin W.w, Ar,/v r» 
 /'or/ Iluniir. Thi:. Part wc yet arc in I'oirin'u n ot'i and win* alkr llnil ^^|,j.f, ^^,^ 
 </(jd-'j Defeat, ami tiie Jundion of tlic routed I'arty, wi h the Kei'ervc wi-rc onn- 
 under Col. Dunbar^ of tjjc Carrying-Place to the Wat rs of Of/a-, btin;; Mail ri oi; 
 but 12 or 14 Miles to the Mouth of RcJjlonc Crcek^ from wlicncc to lust 
 Du ^^tefne^ the fine River Manaungabda is 6 or 700 Feet wide, every wIktc 
 gentle and deep enough for Flats, whiih would carry any four Batcc.ux 
 that cm go on the Mohocks River with all their Loading. 
 
 This Author has let us into the Secret, at whofe Inftigations the Poll on 
 Laurel Hill was abdicated, and by that means have given to the Iremb tlie 
 Command of the Carrying-Place to our Rivers, inftcad of prefcrving to our- 
 felves, while we were upon the Spot, the Paflage to Ohio down eafy Streams, 
 by a Choice of two fine Rivers. Let me now enumerate the Confequences 
 that have followed the drawing away from yirxinia the Forces his Majelly 
 hid fent for its Protcftion, and the Recovery of the Lands our Enemies had 
 ufurped there. In the firft Place i the Irencby as they had now nothing 
 to fear on that Side, fent all the Forces they could fo cafily fpare atD« 
 ^efnet H^enango and Prefque {/le^ to improve and defend the Works at 
 Niagara ; which mud: h^ve made that Pod difficult to take, had our Forces 
 on Lake Ontario been ready time enough, and fufficiently provided to at- 
 tack it. adly. Whatever Hopes the tVelinis^ a League of Six powerful 
 Nations *, who till then remained Mafters of the lower Parts of Obio^ 
 and were firmly attached to us, and in open War with the French^ and ob- 
 llru£led their PalTage that Way to D« ^efne, our abandoning the Frontiers 
 of Virginia muft have put them under a Neceflity of fubmitting to the 
 French \ as they were at their Mercy, dcftitute of Arms, deftitute of Am- 
 munition, and pad a PofTibility of obtaining either, sdly. The Sbawanefe 
 till then on Terms of Civility with us, and the Delawares always attached 
 to our Intered, and lately united with the Wiandots^ on feeing themfclvcs 
 at the Mercy of the French^ in their Habiatations on Obio^ and connedtcd 
 with feveral of the Indians bordering on our Settlements, and fomc in the 
 Heart of them, have all deferted our Interefl, which they had not Strength 
 to help, and now commit the mod fhocking Maflacrcs and Wal\e on our 
 Frontiers, all the Way from Carolina to Nevj-Tork^ to prove their Attach- 
 ment to the French their new Allies. By tiiis it appears, that all the Indians 
 from Albany f South-Wefterly to Mt{fi/tppiy are lolt by this Adl in 4 or 5 
 Months Time. And this Author would fain prevent our recovering 
 them by a new Attempt on that Side 1 aiul is making a Point cf Frontcnac, 
 as if that were the fole Key to Ohio. To complete our Ruin on that Sitic, 
 which is inevitable without AfTidance from Enghindy we have but the Cbe- 
 rokees and Chicafaws to lofe. The former are now upon a Defign of going 
 to Obio^ which if they ctTedl, their Lofs is pad Recovery. Let the Incli- 
 nations of the Chicafaws be afterwards ever fo firm to our Nation, Necel- 
 
 ■ • The Weluiis, called by the FrtHch, liinc 
 cnJka'V)t, W>tv:'mghtiis, Pijues and Kiji.hj-.is 
 
 , COr,f\(l of the Jaivightai'.ls, Mi/naKii, Piat:- 
 
 B fity 
 
 atij lij^c fi ce 
 given to tin: 
 Fronch. 
 
 The baJ Con • 
 fequenccj 
 which have 
 followed thf 
 drawing away 
 the Britifh 
 Forces from 
 Virginia. 
 Niagara better 
 fecurcd to the 
 Kncmy. 
 The Weliiiij 
 loll. 
 
 The Shawa- 
 nefe, Dtla- 
 warcsand Wi- 
 andotsgo over 
 to the French. 
 And now ra- 
 vage our Fron- 
 tier* from Ca- 
 rolina to New 
 Yoik. 
 
 The Letter- 
 Writer's Pro- 
 pofal is to 
 prevent the 
 Indiansalrca- 
 dy loll i and 
 to give up 
 tlie Cherokces 
 and Cliica- 
 faws yet re- 
 maining ; 
 wliich if'cf 
 fedtd, I'rnii." 
 
 tCl::lC u ill hi 
 
 of no V'.iliif, 
 as the FiciilIi 
 w.U r.ot Warn 
 that Houtttti 
 Oho. 
 
to 
 
 * p- ?'• 
 
 The French 
 hitherto liave 
 pretty equally 
 ufeJ Miflilippi 
 and St. Liui- 
 rence to go to 
 Ohio. 
 
 St. Laurence 
 obllriiiled 
 with ke: And 
 it's Entrance 
 expofcd to the 
 Englifli Ship- 
 ping. 
 
 3 Indian Na- 
 tions formerly 
 prevented the 
 French iThe 
 Welinis Uib- 
 dued. 2 The 
 Cherokeesvva 
 vering. 3 'I ]ie 
 Chicafaws 
 cannot fl-.nd 
 lorg uuUip- 
 i'ortcJ. 
 
 ^'lie Abfitrdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anf'voered. 
 
 fity mud then compel them to fupport themfelves by the good Fortune of 
 the French. If that happen, which nothing can prevent, but Afllftance oa 
 the Virginia Side from England^ Frontenac, whether in the Hands of the 
 Frcmb or the F.nglifh^ will be of no more Confequcnce than if it were 
 under Water. To explain this to the Reader. 
 
 The immenfe Value of the Country on the Ohio and its Branches has been- 
 explained in the Analyfis.* The French hitherto, for going to that Coun- 
 try, have made pretty equal Ufe of the Miffifippi^ whofe Mouth they are 
 entire Mailers of, and of St. Laurence, whole Navigation is commonly ob- 
 ilructed with Ice five orTix Months in the Year. Adjacent to the Entrance 
 of St. Laurence^ the Englifh are poflefled of Newfoundland and Nova-Scotiay 
 both furnifhed with excellent Harbours, and the latter with a good For- 
 trcfs at HaHfaxy where our Men of War may rendcvouz, refit, refrefh and 
 difpofe of their Prizes, in the Neighbourhood of flourifhing Colonies, where 
 they can be plentifully furnifhed with Provifions and naval Stores, and in 
 fi.ich a Latitude, that the Worm cannot do the Ships in or out of Harbour 
 any Damage. And by that Means, while our Nation remains Mafter at Sea, 
 we can pretty well prevent any numerous Supplies coming that Way to 
 America. Three capital Nations, confiding each of many Tribes, have been 
 hitherto t:.e only Impediment to the French's making the Gulf of Mexico 
 the fole Paflage to Ohio. The Welinis, as already mentioned, have before 
 now their Deftiny determined. The Cherokees are fluftuating ; but how the 
 Chicafaws Hand, I have not heard lately ; if they waver, they are gone for 
 ever. Unpoliflied as our Indians are, they muft know their Intcreft lies in 
 fiding with the Strongeft, and that it is beft coming about while it is yet fair 
 Weather. If they fee we have no Forces to the Southward to I'upport them, 
 in our Friendfhip, that will not be long firft j for they have neither Arms, 
 Cloathing, or Ammunition, but from the Europeans, and cannot do without 
 them ; and \i ive cannot fupply them, they muft have recourfe to the French^ 
 even fuppofing no Violence were ufed. If thefe are loft, there will be fo- 
 eafy, though long a Paflage to Ohio, without one Land-Carriage by the Way, 
 and at all Seafons of the Year, that that by St. Laurence will be for ever 
 abandoned. It cannot be above two Years before that is brought about, if 
 the Southern Colonies are abandoned. 
 
 Tiie Militia 
 cannot be rai- 
 TtJ in the 
 iSo'jthern Co- 
 lonies ; and 
 
 gp. 15. 
 
 It may perhaps be reprefented, that the Militia there may go againft the 
 Enemy, as they do in the Northern Colonies. The Thing is impoflible ; 
 they have for tlie far greater Part fcarce Whites enough to prevent the De- 
 feftion of their Slaves ; and if any confiderable Party fliould happen to be 
 defeated when abroad, it would be fcarce poflible to prevent their total 
 Revolt. The dangerous Confequences of the French's being fufi^ered to re- 
 main on Ohio to the Britifh Intereft ; the NecefTity of fecuring the Country- 
 back of Carolina in Time, and fome of our Miftakes in Indian Affairs, have 
 been pointed out in the Analyfis, f to which I beg leave to refer the Reader. 
 
 Some 
 
X' 
 
 pre. iT.tt'd 
 oji- l:'!cL';.-. 
 
 tliev in\ f c- 
 
 The Ahfuydlty of fending British Forces to V'ircima, a)fu-ci\'(l 
 
 Some may perhaps imagine, that let tlic inland Parts of Ftorida be ever ^"Pr.'^^ '^ 
 fo tree to the French, we have it ftill in our Power, with our i'uperior Mttts, ^j"' ':| ! ' 
 to prevent theirs coming to Moville or New Orleans trom Frame with Sup- i,e ^ 
 pUesofMen, Arms or Provifions. As for Provifions, they Hand in ntcd bv 
 of none i the Settlements on Ohio and its Branches, Junundat and Detroit, ^ro\':iM 
 are now fo many Plantations, and not Garrifons of Soldiers, and capable ^''"^V"?^ 
 with Eafe of fupplying them. As we put them to no Ufe of Arms, or Dc- jnd^Amnni'u 
 ftruftion of Ammunition, what they have already will iail them a long tion they uie 
 
 'I he Rcafon 
 why the I'ri 
 tifhFleetJ can- 
 not cruize in 
 the Gulf of 
 Mexico. 
 
 while. But this fignifies little. It is impoflible for cur Fleet, were we to 
 fit out the utmoft our Nation is capable of, to fecure the Gulph of Mexico at 
 all. There is no Road, Harbour or Town, that can give us any Relief 
 of Provifions or naval Stores, or in the leaft fhelter us in a Storm, or fur- 
 nifli a healthy Landing to refrelli the Men and clean the Ships. Our being 
 deftitute of thefe, no Ships after a Voyage from England can remain on an 
 unhealthy Coaft, a hot Climate, or in a Latitude the moft variable for Calms, g^,| ciima'e 
 Gulls and Storms, without deftroying near all the Seamen by the Hoipital and no Har- 
 or Jail Fever ; and if in their Diftrefles they retire to Jamaica, they cannot "^oxw-- 
 be benefited in the leaft, as we have learnt from fatal E,xperience : If they Jamaica unfit. 
 retire to Virginia, the neareft Place where there is fuHicient Depth of Water Virginia tho' 
 for large Ships, or any other of the Colonies thence Northward, they may neaieil is too 
 indeed relieve themfelves, but at a more fatal Expence to the Nation, of y"^.'^ jj 
 fpreading malignant Fevers to compleat our Misfortunes. Some may fup- ^ \^ \^l^ ^ 
 pofe that the Fleets may firft refrelh in Virginia, and then go and cruize in Time from 
 the Gulf of Mexico. The Paffage from Virginia thither, though the Dif- the Canari'.s; 
 tance is not very great, will take more Time than from the Canaries, the |° ^J'fi'''PP> 
 ilated Winds and the Currents making the Difference. Thus I have re- Virginia. 
 prefented a few of the many fatal Confequences that have already followed The Conclu- 
 the drawing away the Britifh Forces from Virginia ; and pointed out the fic" of 'I'^s 
 few, though fatal ones, that ftill impend and muft follow, if not timely Amcle. 
 prevented. And if thefe follow, what will prevent their making Ufe of 
 the River Potomackf now abandoned by the Britifh Forces, and fecuredonly 
 by one inconfiderable Sconce. And in that Cafe, let me alk this Letter- 
 Writer, what Occafion will the French have for St. Laurence River or 
 Mifjifippit when furniftaed with fo much better and ftiorter Paflage than 
 either ? 
 
 SECT. 11. 
 
 Jhe Difficulties formerly met en the Frontiers of Virginia nciv inoflly removed. 
 
 N Confequence of his former Propofition, the Author takes the Liberty tv ...iix,, i.y 
 
 to condemn the Meafures propoled by his Majefty, of carrying the the Later^ 
 
 Expedition, by the Way of Virginia, diredly to Ohio, by faying t!uit .^^ 'J^j'".^^',"'^, 
 ** Had Iradduk'n Army fucceeded in that Eiuerprize, it would liavc been p^.' ' oJ^'j j^,,! 
 
 B 2 *' a iv.rcd.' 
 
 I 
 
ao. 
 
 Navigation 
 of I'otonip.ck, 
 Nvith Ships to 
 Alcxar.dri-i. 
 Portage 6 M. 
 l-'lats to Soiitii 
 Mour.t^iii and 
 Battoes to 
 South Brajicli, 
 Dinicnfions 
 of Albany 
 Buttocs 
 
 T'&e Ahfurdity of fending British Forces to ViRcrNiA, anfwmi. 
 
 •* a ufelefs and untenable Acquifuion." The Nearnefs of the Country 
 on Ohio to the Sea, that Way, has been aheady mentioned. And fince fo 
 many Reprefentations have been made of the unfurmountable Difficulties 
 that the Army met there, and the fame infinuated in this Letter to pre- 
 vent a frelh Attempt by Virginia, the Reader will not be difpleafed to have 
 that Affair cleared up, and the Rout compared with that to 0/wego from 
 Albany and Skcnsctady. 
 
 Potomack River b capable of bearing the largeft Ships to Alexandria. 
 Goods may be lent thence in Shallops to Rock-Creek on the Maryland Side. 
 Then a Portage of 22 Miles by a found Road, fit for Winter Carriage, 
 may be made to tlie Soiegar Mills, which are above all the lower Falls-. 
 'Ihe Portage on the Virgitiia Side is fit only in dry Weather. The Water 
 tiience to the i:oiith Mountain, is capabl© of inland flat'bottomed Boats that 
 will carry 8 or 10 Ton. There a Rift a Mile and three Quarters long,, 
 though paflablc for fmaller Craft, obftrudls the Paflage for thefc greater 
 ones. If we are obliged here to make a Portage, it muft be on the Vir^ 
 gima Side, near 8 Miles in Length, and muft ferry Shanedore in the Way. 
 But experienced Battoe-Men, with proper Battoes, would find but little 
 Difficulty in going up or down, though the Water is very rapid, and the 
 Channel winding. Battoes, like thofe of the Mobocks River, 25 Feet long, 
 3 Feet 3 Inches broad, and 2 Feet deep, capable of carrying 14 tC. 
 will go from this Place in any Seafon, and with fcarce any Obftruftion, 
 to the Mouth of the South Branch •, and in the Spring over three or four 
 confiderable Rifts to IViirs Creek, and carry Provifions for 100 Men 
 a Week*, and in that Seafon. with much larger Battoes to iht South 
 Branch. 
 
 A Magazine 
 fljoulJ be e- 
 redoJ near 
 I he Soma 
 nrar.cii, or 
 V. ili'i Creek, 
 
 n 
 
 O 
 
 If our Magazine were eftablidied near the M6uth of the South Branch,, 
 and furnillied early in the Spring, when the Water is high, Battoes of 2 
 Ton Burthen might be ufcd. Oats, the Artillery and European Stores, 
 muft be brought from Alexandria. Bread, Flour, Indian Corn, live Cat- 
 tle and Pork, are as cheap and in as great Plenty at ^/7/w»»V/^«Ty, fur- 
 niflicd in the atijaccnt plentiful Country, as any where in y^wmr^/. Though 
 General Braddock came over when no Contrads for Provifions had ever 
 been made tliere, it is well known that no Army in the World could ba. 
 furmihed with better Provifions, or on more reafonable Terras. . 
 
 . jj,^. In t!ic \V:iy from ^hcueHady taOfvego, befides the Difficulties of three 
 
 the \Va" to Carrying-Places, there arc ten times more bad Rifts than from the Falls 
 
 ).MM,o. cf Potomack to the South Branch. But then, before and fince General 
 
 }Jraddoik''j Arrival, the inland Navigation of Potomack had never been made 
 
 ufe of-, for that Reafon the People of Maryland and Virginia, had the 
 
 * Ti<at is ufually allowed to be z Barrels of Beef or. Pork, 4 Barrels of Flour, a Bag or 
 x Bufhcls and a Half of Pcafe 01 I'j.'ian Meal, a Firkin of BuU«r, and 24 Gallons of Rum, 
 
 ifrcijiiiitd on hard SeiviceB. 
 
 European 
 
 V.-orfeV,'.,ter 
 
( 
 
 * 
 
 > 
 ?r 
 
 EC 
 
 Is 
 al 
 
 de 
 
 tie 
 
 or 
 
 lan 
 
 Tie Ahfurdity of fending British Forces to Vircinm, aufwered. i|, 
 
 European Officers thought it praAicable, knew nothing of the Conftrufllon 
 of Battoes or their Management. Between Skene£iady and Ofwego^ where 9' ^'^''^''^y'* 
 the inland Navigation had been cftabliflied and perfeded thirty Years ago, ^''P''"*''"' 
 and daily pradlifed. General Shirlt/ this Summer was fo fenfibleof the Want 
 of experienced Buttoe-Men when he had difcharged fome, and employed 
 others as Rangers; and thinking to employ fome of the Troops in the 
 Battoes, he found himfelf extreamly disappointed. In the Mohocks and 
 Seneca Rivers f.hefe unexperienced Perfons were terrified at Places eafy to 
 thofe accuflomed to Battoes, and thought it lefs Rifk of hanging for De- 
 fcrtion, and leaving the Battoes and Ladings, than of drowning by running 
 down the feveral Rifts and Falls. 
 
 Were Stores and a Train brought again to Alexandria, it would be advife- How tl u Xi- 
 able to get the Flat-Men from Delaware River, and the Batcoe-Men from vigatiouup 
 SiteneSfadyy and the Flats and Battoes provided by the End of March^ or Jo bc'lnnnov- 
 the Middle of April at fartheft, and then there would be no Danger of Want ej. 
 of Water. By Means of Water- Carriage our Magazines might be ii.ir- Advantaj;,ei 
 niflied early, which could not be fo well done by Land, becaufe of the 'licrcof. 
 extreme Badnefs of our Roads at the breaking up of Winter, and the Wcak- 
 nefs of onr Draught-Horfcs at that Seafon. We might thus gain a Month 
 or two in Time, and prefervc our Horfes unfatigued, till there would be 
 Occafion to draw over Land to the Waters of Ohio. And this may be 
 begun fome Time in 7«w, when the Grafs is up, and the Grour d ufually 
 got pretty dry. 
 
 Gen, Erad- 
 dock's Difi'- 
 culties,wlienc« 
 they proceed- 
 ed. 
 
 Roads to be 
 cut. 
 
 Now eftefted. 
 The Carnage* 
 over-loadcn. 
 
 The extream Fatigue that General Braddock met with in this Paflage, 
 was owing to feveral Caufes. The Ground was a great Part uneven, ftony 
 and hilly, and no Road had ever been made for Carriages over it. To 
 make this as they marched, where all the Country is yet covered with 
 Woods, and in Danger of Indian Enemies, was a laborious Undertaking. 
 But this is now effected, and will require but little Trouble to put in Re- 
 pair where damaged. After i.raddock's unhappy Defeat, and the Deftruc- 
 tion of the Train, Ammunition, Stores and Provifions, the Waggons fur- 
 nilhedonly with proper Loadings, Colonel Dunbar ^ in his Retreat, was able 
 to travel good Journies 12 or i -, Miles a Day -, and in the March- out the 
 Train met no Difficulty v which fufficiently prove the Delays were not owing 
 to the Badnefs of the Way, but over- loading the Carriages in going out. 
 
 It could not be expedled the Officers would have forefeen thefc Difficul- The Offi- 
 ties, as they were Strangers from Europe^ unufed to Woods and the Fa- """f^^^*"! 
 tigues of the Ameruan Campaigns, and unacquainted with the Geography ^igan M.-iicbcs ^ 
 of the furrounding Country. I have Reafon to know, that they ufed all 
 the Induftry and Care they could in procuring Glides, Intelligence and 
 Advice. They little imagined the Dangers and Difficulties fo great as 
 they found them, and were at firil too apt to fufped fome prudent Precau- 
 tions they received, to arife from Timidity and Cowardice. This is no'.v ^' " ""^^ 
 no longer a Difficulty, we have a great many able and experienced OtHcers, °' ^rwne, 
 
 whO' 
 
ii 
 
 f4 Tbe JlfufJity offeihVwg British Forces to Virginia, an/werci. 
 
 who are perteftly well acquainted with the Country, and whatever is necef- 
 lary to encounter in a Wood- land March. 
 
 Diflicuhies in TheDifHculties met in getting Waggons and providing Forage we know 
 getti ig Cam- [^qw lo avoid. The Difficulties that arofe from employing an unexpcri- 
 2^cb no ijiigcr g,-j^^.^| Waggon Maftcr are innumerable ; as time fpent in overloading. 
 An uncxperi- drawing forward, carrying back, and unloading the Waggons, fo as to 
 er.c'dWiiv gon have conllimed all the Forage by the time they had well occafion for it ; 
 Mallei- was ^\^(.\y tying up the Horfes afterwards all Night without Provender, which 
 I'upn^fnc die '"'^'■''^'^^'■^ f'"*^ Creatures fo as to be fcarce able to walk with their own Ske- 
 Pats difficult, letons ; his ordering Carriage Horfes to be mixed with thofe ufed to the 
 ' P ^ Draught, which made even common Ground difficult. This has has been 
 need not fall ^o dear a bought Experience, that there is no danger of fpeedily forgetting 
 into again, it. The Difficulties that arofe from this Caufe, which were indeed 
 
 what gave an Opinion of the great Trouble of drawing Carriages over this 
 
 Ground, will on another Attempt be avoided. 
 
 The Pafiages If we (hall ever again be Mafters of Laurel HilU and the Paflage of the 
 *iTiT ^"v^^'^u ^^^ Miles thence to Tougbio-Gani and Monaungahelay we Ihall be but an cafy 
 1 to o^ti u £j^y ^j. j^Q.g Yoyagg down either Stream to Fort D« i^efne \ in the firft, 
 by a rapid Stream winhout Falls ; and by the latter, in a fine gentle Cur- 
 rent, capable in dry Weather of Flats of five or fix Ton Burthen ; and in 
 Freffies even without floating Batteries j for it then rifes 6 or 8 Feet. 
 
 <^iefne 
 Water. 
 
 li abandoned. 
 
 Several Ways To condudl an Enterprize from Laurel Hill towards Fort Du ^eftte, an 
 from Laurel Officer would have his Choice of many Ways by Land or Water. The 
 ti.u to ucio. Neck between the two Rivers is pretty even found Ground, but not fo 
 wide as laid down in my Map, and therefore more eafily defended. 
 
 There is but But from Virginia^ Maryland and Penftlvania Weftward, there is no Part 
 one PafsWeft- that Waggons can crofs the long Chain of Mountains called the Laurel 
 ward, and that//;// jh^t we know of, for fome Scores of Miles, but at the Place where the 
 Union Camp was, and Bradaock s routed Party joined the Referve under 
 Col. Dunbar. The Confideration of this will explain the fatal Confequence 
 of Gen. Shirley's ordering away the Troops, in high Summer, to Albany ; 
 when they had three or four Months, and above a thoufand effedlive Men, 
 to have put that Place in a Pofture of Defence, exclufive of the Lofs of the 
 Indians already mentioned. The Enemy have not yet fecured it ; and we 
 may, if we attempt it this Spring. If we have it, wc have the Gate of 
 Ohio 1 if the French^ they have the Gate to the Sea. In Allufion to the 
 vaft Importance of this Pafs, I called in my Map the Falls of Toughio' 
 Cani, a few Miles to the Northward of it, by the Name of Obiopyle Falls. 
 The Pafs itfelf is mentioned in the Analyfis, p. 23, and 24. If we fecure 
 this Pafs, we may yet attempt Ohio at our Leifure j but never to EfFcdl 
 without it. 
 
 The Import- 
 ance of fecur 
 ingit. 
 
 Suppofing 
 
Tie Ahfurdity offending British Forces to Vircinta, anfzfcn'J, 
 
 »5 
 
 Suppofing the Time and Expence of Carriage from Conegoge Moiitli The Carria- 
 at Williams'^ Ferry, which is the Center of a fine fertile well cultivated ges from Pen- 
 Country, to Fort Du ^efney were compared, with that from SkeneSiady to "^'y*';'^ *"'^ 
 Ofyoego^ we fhould find the former would be done in as little Time, and ohil'"!:hcaper 
 with fir lefs Expence i befides, that if the Quantity of Provifion were than from Ske- 
 confiderable, it could be had with greater Certainty, and brought cheaper neftadytoOf- 
 to Conegoge than to SkeneSlady f. *"^S°' 
 
 Until Braddock's unhappy Defeat, and ftill more unhappy Order of his Little Danger 
 Majefty's Forces from thole Parts, the Dangers of travelling were but in- ^'^°'".,','^^^^')fyj' 
 confiderable. The Aflembly of Pen/ikania had about 70 Labourers, un- ^"^^J^jg^ \^ 
 armed, and without a Guard for the greater Part of the Way, who cut a Laurel Hill 
 Road from Parnels Knob -f to the yllkgcni Mountain 1|, about 90 Miles in tiavdliDg. 
 in Length, moftly through uninhabited Mountains without Obftrudion, t Gg. 
 and did not leave off till they had Advice of that fatal Defeat. All the In- ■'[ i^g^injia„s 
 dians in the Country, except thofe whom the French had brought with are gone to 
 them to Du ^efne^ were in Friendfliip with us. For tho' they haV^e fince tiie Frei.ch 
 enumerated feverai Caufes of Complaint againfl: us, and fome not unjufl: o"^ 0* Necef- 
 ones, they were fuch as a little Care in (kilful Perfons might have "^* 
 redified, and would never have caufed a Breach with us, had not the Nc- 
 ceflity they were thrown under by our deferting them, while in the Power 
 of the French and their Indians, compelled them to follow the Fortune of 
 Che Conquerors. If Fort Du §uefne were taken, the fame Caufe would bring Were we vlc- 
 
 them lorious they 
 would return 
 
 ■\ A Battoe Load is 14 Hund. 2'Qurs. befides the two Men and their Provifions 
 
 To Ofwego. £ 
 
 Two Men's Hire, who are 18 or 20 Days going and returning at 5 /. each 
 Thrir Allowance of Provifions and Rum ' n . 
 
 Hawling at the Long Fall on the Mohock's River, — — 
 
 ■ ■ ■ at tlie great Carrying-Place to Wood Creek — — ~ 
 
 Wear of the Dattoe, which colh 5 /. 15;. and will lafl about 1 Trips— 
 
 10 
 02 
 00 
 01 
 
 00 
 
 i. 
 
 CO 
 CO 
 
 C9 
 07 
 10 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 00 
 
 CO 
 
 to our Irieud- 
 fiiip. 
 
 14 c6 00 
 
 To Du Qucfne. 
 
 Two Men's Hire, their Provifion, Wear of the Battoe, 3 Days from Co- 1 
 negoge to the South Branch ._.__ .1 ■ ) 
 
 Ninety or one hundred Miles Portage in a Waggon to the Mouth of Red- i 
 ftone Creek, 7 Days, at 10/, ■ • m> J ^ 
 
 Returning 6 Days, at 10 s. •• " — — • 03 
 
 Two Boatmen, &c. 3 Days, going to, and returning from Fort Du Quefne 02 
 
 02 02 00 
 
 10 00 
 
 00 
 
 02 
 
 00 
 00 
 
 In all 19 Days 10 14 00 
 
 As the Battoes ufed here in both Rivers, efpecially the latter, might be made much larger 
 than thofe to Ofwego, that Part of the Expence may be much abridg'd. Without that, the 
 Difference in Favour of this Way is 25 per Cent. As the Waggons are fuppofcd here to be 
 loaden with only 14 or 15 Hund. like a Battoe, thtre would be but little Difficulty in the 
 Road, or in performing it in the time propoftd. And if we (hould be obliged to make the 
 Waggon Loads a or 3 Hund. lighter at ftrft, we ftiall then be on a Par with the Carriac,c -.o 
 t)fwego. 
 
 ^ 
 
i€ 
 
 If 
 
 ■i; Ahjurdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfwerei. 
 
 them to our Side again, then the Road to D« ^efne would have far the Ad- 
 vantage of that to Ofwego. The Caniage to Ofwego is improved to the 
 utmolt: The Roads to I)« ^efne new cut and difficult, but with a few 
 Years Ufe will be fo much improved as that the Expcnce of Carriage thi- 
 ther will be lefs by one Quarter. 
 
 The Nearnefs The Neamefs of D« ^efne to three numerous Colonies abounding in 
 to /h" ^'^^^'^ all the Necelfaries and Elegancies of Life, muft be no fmall Advantage in 
 ^>o. an Attemjit that Way. Add to this, the great Number of Planters, which 
 the mod moderate computed at 5000 Families, who were ready to leave 
 Carolina, Virginiay Maryland, Penjilvania., New Jerfy and Conne^icut, and 
 fettle a Colony on Ohio, had General Braddock fucceeded and the Land 
 been granted. Above half the People in lower Circumftances in thefe 
 feveral Colonies, would in two or three Years have flocked thither. It 
 would then have been a Wonder that the French had Power enough in 
 America, or could have fent a Sufficiency from Europe to annoy them. 
 
 ^^\ '° 'j^ ^^^^ ^° ^^"■'"' °"'" ^y^ °" ^'^^ ^^^^'^ ^'^*^' — ^^^ ^^^^""^ *"y ^^^^ expciSl to 
 fettle where this Author points out that an Attempt is to be made ? No, 
 
 no ; Land there is not for Settlers. And without Settlers our Nation is not 
 
 capable of defending large extended Frontiers. 
 
 tnerous 
 lonies. 
 Many ready 
 to fettle at 
 i)hio. 
 
 Difficulties to 
 bt removed 
 l)V his Ma- 
 jcfty; 
 
 A Cliiim of Difficulties might be enumerated, the firft of which General 
 Braddork experienced in near three Weeks waiting for Mr. Shirley at Anna- 
 polis ; by which the Expedition was fo much retarded, that the Enemy 
 had Time to fend Reinforcements of French and Indians, and to improve 
 their Works at Fort Du S>uefne ; to which, in all human Probability, that 
 Gentleman's unhappy Fate was owing. The others were cxaflly of the 
 fame Number as the Appointments made this Summer. If any future 
 Congrelfes are to be held, or Appointments made. Difficulties arifing from 
 ibch Delays can only be removed by his Majefty's removing the Caufe 
 of them. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Tl,e Letter- 
 Writer'a Opi. 
 nion of the 
 Prefervation 
 of Ufwego, 
 to be exaniin- 
 *J into. 
 
 Ihw far General Shirley's CondiiB icas conducive to the Prefervation 
 
 of Ofwego. 
 
 T 
 
 H E Letter-Writer infers, that *' Nothing could be more fortunate 
 than that Part of the Scheme for dividing the Troops, and Ge- 
 " neral Shirley's proceeding to Ofivego, by which Means that Garrifon has 
 " been preferved from falling into tlifi Hands of the Enemies i which, but 
 
 " for 
 
The Ahftirdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfwered. ly 
 
 •• for this fingular Precaution, would have been its inevitable Fate." 
 When the Affair of the Prefcrvation of O/k'^jc is dated, the Reader will 
 be enabled to judge how far General Shirley^ whofe diftinguilhed Clia- 
 rafler and Reputation ftand in no need of fulfe Varniflies, was conducing 
 to it. 
 
 The Scheme for a naval Jrmament at Ojwego^ was firft propofed by the The naval 
 Honourable Thomas Pownall^ to the Congrefs of Commiflloners of the feve- Armament on 
 ral Colonics met at Albany in June 1754 i Copies were fent to England, and ^^^^ Ontario 
 taken by the Commiflloners for the Perufal of their refpedive Govern- J'*^ [.;°P°^''^ 
 ments ; one of which I had a very early Opportunity of feeing. This PownaU. 
 Scheme, by Order from the Miniftry, was to be put in Execution, and 
 by the Refult of the Congrefs at Alexandria^ was committed to the Direc- 
 tion of his Excellency General Shirley. 
 
 His Excellency's Delay to meet at the Congrefs till near three Weeks 
 later than Appointment, was but the firft. The Congrefs was held at 
 Alexandria April 16, 1755 •, the firft Parcel of Workmen did not reach 
 Ofwego till the 27th of Miy, and thofe from Bojlon not till ten Days later, 
 who were to build the bigger Veffels -, whereas, had the Meeting been at 
 Annapolis at the Time appointed, and tolerable Care ufed, all the Work- 
 men might have been at Ofwego before the Beginning of May, und the 
 Veflels fit for faiHng bv the beginning of July at farthest. Though 
 this Year the tempeftuous Weather did not begin till 05lober^ it com- 
 monly does in Auguft. And our Traders at Ofwego know that the Indians 
 who come from the adjacent Parts and upper Lakes, embrace the Advan- 
 tage of the calm State of the Lakes in April, May, June and July. Info- 
 much, that by the End of July the Trade is near all over at Ofzvego, and 
 the far greater Part of the Traders returned, or on their Way to the Set- 
 tlements. But by Delays upon Delays, the Veflels were not ready till near 
 the End of September, though about 22000 1. Sterling was paid in the 
 Spring for carrying on the Enterprize on this Side. Their Decks are made 
 of Hemlock Wood (called Spruce in Pen/ilvania) which is not in the leaft fit 
 for fuch Ufe •, for by the General's Delay to come to Ofwego with the 
 Forces, it was not thought fafc to fend 12 Miles to the Falls to get 
 white Pine, as they had not Soldiers enough to guaid the Workmen fo 
 far off. 
 
 General Shir- 
 ley's Delays 
 to meet Ge- 
 neral Brad- 
 dock, and in 
 other Things; 
 their Confe- 
 quence. 
 
 The VcfTeS 
 inllead of be- 
 ing ready !>/ 
 the End ot" 
 June, 
 
 were notfo 
 till near the 
 End of Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 The Vefiels 
 Decks dttec- 
 tivui and why. 
 
 That the Public may underftand how far the General was concerned in 
 the Prefcrvation of Ofwego, a Ihort Journal of the Affairs there will be of 
 
 Service. In the Begin. 
 
 ning ol bum- 
 
 Captain King, now amongft the happy, who to a perfefl Humanity and King £„;„- 
 Honefty, which were natural to him, had added the Accomplifliments of a manded 100 
 good Officer, commanded a Garrifon of a hundred Men at Ofwego in the ^^^n at Of- 
 Beginning of the Summer. There were no Worlcs then but the old Forr,^|^8o. ^^^^ 
 wJhich mounted 8 four Pounders, and is incapable of Defence by rcafon of pi^cc was dc- 
 
 C its fcncclcfs. 
 
The Danger 
 of Olwego 
 tiicn. 
 
 tS TBt Abfurdity of fending British Forces to ViROiMrA, anfwerei. 
 
 its being commanded by high Ground right acrofs a narrow River which 
 had all the Wood {landing upon it, and not one of our Forces. In ^li's 
 State was the Garrifon when 
 
 May 24, Thirty French Battoes pad by in Sight, 
 — 26, Eleven more. 
 As thefe Battoes commonly contain each 1 5 or 16 Men, we may reafon- 
 ably fuppofe the Forces exceeded fix hundred. But what might have pall 
 by in the Night could not be known. This Force, with a fingle Mortar, 
 would have cafily taken Ofwego had they made the Attempt j but a more 
 Its Safety not interefting Objeft, Ohio, was their Purfuit. Let me aflc this Letter- 
 "'""'^v ?^' Writer,— What Hand had his Excellency General Shirley in the Prefer- 
 ntra. bhiiie/. ^^jj^^ ^f Ofwego at this Time ? That it was now in Danger is paft a 
 Doubt. 
 
 Capt. BroaJ- 
 itreet com- 
 luuiuis 300 
 Men ac Of- 
 wego. 
 
 The French 
 pafs by and 
 could not be 
 }irevented ; 
 and whv. 
 
 The Defefls 
 
 oi our Battoes 
 tho' d.fcovcr- 
 fd in May, 
 > ( r no Reme- 
 *iy was pro- 
 v.ucd. 
 
 une' 
 
 the 
 
 May 27, Capt. Broadjlreety to whofe Conduft the Public is much in- 
 debted, arrived with a Command of two Companies, fomc Swivel-Guns, 
 and the firft Parcel of Workmen. 
 
 May 20, Eleven more French Battoes paft by in Sight : But though our 
 Forces and Workmen exceeded three hundred, we could not venture to attack 
 them, as they were near 4 Miles in the Offing, had large Batteaux wherein 
 the Soldiers could ftand to fire without Danger of over-fetting, whereas 
 ours, intended for fmaller Streams, will not hold above 6 or 7 Men, and 
 •ire fo tickliih, that an inadvertent Motion of one Man will overfet them. 
 Though we were fenfible thus early of the Unfitnefs of our Batteaux for the 
 Lake, and that it was impofTible for them to bear the Weather that would 
 fuit the bigger Veflels to fail with, no Care was taken to provide larger. 
 Nor would it indeed have been practicable at Ofwego for Want of Iron- 
 Work, which could not be provided there, becaufe the whole Ejtpedition 
 refted on one Pair of Bellows. If any Accident had befallen that, all mult 
 have dropt. Smiths they had enough. 
 
 June 7, The Bojion Ship-Carpenters arrived j and now, Workmen and 
 
 SntcSrS;: all"included, they amount to 320. 
 
 The firft F.n- 
 
 ^,!!(h Vciici ^^j^j, ^y^j. qj: Yi^tt Keel and 14 Oars, and mounted 12 Swivels. This is 
 
 on Lake On- . - - ~ . t^ ' 
 
 carlo. 
 
 June 1%, 1755* The firft little Schooner was launched and fitted out. 
 It; was of 40 Feet Keel and 14 Oars, and mo 
 the firft VefTcl the Englijh lud on Lake Oniario. 
 
 ration atfron- 
 tenac. 
 
 An Alarm of a This was the Force at Ofwego. The Forces then prefent were by Order 
 great Prepa- of General Braddcck, and fent up by Governor Delancy, and vidualled at 
 the Expence of the Province of New-Tork. And fortunate it was the Co- 
 lony Provifion was there ; for fo little Precaution was taken in getting the 
 King's Provilions up, that the Forces under General Shirley y when they 
 arrived there, muH have perilhed, had they not fubfittcd upon that laid in 
 tor the Commands under Brcadjlreet and King, 
 
Tbi Ahfurdity of [ending BRXTisri Forces lo Virctnia, pjv-ivmd. 
 
 '9 
 
 In the Beginning of 7«/v, whrn General ^lirliy and his Force? had not 
 reached Neio-Tork in tlic VVay to Ofn-ej^o^ Advice came by the Iiuiians^ that 
 near 5009 Men were gathered at Fort I'rontenac under the Cotnman.l ol a 
 Gentleman of great Diftindtion, with a View to attack Ofwep. Son.e 
 P'orces being afterwards difcovered behind a Point four Miles to the Fafl:- 
 ward of OfwegOy the Schooner was fent out to reconnoitre them. They 
 were unable to determine thcirNumbcr •, for though they difcovered but a 
 few Tents near the Shore, they fufpefted many more might be in the 
 Woods out of Sight, as the Indians affured the Englijh that they amounted 
 to feven hundred Men. Though notliing could exceed the Spirit of Capt. The Danger 
 Broadjlreety the commanding Officer, on this Occafion, or the Alacrity ofof Ofwego 
 the Soldiers and Workmen, which alone faved the Place, if we were truly ^^^ " ^"" 
 in Danger, when the Indian Spies came to view our State, yet that Gen- "^"*'' 
 tleman's Good Senfe mud be convinced, that had the Number of the 
 Enemy amounted to feven hundred, and had fixed themfelves on the 
 oppofitc Hill acrofs the River, where there was nothing to obftru(5t then:, 
 with only a Mortar or two, it would have been impoflible to defend the; 
 old Fort had a Shell or two been thrown into it -, or for a Man to (hew his 
 Head in the Ship-yard without being (hot from behind a Sand-Bank on the 
 further Shore, which the Cannon of the Fort could not command. 
 
 The Attack was expefted about the 1 3th of July. That it was not at- j^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ 
 tacked we all know. Let me again alk this liCtter-Writer v What Hand not owing to 
 had his Excellency General Shirley in the Prefervation of Ofwego at this General bhir- 
 Time, who was, with all his Forces, two or three hundred Miles off ? '^y- 
 We have fince learnt that this was only a Feint of the Enemy. ^^^^^^ * ^'"' 
 
 By the fatal 9th o^July^ General Braddock, after furmounting a thoufand ^"'^^"^l^', 
 Di(ficulties, met his unhappy Fate almoft under the Walls of Fort Dtt JJotJoJ^s ^y*. 
 ^efney when General Sbirl^ had fcarce reached Albany. Were I to ufc pared. 
 Arguments with the Letter- Writer as he is difpofed to do with the Public, 
 I might reprefent the Pa(rage to Albany more difficult than to Fort Bu 
 '<uefney becaufe his Excellency General Shirley was able to go but fo little 
 a Way amongft Friends, when General Braddock had gone (b far amonglt 
 Enemies.. The Difference was in the Men, the Argument will not liold. 
 
 The (irft Part of the wortl.y Colonel Schuykrh Regiment oi New Jeyfey New icr^^ 
 Provincials, arrived at Ofwego the 20th of July., and himfelf with the Re- I'orce airivcii 
 mainder and the Artillery fome few Days after. The Waters began to be *' Ofwego, 
 fo low in the Mohocks River and IVood-Creeky by the Delays in getting the 
 Artillery to SkeneSlady in Time, and the Difficulties in getting them to 
 OfwegOy grew daily greater and greater. 
 
 The General's Arrival at Ofwego^ was the 17th or i8th of Atiguft j and 
 the laft of the Troops and Artillery under Colonel Mercer, the 31ft of the 
 iame Month. 
 
 C 2 Septeftfi'er 
 
to *the /Ibfufiity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfvomd. 
 
 September 18, A Council of War was called, where it was agreed to go 
 to Niagra. And in Confequence of that Refolution, the Ammunition and 
 the little Provifion, ^c. were put on board. i 
 
 26th, The Troops ordered to embark, but countermanded upon account 
 of bad Weather. 
 
 27th, At another Council it was refoivcd not to go to Niagra^ it being 
 too late in the Seafon. And it was agreed that it was neceflfary to employ 
 as many Men as could be fpared from Duty, to work at building a Fort 
 on the Hill on the oppofite Side of the River, Barracks, ^c. for Winter 
 Quarters. 
 
 Here let me afk this Letter- Writcp—— 
 
 1. What was the Reafon that General Shirley vras not at Ofwego fix Weeks- 
 fooner, according to the Time appointed ? 
 
 2. As he was delayed fo long before he came to Ofwego^ why did he 
 delay a full Month longer before it was determined to go on the 
 Expedition ? 
 
 3i When that Refolution was taken, and the Veflcls ready, why was 
 thf re a ftill further Delay of eight Days before the Troops were ordered to 
 imbark ? The very Day before that on which they found out that it was too 
 late in the SeaJbn for an Expedition. 
 
 'lie Com '^^^ Command under Captain Broad/ireet was well fupplied with Provi- 
 
 nund under fions, and they had fome Months Stock in referve when joined by the other 
 fir oadiheet Forccs. Their Store was too inconfidtrable to ferve fo many without fre(h 
 ^ell provided, Supplies, which reduced the Forces afterwards to great Streights. It could 
 !!i!irLy"i" "°^ be expedled that the Supplies could be very regular here, when the 
 Want! Soldiers left to fecure the Carrying-Place at fVood-Creekf were obliged to 
 
 defert it, many of them for want of Food. 
 
 The Englifh 
 naval Arma- 
 ment at Of- 
 
 About the Middle of September all the four Veflels were ready, viz, 
 
 A deck'd Sloop, 8 Guns 4 Ibrs. 30 Swivels. 
 
 A deck'd Schooner, 8 Guns 4 IbrSk 28 Swivels. 
 
 An undeck'd Schooner, 14 Swivels, 14 Oars. 
 
 An undeck'd Schooner, • 12 Swivels, 14 Oars; 
 
 A Feint made 
 
 whicrwa^'im- ''"^^ ^^"^ ^^^ ^^^ in calm Weather, his Excellency prepared 
 
 poffible J and mentioned, as it were in earneft, to attack the Enemy. But alas, 
 
 wiiy. Fleet had not twelve Days Provifion on board, and none to be had within 
 
 2 or 300 Miles of the Place he intended to attack j and what they had was 
 
 not 
 
 With this Armament, and a fufficient Number of fmall Battoes, far too 
 
 as above- 
 the 
 
Tbi Mfurdiiy of finding "Bkmmh Forces to Virginia, anfwered. 24 
 
 not fufficient to carry them to the Sight of the Enemy. Bcfides, 
 they had not left above three Days Provifions with the remaining Gar- 
 rifon at Ofwego. Were the Public to a(k, Was this Feint intended to 
 caufe a Divcrfion to Friends or Enemies ? No doubt the Letter- Writer 
 could let us into this Secret. 
 
 After this, when they had got fome little Provifions, tho' no way A new Feint, 
 fufficient for a Siege in diftant Parts, where there could come no Sup- "*^"*«'* ^n • 
 plies i and the General made the People believe, that they were to fet '**""' 
 out the 26th of September, through Mercy, a Storm arofc, which deter- 
 mined him to unrig, and lay by all Thoughts of attacking the Enemy. 
 Mercy I ferioully elleem it, if the General was in earneft. Had it aroi'e 
 while they were on the Lake, or at a Diftance from OfwegOy great part 
 of the Soldiers had been inevitably drowned, or have periflied with Hunger; 
 And a Favour it was to the General, tt have fo honourable a Rcafon for 
 clofmg the Campaign, and returning to the Settlements. 
 
 In Confequence of this Campaign of the General, the Author exults The Lcttcr- 
 in our Happinefs. " If, fays he, one may argue from the Vejfels, which Writers o^il- 
 ** General Shirley built lad Summer upon the Lake, the Works eretftecl " °" °* '':•-' 
 " at Ofwego, and the ftrong Garrifon left there this Winter, ^c." I have ^^^'^--^^O'^c- 
 already mentioned to whom we are obliged for the Propofal of a naval 
 Armament at Ofwego : and this Hint will explain the Service it was of. 
 
 The Veffels built here, were unrigged and laid up foon after they were '^^^ '^^'"f ^^'' 
 compleated i while a Veflel of the French was cruifing the Lake, and x[je*v|!)|ji5." 
 carrying Supplies to Niagra -, and five others, as the Indians faid, as large 
 as ours, were ready to launch at Frontenac. And moreover, the greatet* 
 Part of the Time they were lit for Service, they were writing on the 
 Imbarkation. 
 
 The IVorks on the Hill, oppofite the old Fort at Ofwego, were not The Fortif.^. 
 compleated when General Shirley came away •, nor were they begun but tions. 
 a little Time before: Whereas h.id his- Excellency's Forces, detained in 
 the Mohocks Country, diflipating as faft aimoft as they were recruited, 
 been there all the Summer, Ofwego might indeed have been well fortified, 
 and proper Accommodations lor the Soldiers provided in Time. 
 
 The Garrifon at Ofwego, I am not able to learn its Number. 600 TheGarrifo.». 
 Men, or therebouts, was the firft Return. : I hear they are fince multi- 
 plied to 1100 without any vifible Means. How the Garrifon is for 
 Provifions, the Public may be anxious : They are already clamorous 
 for their Pay, which was forgotten. We all wifh for its Safety. Pay forgotten. 
 
 The Reader may obferve, that though the Letter- Writer was very The Prcfci va 
 compendious in pointing out, what the Safety oi Ofwego was owing to; [|,as^[^'j|y'^p|^" 
 
 y^ ing to the Dc 
 feat given the French, Sep. 8. by Gen. Johnfon, at Lake Gei'tj^e, 
 
The Abfurdit)' offendirtg British Forces to Viroinia, anfwei'fd. 
 
 yet it nuy not be amifs as I have Hiewn negatively what it was not 
 owing to, juft to point out what it was owing to. 
 
 I'iic PVeigift of t be Confederates is fo confuierablc in the Safety of Ofwego^ 
 that their Neighbourhood prcfcrvcd it all the laft War, when 50 Men 
 aiul one Mortar might have taken it, had they not been on our Side : 
 And to tell the Reader a Matter that ought to be no Secret to the 
 Letter-Writer, the latter prcferved it the former Part of this Summer j 
 not the Precaution of General Shirley's proceeding thither^ but the Caution 
 of the French^ in not violating the Peace with the Confederates, which 
 an Attack upon Ofivego would inevitably have done. 
 
 But when he comes to confider, the Stroke levelled at Major General 
 Johnfont who commanded in Chief over the Jmerican I'orces near Laktf 
 Sacrament i when General 5W(y had not 6 Days Provifions at Ofwego\ ■\- 
 he will perceive it was owing to the happy Defeat, given by our brave 
 Nezv- England- Men^ under that worthy Gentleman, to the French Forces, 
 confiding of Regulars, Canadians and Indians^ under the experienced 
 Baron Diejkau. Had the Iflxie of that Battle been otherwife, the Com- 
 munication with Ofwego had been inevitably cut off : And therefore, 
 confidcring how fliort the Provifions were there at that Time, the 
 Garrifon, without any Attack, mud immediately have fh;fr.ed for 
 thcmfelves, or have ilaid there to cat one another. This was truly 
 faving Ofwego. 
 
 The Letter- 
 Writer's Opi 
 nion of the 
 Confequence 
 ()i Frontenac. 
 
 His Miftake 
 proved from 
 
 Ciiailevoix. 
 
 CHAP. in. 
 
 jin Enquiry into the Advantages and Difadvantages that would 
 arife from the taking of Fort Frontenac. 
 
 TH E Honours reaped by his Excellency this Campaign, are intro- 
 duced by the Letter-Writer, as a Prelude only of what we may 
 expedt in the next. Frontenac is the intended Scene •, for, fays he, 
 " Nothing to Purpofe can be done without the Redudlion of Fort 
 " Frontenac^ which commands the Entrance from Canada. " This may 
 pafs excellently with fome : 'Tis pity but it were true. Father Charle- 
 voixj who had been on the Spot, fays exprefsly, that it does not com- 
 mand the Entrance of the River, becaufe IQands lie againft it, and 
 
 f N. B. When Advice reached Of-wtgo, of this Aflion, the Army was eating the laft 
 Pays Ihort Allowance of 4OZ. of flour, and 2 Oz. of Pork a Man. 
 
 2. any 
 
TBe Ahfurdity offending British Forcis to Virginia, anfuertd. 2 j 
 
 any thing may pafs by on the further fide without its Command. 
 The CaltttCy he fays, entirely covers Canada oti tlut fide. He com- 
 mends this as a proper Situation > and rcjefts the Port of Froutenac^ as 
 of no value to the Security of Canada. Frontenac^ he fays, is a final I 
 League from the Entrance of the River \ its Situation, by rcalun of 
 furrounding Marlhes, unhealthy : Even fome of our People, ialt Sum- 
 n)cr, have gone into the Entrance of the River in Whale-Boats, withouc 
 feeing Fort Frontenac \ fo little has it the Command of the River. Barks 
 Ht for the Navigation of Lake Ontarioy can go to the Calette : And 
 Father Charlevoix fays, that a Vcflel, with a good Wind, may go in 
 two Days from the Gale/ie to Niagra. With Frontenac^ we would U: 
 as much at a Lofs la fecure the Entrance of Lake Ontcrio^ on that fide, 
 as if we had not it •, unlefs we had, at the fame lime, a fuperior 
 Fleet. If we have a fuperior Fleet, we need not be at the Lxpcnce 
 of talcing or keeping it j or of going ftill lower down to the (JaUtU: 
 
 I have jud now heard in Converfatton, that Fort Frontenac is wanted for Icsiinfitnt^tur 
 a Harbour for our Shipping ; becaufe OJwego has not Deptn enough "" t^'ife'i'li 
 for large VelTeis. I have never learnt what Depth there is at Frontenac, ^y^y °'" * *" 
 Nothing more needs be faid againft its Fitnefs tor that Purpofe, than that it 
 is froze up at lead four Months in the Year; is fometimes cxtreamly endan- 
 gered by Ice in the Spring •, and lies on the Enemy's Shore, without any 
 extraordinary natural Situation, where for five or lix Months in the Year, 
 there would not be a Poffibility for us to relieve it, il belicgcd. 
 
 The Straits of Niagra^ below the Falls, is quite placid for fcveral Niagra the bed 
 Miles up from the Lalte, and very deep ; it is fheltered with high ^^'■^""'" '" . 
 Banks, and fcarce ever covered with Ice-, being the moil open pjace ^°' '^'""*" 
 in Winter, of any in thefe Latitudes in America. The Spring Ice is 
 broke to Atoms and thaw'd by the Kalis, as it comes from Lake Eric. 
 And no thick Ice is fcarce ever formed below the Falls. If a Harbour 
 is wanted, there is the bed here of any in America. If our Shipping jy ofi,^^ p^^, 
 lay there, we could not indeed relieve the Place for four or five Months vantages over 
 in the Year ; but then, the Enemy has the fame Obdrudion againd Frontenac. 
 coming to befiege it. At Niagra^ the Shipping can be kept afloat all 
 Winter, which can be done no where elfc in thefe Parts of ylmerica \ 
 which is a great Security againd any bold Attempt to burn them in 
 Harbour. From hence it is obvious, how much more it is our Duty 
 to turn our Arms againd Niagra, if we had Regard to nothing but 
 the Expediency of Things, exclufive of what is his Majedy's Com- 
 mand, than to Frontenac. 
 
 That the Attack, by the Way o^ Cfwego^ was intended lad Summer The I,. Writer: 
 againd Niagra, is known to all the World ; and that it had been !j"'i';''^^"iii"'° 
 refolvcd at the Congrcfs at Alexandria, that General 6'/('/r/o' diould carry ^g^.^^ J jjj!j"^ 
 it into Execution. If wc allow this Letter- Writer to know Mr. Shirley's r^^oM be fur. 
 Sentiments, and to tell the Truth, he has let the World into a drange fher ii.quiii<i 
 
 Secret.'""'' 
 
2+ 
 
 m 
 
 The L. Wrl. 
 tcr's Opinion 
 of l-'roiuenac 
 groundlefs ; 
 and why. 
 'I'lie French 
 inland Power 
 and Towns. 
 Detroit a Co 
 lojiy. 
 
 Detroit. 
 i't. Joltph. 
 
 7/v /Ihfurdily of fenditig British Forces /e Virginia, attf-u-ered. 
 
 Secret. He fays, " I am extreamly furprized to find the Author of 
 " the Map you lent me, endeavouring to obftruft the Attempt upon 
 " FroMtenac, by putting a Claim to it, on behalf of his moft Chriftian 
 " Majelly. " My Map was begun Engraving in November lys^^ and 
 fmilhcd towards the End oi June 1755; the Pamphlet publifhed //«- 
 guft 9th next following. That General i:birlefs Duty to his Majefty, 
 was to attack Niagra, and not Frontenac^ at that Time, is pad a Doubt. 
 1 low he could be warranted to depart fo far from his Dellination and 
 the Public Service, as then to have formed a Defign on Frotitenac, I 
 fhall leave to be enquired into by thofe whofe Duty it is. If he had 
 not formed a Defign on Frontenac, prior to the Publication of my Map 
 and Pamphlet, all the Lett>er- Writer fays, of my endeavouring to ob- 
 ftru<5t that General's Attempt, mull fall of itfelf : For I never could 
 be faid to have obftrufted a Defign before it was defigned : Nor could 
 I be juftily charged with Endeavouring to obftru£ly what I had never 
 heard of The Letter- Writer, to make good the Charge againfl: me, 
 fliould have informed the Public, that He and I had been let into Ge- 
 neral Sbirlefs Secret, which he docs not fay, and I never had. 
 
 Suppofing Frontenac were taken, after fpending another Campaign ; 
 it is not to be expedled, as the Letter- Writer fays, *' That the Forts 
 " at Prefqu' Ifle, Riviere-Beufy and that at Du ^effte, with all the 
 " Encroachments on the Ohio, muft necefiarily fall, " for the Reafons 
 already given. And further, the French have a fine and numerous 
 Colony at Detroit, fettled above 50 Years, in a Country celebra- 
 ted for its Fertility, Beauty, and Conveniency, above any Spot in 
 • America, by thofe who have feen it ; far more capable of fupplying 
 the Garrifons on the Ohio with Provifions, than the inhofpitable Country 
 of Canada ; where they have never yet been able to raife any Quan- 
 tity of Winter-Wheat. Detroit has not yet indeed furnifhed any more 
 with Provifions, than the Garrifons and Trading Houfes thence to the 
 Miffi/ippi, and Ecerfe ; but it is capable of any Quantity, and in as great 
 Perfection as any Place on Earth. The Demand, however, cannot be 
 very great upon it -, for the French have now learnt, from the fatal Ex- 
 perience of the Settlement attempted under Mr. Crozat, to plant Corn 
 where they fettle. And for that Purpofe, have added Planters to every 
 Garrifon, that the Soldiers and they may be a mutual Support to one 
 another. Better Proof need not be given, of the little Want they are 
 in of Provifions on the Ohio, than the many Inroads they and their 
 ■Indians have made into our Settlements. They have not carried off either 
 Corn or Catrle, five for prefcnt Confumption i though often Riding Horfes 
 and Houfliold Goods. 
 
 The Capital of Detroit contains above 200 Houfes, pretty well built ; 
 tuid the Lieutenant Governor is able to fupport a genteel Equipage. St. 
 Jofepb is alfo a fine Colony, abounding in all the Neceffarics of Life ; 
 
 and 
 
The Ahfurdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfwmd. 
 
 and will be glad of an Opportunity of a Market for what they can ^o 
 eafily raife as Provifions. 
 
 Whatever Reader confiders thefe two Places, and the numerous little 
 Plantations that the French have lately fpread Ohio and its Branches with \ 
 and that the common Way, and far the beft from Montreal to Detroit^ 
 is by the Outawas River, fave only in the firft and laft Month of Winter, 
 and of courfe the beft Way from Canada to the Middle of Ohio ; he will 
 fpare me the Trouble of ihewing of what little Confequence being conicnt- 
 with the Mojlery of Frontenac will be. 
 
 What then would the Confequence of taking Fr(?«/^«^f be to the Public ? It 
 would give t\\t French another Year to fecure Ohio., and gain over the Indians 
 that obftrufl their PafiTage hitherto up MHJifippi : and take up all the Forces 
 we have \n America to garrifon it. Which indeed are not fufficient,becaufe all 
 the Forces of Canada can in two Months be brought againft it ; and 3000 
 Men of ours could not be fent in three Months to relieve it in any Seaibn j 
 or a Sufficiency, without a vaft ftanding Army, at any rate. 
 
 »5 
 
 Advantages 
 given thtt 
 French by 
 taking Fron 
 tenac. 
 
 All our For 
 ces are not 
 fufficient to 
 garrifon it. 
 
 Let me take the Liberty to inform the Public, that if we are by our A fuperior 
 fuperior Fleet Matters of Lake Ontario^ according to Mr. Pownall's Pro- ^'^^' P" ^.^''' 
 pofal, and have Ofwego and Niagra, though the French keep Frontenac, we be"l«tterTiian 
 areasfafe, nay, fafer, than if we had it. Having a Place avails us nothing, irontcnacto 
 iinlefs we are able to fupport it. Six or eight 50 Gun Ships would not us- 
 coft us more to maintain on Lake Ontario., than a fuitable Garrifon at 
 Frontenac. With a fuitable naval Armament of much lefs Value, we can 
 prevent the French from Frontenac's doing us any Damage. 
 
 Though we could not raife a Siege of Frontenac, we may without much Ofwego if br- 
 trouble raife that of Ofivego at any Time that the French would be like to fieged may be 
 invert it, even if our naval Armament was inferior to theirs on the Lake. ^^ "'^** 
 If our naval Armament was fuperior to theirs, they could not invert it. 
 
 The fame would be the Prcfervation of Niagra, were it in our PoffefTion : 
 But they could be of no Service in the Prefervation of Frontenac, if in our 
 Hands ; for they have not Craft to take them by Water, and they cannot 
 march thither by Land. 
 
 Some kind Reader may here fuggeft, that were we Mafters of Frontenac, 
 we might proceed ftill further, and drive the French quite out of Canada. 
 It would be a much better Scheme to drive them all into it. The French 
 King is fo fenfible of the Defire of the Canadans to emigrate to the Ohio, 
 that there is in Canada a very fevere Ordinance to forbid the People to leave 
 the Country without Licence. And the People are fo earneft to remove, 
 that when new Colonics are to be eftablifhed there, great Intereft is made to 
 get Pcrmiflion to go. ■ - The Countries of Ohio^ Tiiughfoghrihtie and 
 
 D Skavia- 
 
 The beft 
 Scheme now 
 for America, 
 would be to 
 drive the 
 French into, 
 and not out 
 of Canada, 
 
lli' 
 
 26 ^he Ahfurdity of fending British Forces i9 Virginia, anfwered. 
 
 Skaniaderdde we want, which are our juft Rights, and not the inhofpitable 
 Canada : Thofe Countries, the Flower of the whole Globe, I wilh to fee 
 them drove out of. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 if' 
 
 i 
 
 in 
 
 /In Explanation of the French Title to the Country on the North-ivejf 
 Side of St. Lawrence River, between Fort Frontenac and 
 Montreal. 
 
 The Author's 
 Conduft ex- 
 amined. 
 ^ p. 1 1, &c. 
 
 An Example 
 this of my 
 Care in Ame- 
 rican i^oundi- 
 ries. 
 
 T 
 
 HE candid Reader who is concerned for the Britijb Intereft in 
 America, mulV no doubt be anxious to know, whether the vaft Ex- 
 tent of the mofl: excellent Land reprefented in my Analyfis § to the Pro- 
 perty of the Confederates, and of courfe ours, by the ConcefTion of Frame, 
 in the Treaty of Utrecht, is founded on Authority fufficient to excite Pub- 
 lic Belief, or that I did only divert myfelf, as the Letter-writer fays, with 
 fetting Bounds to Provinces and Empires. To convince the World that I had 
 taken the Degree of Care that an Author, on fo ferious a Point, owes the 
 Public, I Ihall here enter into a Detail of the Authorities, whereon that 
 Part is founded, which is now called in queftion. 
 
 not dcail/ 
 our own 
 
 A Reafijn for I have above explained, how little it is our Intereft to meddle with Fron- 
 not meddling tenac j let me here add one Argument againft meddling with it, if Jiif- 
 ^m'^ T'^ 1'^^^ tice and Public Faith are not clearly in our Favour. Has not the French 
 King been reprefenting to all the Courts oi Europe, that the prefent Dilhir- 
 bances in America have been owing to the ambitious Views and Incroach- 
 ments of his Britannick Majelly ? To be fure he has not yet been able 
 to prove the Infinuation -, but as fure it is, that it would be rendering him 
 great Service to enable him fo to do ; and equal DilVervice to the King of 
 Great Britain, to be thrown under the Odium of ading what we fo much 
 deleft in the French. If we have a juft Right to the Land in queftion, or 
 an exclufive one to the Navigation of Lake Ontario, neither will be the 
 lets for being candidly examined into. But if we have not, it may fave 
 us fome Honour, Men and Money, befides Time to attend to our im- 
 mediate Rights and Intereft. What we acquire, that is juftiy our own 
 during a War, we (hall be able to preferve at an enfuing Treaty ol Peace: 
 What we get that is not our own, mull be retlored to the Enemy. To 
 what Purpofc then can falfe Claims tend, but to endlefs and fruitleis Expe- 
 ilitiuns ? And how can llich fervc the Honour of a Prince, who prides 
 himfelf in being the honefteft Man in Europe ; and \v\\o by a Reign, long. 
 
 happy, and glorious, has convinced all Mankind he is fu 
 
 The 
 
I7>e Ahfurdity of fending '^MTiin Forces to Virginia, anfmmi. 
 
 «7 
 
 The Difcovety of North- River ^ at the Entrance of which now ftands pjfcQ^.gr i- 
 the City of New-Tork^ was by Henry Hudfony an Englijhman in the Service ^ew VofL 
 of the Dutch Eaji- India Company, in 1609. He failed as far up as the 
 Depth of the Water would permit his Sloop to go, which was fomewhere 
 about Albany. This was the firft Intercourfe we had with the Confederates^; \ Firfl Inter- 
 thc Bear Tribe of the Caniingas^ called Maquas^ being then fcated on the ^^^'(^ wth 
 Weft, as the Mohiccons^ a Nation not of the Confederacy, on the Eaft ratef °"''"'°' 
 Side of the North- River towards Albany. The Mohiccons occupied both 
 Sides, from the Knats Kill Mountains to the Sea, under feveral particular 
 Names. 
 
 On Hudfon'% Return to Holland^ fome private Adventurers purchafed the 
 Eajl-India Company's Right, and obtained of the States a Licence for an 
 cxclufive Trade. In 16 10, they began a Commerce with xht Confederates, 
 who were then at War with all the Nations round j and by that Means in- 
 curred the Refcntmentof all the Tribes of Mohiccons. In 161 3, they be- 
 gan a Trading-Houfe at the Place now called Albany, and the following 
 Year put fome Cannon into it. But this they were compelled to abandon 
 in 1618, without any Breach with the Confederates. From this to 1623, 
 when the Weft- India Company obtained ihtir Charter, they traded only at 
 their Ships, without any Fort or Trading-Houfc. Nor did the IFcft-bidia 
 Company attempt any Settlement till 1629. 
 
 From that Time to 1664, there was an uninterrupted Adminiftration, 
 under three fuccelTive Governor Cenerals, by CommifTion of the Weft-India 
 Company of the Chamber oi' Jnifterdam, under the Allegiance of the States 
 General. 
 
 PrivateTr.idf3 
 to Albany. 
 
 A Trading- 
 Houfe at .Al- 
 bany 161 3, 
 abandoned 
 1618. 
 
 Weft-India 
 Company's 
 Charter. 
 Firft Dutcli 
 Settlement ia 
 1629. 
 Thence to 
 1664 a regu- 
 lar Dutch Go- 
 vernment. 
 
 li 
 
 Fort Orange was eftablilhed almoft as early as New Jmfterdam. (The Albany fe- 
 Names that the Dutch called Albany and New-Tork by.) For as the French '^'^'^^ Settle- 
 from Canada had for feveral Years furnilhed the Enemies of the Confederates ^y^^-q^X. 
 with Fire- Arms, the Trade with the Dutch could alone enable them to and Confede- 
 withftand their Enemies. On the other hand, the Dutch had all the other rates how con- 
 Nations round one Time or other at War with them. On thefe Points of nefted. 
 joint Intereft, was an inviolable Friendfhip eftablilhed between the Dutch 
 and the Confederates. But in no Cafe did the Dutch claim Land on ht. 
 Laurence River, or Dominion over the Confederates. 
 
 In 
 
 1 664, an Englifli Squadron, without any Declaration of War, took ]^^^^ ^^x\\t. 
 
 l^ew-Tork and its Dependencies, which extended Weftward to within three Englilh 1664. 
 
 f This Cttifederncy, called by the French lei Iroquois, confifted then of five Nations, and 
 is now of feven. From the Corruption of Marquas, firft prolonged to Mahaquas by Dom. 
 Mtgapoletifii, and contrafted again, we have formed the Name Mohocks, which we give now 
 to the whole Nation of Canitngas. This Confederacy is the fame 95 the Five Cantons nien- 
 tioacd in tlic Treaty of Utrtcht. 
 
 D 2 Dutch 
 
28 
 
 Ithe Jbfurdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfwerei, 
 
 'X. 
 
 I 
 
 i^} 
 
 "Dutch Miles of 'Delaware River •, and on the other Side, ten Englifh Miles 
 to the Eaftward of North-River ^ by Capitulation the i6th of September 
 1664 ||. This Province, which then obtained the Name of New- York, 
 called by the Dutch, while in their Pofleflion, The New Netherlands, 
 Cfonfirmed by ^^g j,y j^g thjrd Article of the Treaty of Breda, July 31, 1667, confirmed 
 Breda 1*667 ^^ '^^ ^H^ifi^^ ^ Surinam was to the Dutch. This Article recites, ' That 
 
 • they fliould each refpecSlively keep whatever Places they had taken by 
 
 * Force of Arms or otherwife, and were in Pofleflion of the 20th of Alay 
 ' foregoing.'* 
 
 French Trea- At the Time that this Treaty was made with the Dutch, another was 
 ty of Breda, executed with the French at the fame Place. By the fecond Article a Gene- 
 ral Peace was efliabliflied. By the fourth, a Freedom of Commerce. And 
 by the twelfth, exprefs Mention is made of the Places that fliould be re- 
 ftored by the French to the Crown of England ; that is, Antegoa and MonS- 
 ferat. And the Englifh promifed to reftore whatever Places they had taken, 
 and the French had been in Pofleflion of, the ift o^ January 1665-!-. This 
 I clleem equivalent to a Treaty of Confirmation ; bccaufe if Places taken 
 arc to be reitored, thofe not loft: are to be implied to be confirmed, or at 
 leafl: it amounts to an Acquiefcence of the other Party. The 1 ft of Ja- 
 nuary 1665, the Englifh had been in Pofleflion of New-Tork near four 
 Months, and had aflTumed to fulfil with the Confederates whatever had been 
 engaged by the Dutch. And the French at the fame Time had two or 
 three confiderable Townfliips on the Souih-eaft Side of St. Laurence River, 
 and as many Sconces between Montreal and Riviere St. Francis. Upon this 
 Point I found my Opinion of the French's extending thereabouts to this Side 
 of St. Laurence. For thofe Parts have never been given to us by any fub- 
 fequent Treaty. But Countries in the adlual Pofleflion of the French have 
 been confirmed to them by the fourth Article of the Treaty of Ryfwick, 
 and the French have had PoflTefllon of thofe Parts above 130 Years. 
 
 c hales I F. ^ fecrct Treaty followed with France in 1670, for the Deftruftion of the 
 ittret i reaty. Dutch, and was put in Execution by a Declaration of War of King Charles 
 II. againft the States, March 27, 1672, while Lewis XIV. invaded the 
 United Provinces with a vaft Army and amazing Progrefs. 
 
 The firil Ef- During this intimate Union of Purpofes between the Crowns of England 
 tcabhOiimiiu of jj^d France, and while the French were in Amity with the Confederates, 
 Fontcnac *' ^ount Frontenac, Governor of Canada in 1672, prevailed with the Confe- 
 
 H All the Dates here are reduced to the New Stile. 
 
 * N. B. There are two Commas ["] prefixed to full Quotations, and one only to Extrafls 
 or Abridgements. 
 
 f 12. « Tlie mod Chriftian King (hall reftore Aniegoa and Montferat .'' " And the King 
 " of Great Britian ihall reciprocally reftore and give up to the moft Chriftian King in the 
 " Form already exprefled, all the Iflands, Countries, Fortrefies and Colonics, in what Part 
 •' of tlie World foever they are fituated, which he was in Pofleflion of before the firft of 
 " January 1669, and wiiich might have been taken from him by the Arms of the King of 
 •' 0>«» Britain before or after the figning of the prefcnt Treaty.'' 
 
 derates 
 
 equivalent to 
 a i reaty of 
 Confirmation. 
 
 French Right 
 to land South- 
 tall of St. 
 Laurence. 
 
The Abfurdity offending British Forces to Virginia, anfuoered. 29 
 
 derates to allow him to build a Trading-Houfe at Cataraqui ; and under 
 that Pretence he built a Fort, to which he gave his own Name irontenac*, 
 Tliis is the Point in queftion. 
 
 The Dutc/jy though reduced to Extremities at home, had abroad a viflo- The Dutch re- 
 rious Fleet under Admiral Evertfey junior, which deftroyed near all the ^^*^ ^^*^- 
 French 2ix\^ Englifh Shipping from Newfoundland tQ Barbadoes\ and in Au- '^'''" 
 
 gu[t 1673 furprized New-Torky and held it without any Capitulation f. 
 The Council ot" War extended Dominion only as far as the Butch had The Extent of 
 formerly claimedt, and for that Purpofe compelled the Magiftrates and Jh^ famlflT 
 Officers within thofe Bounds to 1 wear Allegiance to the StateSy and the lerene formerly," 
 Prince of Orange, 
 
 In Captain Anthony Colveh CommilTion ||, which was given him by the The Dutch 
 Council of War for Governor General, the Dutch Boundaries are very Boundaries in 
 circumftantially defcribed where they bind on the Englijh. But to the n^ffm ^°"^" 
 Northward no Boundary is mentioned. Upon this I found my Opinion 
 that no Boundaries had ever been fettled with the Frenchy as they had been 
 with the Englijh at Hartford in 1650, on the Eaftcrn Side. 
 
 Our unnatural War with the Dutch was determined by the Treaty of New-Yorl: 
 PVeJlminJlcr the 19th of February 1674. By the fixth Article it was con- reftorcd to tlie 
 eluded, ' that whatever Countries, Towns, Forts, Cffc. had been taken on Trfjj'!^ ^f ''^'^ 
 
 * either Side fince the Commencement of the War, fliould be reftored to vvcitinir.ik- 
 
 • the former Lord and Proprietor.' The Country was reftored to the 1674. 
 Englifh in Purfuance of this Treaty, OSlober 31, 1674. 
 
 Though a Peace was concluded with Hollandy Charles II. ftill remained Ch-.rles ir. 
 devoted to Francey and encouraged their Enterprizes. During the Re- iliU in I rer.ch 
 mainder of this Reign the Englifh were extreamly ferviceable to the Confc- '^*«'^*"^*=*- 
 deratesy as they had got again infenfibly engaged in a War with the French^ 
 by intercepting their Enemies as they came to trade at Frontenac. 
 
 Though they have in Europe difputed about Dependency of the Confe- 
 derates on the Crown of Englandy and whether they be Subjedls or not, the 
 fame will not bear difputing in this City i where we know, that they are 
 not lubjed to our Laws i that they have no Magiftrates appointed over 
 them by our King ; that they have no Rcprefentatives in our Aflemblies ; 
 that their own Content is neceflary to engage them in a War on our Side : 
 but that they have the Power of Life and Death, Peace and War, in their 
 Councils, without being accountable to us. Subjedion is what they are 
 unacquainted with, even in their own State, there being no fuch Thing as 
 coercive Power among them. Their Chiefs are fuch only in Virtue of their 
 
 • ColJ(n% riiftory of the Fiait Nations, %io. p. 34. + The Lives of the Dutch Sia-Heroes, 
 byV. D.li. p. 436. and -D«//f/& Records Z, at Mw^rtf/-/*. J /J«/fi Records Z, |1 Jdeni. 
 
 Credit. 
 
 The Indepen- 
 dency of the 
 
 L'onfedernu'j 
 in Regard ;o 
 Kutjcciioi"., 
 
|d the Ahfurdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anjwtred. 
 
 Credit^ and not their Power. They may indeed, with as much or 
 greater Propriety, be faid to be Subjefts to the King of Great Britain 
 as to their own Chiefs, becaufe of their Dependence upon him for 
 Protedlion, efpecially againft the French. 
 
 '1 hey ae un- Their ComieSlioTt with us arifcs from the French^ and moft of their 
 
 d .1 the. Guar- Allies being their and our common Enemy, and meditating their De- 
 
 '^•^"'l!r"ftl'e fl:rin5lion. After the French had, by Infinuation and Conqiieft, made 
 
 stuniadcrade &^^^ Encroachments upon them, they furrendered ^Skaniaderade^ and the 
 
 iu 1701 and Habitations of the Senecas^ CayttgaSy and Onondages \ from Cayakoga 
 
 the Lo'intrks to Ofivego^ to the Englijh : Not, I aflure you, for our own Ufe, but 
 
 o> ciicxas, &r. jQ defend the faid ConfederateSy their Heirs and Succeflbrs for ever. 
 
 '"ndcad*todie"^'''^'"^fo''^ ^'^^ FngHJh may be juftly efteemed their Guardians \ by no 
 
 Eiigliih ; and means their Majlers. * Skaniaderade was furrendered to the E>tglijh the 
 
 for what Uws. ^oth of July 1710, two Years after they had fubmitted FrontcnaA to 
 
 the French \ left the French fliould incroach beyond the Httle I.a]<e at 
 
 Cataraquiy lying between Front enac and Kente. This was confirmed 
 
 September z^y lyiSy when they furrendered the Habitations of the three 
 
 Weltcrn Nations of the Confederates above mentioned. But to return 
 
 to our Narrative. 
 
 \J''. 
 
 N 
 
 
 I 
 
 Fontorac of The French being i|^volved in a War, kept FrontenaCy as a very im- 
 rniportai.ce in portant Place in an aflive War with the Confederates i as being properly 
 v":th theL'on- '"■'■'^^^^ to repciezvous their Forces, when defigned againft them ; and to 
 intercept their Hunters as they returned from * Skaniaderade by the Eaft 
 End of Lake Ontario ; but no way fitted for the Defence of their 
 Frontiers of Canada. 
 
 fcdi;rates. 
 
 The War of 
 tncFrench and 
 Confederates. 
 The Confede- 
 rates abandon- 
 ed by James II 
 by the Treaty 
 of White Hall, 
 i6b6. 
 
 The French 
 
 Navigation 
 
 confirmed. 
 
 This War was at the higheft, in the Reign of James the II. both 
 Sides equally bent upon extirpating the other. This King, to aban- 
 don \ht Confederates to their Deftiny, entered the i6th oi November 1686, 
 at irhite-Hally into a Treaty of good Correfpondence and Neutrality 
 with the French for America. By the ift Article it is agreed, * That a 
 
 * firm Peace, Union and Amity, (hall be between the Britifh and French 
 ' Nations in America. By the 2d, that the Soldiers, or others, of either 
 
 * Side fhall not moleft the other, nor fhall give Afliftance or Supplies 
 
 * of Men or V'idtuals to the barbarous or wild Indians, with whom the 
 
 * moft Chriftian King, or the King of Great Britain fhall have a War.' And 
 by the 4th, " That both Kings Ihall have and retain to themfelves, 
 " all the Dominions, Rights and Pre-eminences in the American Seas, 
 " Roads, and other Waters whatfoever, in as full and ample Man- 
 " ner, as of Right belongs to them \ and in fuch Manner as they 
 ** now poftefs the fame. 
 
 jfrcnch R;ght, It is to be obferved, that the French had at this Time two Barques 
 H°r.""^'"'''^ °" Lake OA'/-^.T;'(y i * and that they have not given up this Right by any 
 ♦ Coldcn, p. O2, compared with pi. 83, 
 
 Treaty 
 
 fr.e. Navigation 
 of L, Ontario. 
 
Th^ Jbfurdity of fending British Forces to Virginia, anfwered. 31 
 
 Treaty fince. But this is no exclufive Right ; for the Confederates re- 
 mained Mailers of all the other Parts of the Lake. In the Year 167 , But not to 
 Mr. La Salle^ in the Service of France, built a Barque above the Falls Erie, Huron, 
 of Niagra, and navigated with her the Lakes of Erie, Huron, and^"'^'^''^'''^^'*"' 
 Michigm\\. The Confederates burnt her in her return, and killed all 
 the Men. By that Means, the French Navigation was prevented 
 there, and from being included in this Article for thofe Lakes. Upon 
 which I conclude, that the French have a Right by Treaty, though 
 not an exclufive one, to the Navigation of Lake Ontario ; none at all The wiide 
 to Lake Erie, becaufe entirely furrounded with the Country of the Con- Navigation of 
 federates -, which is our exclufive Right, as the far greater I'art has t^"[n;'^E|,'"j;iij 
 been furrendered to us, for the Ufes alreaily mentioned, by the Confed>:rates ; 
 and their whole Country, by the 15th Article of the Treaty olfU!recL\ 
 the French acquiefce to be ours ; and is fo, as far as any Claim of tlicus 
 can extend. The Confederates Land extended a great Way on the Lakes i^„j p^^^ ^^ 
 Huron Vind Michigan, the adjacent Navigation mull be ours for the I'uinc Huron and 
 Reafon. But as the other Parts of thcle two latter Lakes arc border- Michigan. 
 cd with Nations whom Commiflloners were to determine, whether be- ' ''f^ '''^ ""' 
 longing to the French or Englijb, which has not been done, the 
 Right to the Navigation of the adjacent Tarts oi thofe Lakes, remains 
 yet to fettle. 
 
 While the Treaty of IVhitehall exiRed between the two Crowns, the 
 Governor of Canada folicited the Confederates to enter into Treaty 
 with him, for accommodating their Differences. This Colonel Djh- 
 gan, Governor of New-2'ork, endeavoured to fruftrate •, by infilling, 
 that it would be more for the Intereft of the Confederates, to treat 
 with the French, as Dependants upon the Crown of England. But 
 King James ordered the Governor to give up the Point -j-t- Therefore 
 whatever Pretence of Dominion the Engliflj might have had over the 
 Confederates, here the King gave it up, for a Time at leaft. 
 
 The Negotiation propofed between the French and Confederates being fruf- 
 trated, the War was renewed with greater Vigour. The Confederates in 
 July 1688 fack'd great Part of the Ifland o^ Montreal; and in 05lober fol- 
 lowing, compleated what they had left before unfiniHied, except tlie 
 Cityt- This obliged the French Garrifon at Frontenac, to dellroy the 
 two Barqu.s they had on Lake Ontario, and abandon the Fort at 
 Cataraqui, by the Governor's Order*. But in their precipitate Fliglit, 
 the Match they had left to blow up the Magazine and one of the 
 Ballions mifild its Effedl. Fifty of the Confederates entered the Fort, 
 where they found 28 Barrels of Powder, and other Stores, which they 
 took away, and left the Fort a little damaged and empty §. 
 
 H Hennapin's Travels, Vol. i, +t Coldcn's Hiflory, p. 85, fColden's Hiftory, p. 88. 
 •Charlevoix, Letter 12, §Colden, p. 88. 
 
 The French 
 propofeiin .'.C- 
 conioiiatio'i 
 with the Con ■ 
 feiier'.t«;s 
 Col. JJoi'gan's 
 rtjvicc. 
 
 King fainr-- li 
 rer.ouni.-C4 L'l-'- 
 minion ovtr 
 the Conl'cdt'- 
 ratcs. 
 
 War renew' d, 
 Montreal 
 lacked. 
 
 The French 
 aliaixloii I'ro"- 
 tcnac, 1 1 S £! . 
 
 TheCor/idf. 
 rates enter it, 
 and alio lcu\ e 
 it, 
 
 The 
 
h 
 
 Krontciiao 
 eiDpty at the 
 Revolution, 
 ami William 
 Aud Mary's 
 War. 
 
 The Freich 
 
 rt'iiill.itethetii 
 I'clvfn ,tt Fron 
 tnic, 1C1S9. 
 
 The Mfurdity offending British Forces to Viroiniaj anfwered. 
 
 Tlie Fort Frontenac was thus abandoned by the French and the IncUans^ 
 when the happy KevoUition took place in England^ in the Winter 1688, 
 and remained fo when Queen King and JVilliam Mary declared War 
 againft France the 17th ot May 1689. 
 
 The Winter foliowhig, on the Removal of M. de NonviUe from the 
 Government of Canada^ and the reinftating the Count Frontenac there -, 
 feme young Gentlemen, and Indian Traders, went to Cataraqui and 
 ellablillied themfelves in the Fort, repairing fome little Damages the 
 Indians had donef. From that Time, the French have continued in 
 "Ihc I'Dumii. Poflcirion of it to this Day. Upon account of this Re-entry by the 
 Vn^^^^of'lL^'^^"'^^ I faid in my Analylis, p. 14, that they attained the Pofjfion of it 
 Author In \!iidtiri>ig thcir JVar with the Confederates. As for the Poflcflion they firft 
 >ira!>ri5. had, by Confent of the Confederates^ for a Trading-Houfe, I have here 
 fhewn how they had loft it. 
 
 The French ''^^ hc French thus reinftated at Fort Frontenac, during their Wars 
 ioininucd in with the Englifl} and the Confederates^ continued fo, when tlie I'reaty 
 Foi'.tflion of of Ryjhvick was concluded between the King of Great Britain and the 
 I e"tron< f. "^'''^ C/v7/?/rt« King, the 20th of September 1697. The 4tli Article 
 wick, 1607. ri^ns thus. "And fince the moft Chrijlian King was never more de- 
 Y\x 4ih Arti. " firous of any thing, than that the Peace be firm and inviolable, the 
 faid King promifes and agrees for himfelf and his Succeflbrs, That 
 he will on no Account whatfoevcr, dillurb the faid King of Great 
 " Britain^ in the free Pofleflion of the Kingdoms, Countries, Lands, 
 " or Dominions wliich he now enjoys ; and therefore engages his Ho- 
 " nour, upon the Faith and Word of a King, that he will not give 
 " or afford any Afliftance, direftly or indireftly, to any Enemy or 
 " Enemies of the faid King of Great Britain : And that he will in 
 " no Manner whatfoever favour the Confpiracies or Plots which any 
 *' Rebels, or ill-difpofed Perfons, may in any Place excite or contrive 
 *' againft the faid King : And for that End promifes and engages. 
 That he will not aflift with Arms, Ships, Ammunition, Provifions, or 
 Money, or in any other Way, by Sea or Land, any Perfon or Per- 
 *' fons, who Ihall hereafter, under any Pretence whatfoever, difturb or 
 " moleft the faid King of Great Britain^ in the free and full Pofleflion 
 " of his Kingdoms, Countries, Lands and Dominions. The King of 
 " Great Britain likewife promifes and engages for himfelf and Succeflfors, 
 " Kings of Great Britain^ That he will inviolably do and perform the 
 *' fame towards the faid moft Chrijlian King, his Kingdoms, Countries, 
 •' Lands and Dominions"*. It was upon this Faith and Honour of 
 King Williamh Promife of not dijlurbing the French King^ in the free Pofef- 
 VtoMenac^&c.^""^ "/ fhe Kingdoms^ Countries^ Lands or Dominions he then enjoyed^ that 
 belonged to / faid in my Analyjis^ The French had an undoubted Title to their Acqui- 
 the frenth. ////cw of the North-weji Side of St. Laurence River^ from Frontenac to 
 
 cic conf.rms 
 the Dominions n 
 tliel'artic's/Afw 
 hild, to the 
 Parties that " 
 held tiiem. <« 
 
 
 Kor which 
 Keafon the 
 Author con 
 tliided that 
 
 wr.o then held 
 it.- 
 
 i Colden'sHifto7, p. 97, and 181 < 
 
 • From the Lor Jon Copy publiilicd by Authority, 1 657. 
 
 Montreal. 
 
Ilfl 
 
 The Abfurdity offending British Forces to Virginia, anfmrtd. 
 
 Montreal. The Trench^ by the Force of this Fort, having obliged tlie 
 Confederates entirely to relinquifli thofe Parts, whatever their Right was 
 there before. 
 
 33 
 
 When Advice arrived in America^ of the Peace being concluded at 
 Ryfwicky the Governors of . 'hTork and Canada immediately ceafed 
 Hoililities : But to bring the Confederates^ though now weary of the 
 War, to be reconciled to the French^ and their numerous Allies^ was 
 not fo eafily effefted. The French wanted to treat with them feparately, 
 and the Englifh to give Peace to the French^ as if the Confederates were 
 Subjedls of England. This Point, after much Conteft, was referred to 
 their Principals at home, and by them to CommilTioners to fettle *. But 
 the Governor of Canada improving this Pretenfion of the Englijh to a Do- 
 minion over the Confederates^ and reprefenting that the Englijh claimed 
 them as Slaves, for they have no other Idea of Subjeulion than Slavery^ ihey 
 fell in with Count Frontenac in 1 699, and concluded a feparate Peace with 
 the French f •, and left Fort Frontenac and the Country thence to Montreal 
 in Poflcfllon of the French, the War between them having been begun 
 before, and continued after the Engliflj w^re engaged in it. 
 
 Advice of the 
 Peace. 
 
 Doubts about 
 the Dependen- 
 cy of the Con- 
 federates, re- 
 ferred to Com- 
 miflioners to 
 fettle in Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 The French 
 and Confede- 
 rates conclude 
 a feparate 
 Peace, 1699. 
 Frontenac is 
 left to the 
 French. 
 
 If the Confederates had granted the Country in queftion to the Englijh The Englifh, 
 before the Fr^wf/6 had fettled it, which I have no Reafon to believe they had, if they had a 
 as they never made a Claim to it, or had Poflemon of it, the Englijh had a t^|faJ' * jfj°^ 
 Right to acquiefce with the French's keeping it, as the Kingdoms, Counfies, RjghJ to con 
 Lands or Dominions, which the mqft Chrijlian King then enjoyed, as men- firm it to the 
 tioned by the fourth Article of the Peace of Ryfwick above quoted. French. 
 
 If the Confederates had not granted the Country to the Englijh before the Otherwife the 
 French had fettled it, the Confederates had undoubtedly a Right to acquiefce Confederates 
 with the French's keeping it by the Treaty they concluded in 1699. 
 
 might confirm 
 it. 
 
 I have thus related the Circumftances which induced me to form the TheConclu- 
 Opinion I publifhed in my Analyfis in Regard to the Right of the Country f,on. 
 lying between Fort Frontenac and Montreal, on the North-weft Side of St. 
 Laurence. I am morally certain of every Circumftance I have related -, if 
 my Conclufions are wrong, I Ihould be glad of feeing the Point fet in a 
 better Light. 
 
 Coldtn'ilM.oxy, p. 196, 197. f Idem p. 199. 
 
 SEC T. 
 
34 ^te Abfurdity offending British Forcu to Viroiwia, «nfwmd, 
 
 SECT. 11. 
 
 •^ 
 
 The Letter. 
 Writer's Kea- 
 foning. 
 
 Quote* the 
 Teventh Ar- 
 ticle of the 
 Treaty of 
 Ryfwick. 
 
 
 Remarks upon the Letter-Writer's Reafoningy 
 
 &c. 
 
 «« 
 
 I Have hitherto confined myfelf to redtifying fotnc of the Letter- Writer'* 
 Reprefcntations of Fa£ls \ and the Reader, I hope, will pardon my 
 fpcnding one or two Paragraphs in difabufing the Public of iome of his 
 Reafoning and Infinuations. He fays that, ** All that the Treaty (of 
 " Ryfwick) contains, that can be thought to be in the leaft Degree appli- 
 " cable to the Matter under Confideration, is the feventh Article, which 
 " is in thefe Words, That the moji Cbrijtian King fljall reftore to the King of 
 ♦' Great Britain, all Countries^ Iflandsy Forts and Colonies ^ wherefoever fttuated^ 
 " which the Englifh did poffefs before the Declaration of this prefent War : 
 *• y^nd in like Manner the King of Great Britain y^^ii// re/lore to the moft Chrif 
 " tian King^ all Countries^ IJlandsy Forts and Colonies^ luherefoever fituated^ 
 which the French did poffefs before the faid Declaration of War \ and this 
 Reftitution Jhall be made on both Sides within the Space of fix Months y or 
 *' fooner if it can be done" How he came to think this Article at all ap- 
 plicable to the Matter under Confideration, u Stranger would be at a Lofs 
 to know. In Anfwer, let it fuffice, that the Public be informed, That 
 the Englifh did not pojfefs the Land in quejltcn before the Declaration of the 
 War determined by the Peace of Ryfwick \ and therefore it could not be 
 included in this Article. So far otherwife, the French did pojfefi it before 
 the Declaration of that War ; and had we taken it, we muft have made a 
 Reftitution of it to them, in Purfuance of the Article the Letter- Writer 
 has quoted. 
 
 As for the Author's Infinuations that fome out of Principle, and fome 
 out of evil Defigns, who wojiJ gladly improve my Map to ferve a French 
 Intereft, may refufe to be concertied the next Campaign in an Attempt 
 upon FrentenaCy a careful Perufal of the foregoing Articles will beft 
 anfwer. 
 
 The Letter- Writer repeats here, what has been confuted over and over 
 in regard to the Aflembly of Penfilyania. " That not long fince ^ very 
 *• rel'pedVable Body, unacquainted with his Majefty's Rights in America, 
 *' or influenced by falfe geographical Reprefcntations, feemed in Anfwer 
 *' to a Meflage of one of our Governors, to doubt the Equity of our 
 " Claim to the very Lands on the Ohioy which even Mr. Evan's himfelf 
 " has included in the Province of Penjihania." The Aflembly never cal- 
 led in queftion his Majefty's Right to any Part of the Ohio: They did 
 indeed doubty whether Fort Du ^efne was in the Province of Penfilvaniay 
 as the Governor infifted it was, and brought fuch Evidence to prove as the 
 Nature of the Subjed would admit. The Place was remote ; later Scrutiny 
 fhews only, that it was but juft within the Borders. The Difpute about that 
 Fort's being in the Colony, was introduced with a View of getting the Af- 
 
 fcmbly 
 
 r 
 
 / 
 
Bi' "tSH FAUCIS /tf Virginia, n».mJ 
 
 \t the R- )vcry of ir. FW 
 ving the 
 
 n 
 
 rlr Cu. nors 
 ijachments, it would li.ve « .liled 
 or out ' che Colo y, c. .1 'tliCr 
 uxiliarit rneJ i * War i -iii- 
 
 ■1 I 
 
 ^b« Ahfurdity ' /- 
 
 fembly to afl as Pnncipa 
 
 been anxious only for rein 
 
 little, whether Fort Du -^te was i 
 
 the Afl*embly a6ted as Principals ot 
 
 felves, or only contributed what they had i i i Power • the Sini^>ort of 
 
 the other Expeditions carried on in his Majcily >Jame in . /va-Scotia^Lake 
 
 George and Virginia. 
 
 The Letter- Writer reprefents, " That the inteftinc Enemies of the Go- The' Letter- 
 ** vernment, and all thofe who are difaffefted to the prefcnt glorious and Writer im- 
 " vigorous Meafures of the Miniftry, would not fail to make the word: pu<e»f^«he 
 «« Ufe of our Author's Dodbine in Great Britain and Ireland." Is the JJJe, ,^6- 
 Letter- Writer no better acquainted with the Meafures propofed by the vet dircaed. 
 Miniftry, than to think his Majefty's Forces were intended to go a Bird- The fame 
 nefting to Canada, while the French are fettling and improving Ohio ? The answered. 
 Miniftry we know have dire£ted the whole Plan of Adion for the Reco- 
 very of Ohio. Braddock fell in the Attempt •, we feel the fatal Lofs : Had 
 he been fuccefsful, the War had been probably over, and wc in Pofleflion 
 of the fineft C<juntry on Earth. The Country is worth ten thoufand At- 
 tempts. Not one who bves the Name of a l^riton. Liberty, or of George, 
 but would rejoice in an Opportunity of another Attempt. Is a Country in- 
 conteftibl yours, capable of maintaining, with moderate Cultivation, fifty 
 Millions of People at a Time, and thofe renewed every Generation, to be 
 thrown away for the fake of taking Front enac ! Madnefs. To let ib many 
 People be the Dependents of Frenchmen, and not of Britons, the Sons ol 
 Slavery and not of Liberty, would be making a Wafte of the moft excel- 
 lent Country that God ever created. 
 
 / 
 
 NfW'TorktJan, lo, 1756. 
 
 Lewis Evans.