408 Assembly Proceedings, Feb. 26-Mar. 9, 1754.

L. H. J.
Liber No. 47
February 26

His Excellency delivered to M.^r Speaker the following Papers —
viz.^t
W.^msburg Virg:^a Jan:^ry 29^th 1754.
Sir
Your kind assurances of Cooperating with me in the Common
Cause for his Majesty's Service gave me Such pleasure as a Zeal
like that which Inspired them ought to give And I now Address your
Excellency the more chearfully As I am perswaded of your Prompti-
tude to contribute Effectually to it. The Progress of the French &
their avowed Designs make it necessary for me to apply for your

p. 381

Assistance and that the Men you can furnish may join our people
as early as possible in March at a place Called Wills Creek on the
head of Potowmack which I have Chosen for the Rendezvous be-
lieving it to be the most convenient to all His Colonies of any that
is near the Scene of Action the French have fortifyed themselves on
Lake Erie on a Branch of the Ohio And have 220 Canoes ready
made and great many more blocked out and everything in Readiness
to execute their Designs of sailing down the River When the Waters
Serve in the Spring and Building Forts [at] every place of Conse-
quence. The Fort my Messenger was at mounted Eight pieces of
Cannon Six Pounders & was garrisond with 150 Men and they have
already Engaged the Chippoways, Ottoways and Orundacks to take
up the Hatchett against the English and themselves have Seized the
effects of his Majestys Subjects who were Settled thereof made Pris-
oners of their persons, how they justify this Conduct Your Excel-
lency will See by the Inclosed Letter from their Commandant to me.
I think it would conduce very much to the Success of the Service
that the Command should be Undivided and therefore I should be
very glad of your Concurrence with my Sentiments and that the
men you furnish might be put under the Command of my General
officer I expect to meet our Assembly that 14* of next Month when
I hope to be enabled to enter on more Vigorous Measures — at present
I have ordered out a Detachment from the Militia to Cover the
Works that are Carrying on at our Fort on the Ohio and Shall with
all Dispatch furnish them with the Stores and other Necessaries for
it's Completion; But as the French intend to be on the Ohio early in
the Spring with a greater Force than they had in the Fall which then
consisted of 1500 Men it will be of the last Consequence to have a
Sufficient Strength there early to oppose them and the present Tem-
per of the Indians increases the necessity as they Seem to defer

Coming to Action till they See Us at their Backs to Support 'em and
I am perswaded that they then will act honestly & Effectually, other-
wise it is apparent to me that they Will be lost to the British Interest
as their Scituation & the Genius of that People will lead them to Join
with the Strongest Side,