Lord
Dunmore to Col. Andrew Lewis.
July 12, 1774
From Documentary History of Dunmore's War, edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites and Louise Phelps Kellogg (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1905), p. 86-87
SIR - I have Just now receiv'd yours of the 5th Inst. and am Sorry to find there is so great a probability of your being engaged in a war with the Indians; especially as you are not I doubt so well provided for it as I could wish. All I can now say is to repeat what I have before said which is to advise you by no means to wait any longer for them to Attack you, but to raise all the Men you think willing & Able, & go down immediately to the mouth of the great Kanhaway & there build a Fort, and if you think you have forse enough (that are willing to follow you) to proceed derectly to their Towns & if possible destroy their Towns & Magazines and distress them in every other way that is possible. and if you can keep a Communication open between you, Wheeling Fort, & Fort Dunmore I am well persuaded you will prevent them from crossing the Ohio any more & Consequently from Giving any further Uneasiness to the Inhabitants on the Waters of the Ohio. I am now so far on my way up to the blue Ridge from whence there is alrea[dy] march'd a large body of Men to Join you, thinking you would be ere this at the Mouth of the Great Kanhaway. and I shall immediately on my going up see if more men fit for that Service are to be hand [and] send them down, if I should think it Necessary. I make no doubt that Colo. Preston will do all in his power to Assist you & I flatter myself that from your Joint efforts you will be able to give a pritty good Act. of them & wishing you all Success I am
Sir your most Obt. & very Hbl. Servt
DUNMORE.
ROSEGILL July 12th 1774