Governor Robert Dinwiddie to the Governor James Glen, October 25, 1754
extracted from
The Official Records of Robert Dinwiddie, Volume I, R. A. Brock, editor
(Richmond: Virginia Historical Society, 1883), pages 377-379.
Governor Dinwiddie to Governor James Glen.
Oct'r 25th, 1754.
Sir:
I rec'd both Y'r Let'rs of the 19th Sept'r, with the Report of Y'r Comittee, and am sorry to find You complain of the Style of my Let'r. I have great reason to do so both as the method and Substance of Y'rs. You object greatly to the Treaties of Lancaster and Logstown; the first was long before I came to my Gov't, and is generally esteemed a very proper Treaty, the last was to confirm it, and to have the Consent of the Ind's to build Forts on the Ohio. You and Your Committee think I ought to have represented the Injuries done by the Fr., to the Gov'r of Canada, w'ch is quite contrary to my Instruct's from Home, being Com'd to send to the Com'd't of the Fr. Forces in the very Manner I have done, and as such an Answer, to take the Steps I followed. I am sorry You or Y'r Comittee doubts His M'y's Right to the Lands on the Ohio. In his Com'ds to me, he assertains his Right to those Lands and orders Forts to be built, and [for me] to resist any foreign Power that shall presume to settle them. The Acc't you have, and depend on, from John Shaw, tho' swore to, is certainly false, and I suppose he is a Deserter and ought to be put in Prison and returned here. Y'r Observat's attending the late unlucky Action at the Meadows is ungenerous. My orders were not to engage the Enemy till the Forces were joined, but they were taken on Surprize, and the other Forces were very dillatory, otherways, they might have joined them before the Action; we c'd not march the whole Body together for want of convenient Carriages for the Provisions, w'ch was the reason of marching in Detachm'ts. As to our Militia (tho' not near the No. You mention) [they] cannot be comanded to march over the Allegany Mount's, by an Act of Assembly now subsisting. The Fort Mr. Washington went to, is on Buffalo Creek, that runs into the Ohio, and on His M'y's Land, if You will read the Treaty of Ulrich, w'ch confirms it, as it is on the Land of the Six Nat's or Iroquois [and] ceded to us by Treaty. The Complaints made me of the French's unjust Treatment of our People were not confirmed before Mr. W. left this [place] on that Message, wherefore, I c'd not be particular thereon in my Letter, but desired him to inquire into it when he came to the Ohio, and if true, to represent the same to the Com'd'r of the Fr. Forces, w'ch he did, but Y'r Committee does not think proper to take any Notice thereof. It is beyond my Power or Instruct's to contest His M'y's Titles to these Lands with the Gov'r of Canada, or do I think such Powers will ever be vested in any Gov'r. It's sufficient for me, y't His M'y asserts his Right to them, and orders me to build Forts, and to prevent any other Nat'n settling them. I think there can be no greater Act of Hostility y'n taking a Fort begun to be built by His M'y's imediate Com'ds, and this must be esteem'd the first Breach from the Fr., and w't followed in taking some of their People Prisoners, and killing others, was in Consequence thereof. The[re] is a Plan for an Union of the whole Colonies, now lying before the King and Council, and probably [it] will be enforced by an Act of Parliam't, but I think we are not to be idle and tacitly allow the Enemy to continue their unjust Encroachm'ts till y't is finished. My sending Expresses far and near, so ludicrously notic'd by Y'r Committee, is in Obedience to my Instruct's from Home. You may [justly] think I have no great Satisfact'n in writing so many Letters and being at so great Expence, [and would not do so] if it was not in Obedience to my Mast'r's Com'ds. I must think it a bad Step of You to write the Catawbas to stay at Home after their Promise to assist me, and His Majesty's Serv'ce so much wanted it. Y'r several repeated Compl'ts of my entertain'g and giving Pres'ts to the Cherokees and Catawbas is entirely wrong, as these Things are done by Orders from Home, but if it interfered with the private Int't of any Gov'r, it ought to be laid aside at the Time of so imin't [a] Danger. I observe You and Y'r Legislature were adverse to granting any Supplies, w'ch I think they might have done in a more genteel Manner y'n in complaining of my Conduct. I must and cannot shun observing [that] Y'r Let'r and Argum'ts w'd have been more proper from a Fr. Officer y'n from one of His M'y's Gov'rs. I have the hon'r, Satisfact'n, and Pleasure to assure You, y't my Conduct on the whole of this Expedition was met with His M'y's gracious Approbat'n, and y't of his Ministers; I am sorry it has not rec'd y't of Y'rs. Enclosed, I send You a Let'r y't came by His M'y Ship, Garland, now station'd here. I am again order'd to give further Pres'ts to the Catawbas and Cherokees, if I see proper, w'ch I shall be ready to do on a suitable Occasion; I am further directed to assist You, if necessary, in building a Fort in the Upper Cherokee Co'try, w'ch I think absolutely necessary at this Time, to protect them from the Invasions of the Fr., and I, agreeable to my Instruct's, now offer all the Service in my Power, and the sooner it's begun, the better, w'ch I presume You now have particular Orders to put in emediate Execut'n, and no doubt before this, You are inform'd properly if the French have attempted to build Forts among them. I shall be glad, [if] all private Views may be laid Aside, or any particular Provincial Interest, w'n his M'y's Service so earnestly calls for the action of our utmost Endeavours and Strength to oppose the comon Enemy, and not to be so particular in scrutinizing the Conduct of Y'r neighbouring Gov'rs, without knowing the Purport of his Instruct's, w'ch a Person of Y'r Sense and Penetrat'n well knows, it is not proper they sh'd be particularly made public.
His M'y has ordered me 10,000 in Specie and 10,000 Credit, and this Colony, has this last Assembly granted 20,000 for conducting this necessary Expedit'n; but these Sums all come far short of the Expence to pay and maintain a suitable Force to drive the Enemy from the Ohio, however, I shall with great Frugality manage it for the Service it is intended. His M'y has been pleased to appoint H. Sharpe, Esq'r, Gov'r of M'y'l'd, to be Comd'r in Chief of the combined Forces on this Expedition, with Orders to consult and advise with me in every Thing; he is now here, and we are consulting a Plan of Operat's, to be put in Execut'n this Winter, or early in the Spring. I shall be glad of Keep'g up a Correspond'ce with You in any Thing for his M'y's Service, but shall be careful not to trouble You with any more Expresses, as I find it disagreeable to You and U'r Committee. I heartily wish Success to the pres't Expedit'n, and that the different Colonies w'd join as one Man in defeating the mischievous Designs of the Fr., and their unjust Encroachm'ts. I hope this will find You perfectly recovered from Y'r late Illness, and sincerely wish You a thorow Confimat'n of Y'r Health, and I rem'n sincerely,
Y'r Ex. most h'ble Serv't.
P. S. In all public Affairs of Consequence, I always conduct myself with the Advice of the Council.