The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

JET. 24.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 85
new ones. By the advice of Colonel Washington a
large fort was begun at Winchester, as a depository
for the military stores, and a rallying-point for the settlers and troops, should they be driven from the frontiers. It was called Fort Loudoun, in honor of the
Earl of Loudoun, who had now succeeded General
Shirley in the American command.
Another enterprise of greater magnitude was likewise set on foot by order of the Assembly; which was
a line of forts extending through the ranges of the
Allegany Mountains from the Potomac River to the
borders of North Carolina, a distance of more than
three hundred miles, thus forming a barrier to the
whole frontier. The scheme was not liked by the
governor. Colonel Washington disapproved it. He
objected, that the forts would be too far asunder to
support each other, that the Indians might pass between them unmolested, that they would be expensive, and cause the troops to be so much dispersed
as to prevent their being brought together on an emergency, thus tempting the enemy to come out in large
parties and attack the weaker points. He believed,
that three or four strong garrisons would constitute a
better defence. In conformity with his instructions,
however, he drew up a plan embracing a chain of
twenty-three forts, and fixing their several positions.
He sent out parties to execute the works, and visited
them himself from time to time. On one occasion he
made a tour throughout the whole line to the southern
limits of Virginia, exposed to imminent danger from
the savages, who hovered around the small forts, and
lay in wait to intercept and murder all who came in
their way.
In the midst of these toils, another source of vexation occurred in the affair of Fort Cumberland. As
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