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.

PART 1.] THE FRENCH WAR. 293
TO COLONEL BOUQUET.
Camp, near Fort Cumberland, 9 July, 1758.
SIR,
Colonel Byrd, with eight companies of his regiment,
arrived here yesterday. He left many sick men behind, and, as he posted a company at Edwards's and
Pearsall's, our strength is considerably reduced.
Captain Dagworthy informed me, that Governor
Sharpe is to open the road to Town Creek, within fifteen. miles of this place, and, as Maryland has nearly
two hundred men here fit for duty, I hope you will be
of opinion, that they are sufficiently strong to proceed
on the Fort Frederic road, without needing a reinforcement from us; especially if you will consider, that they
are in a manner covered by the troops here, and by
those to be employed on the road to Raystown, to
which service I shall send a detachment to-morrow.
We have no hay at this place; it was corn, which I
called forage. We shall have tools enough to open the
road to Raystown, among the artificers of Colonel Byrd's
regiment.
I am sorry to hear that the Catawbas have so egregiously misbehaved. When I write to Governor Fauquier, I shall touch on this subject.*
It gives me great pleasure to find, that you approve
the dress I have put my men into. t It is evident, that
* Colonel Bouquet had written; — "The Catawbas, under the command of Captain Johnny, are gone to Winchester. They have behaved
in the most shameful manner, and run away like a parcel of thieves, rather
than warriors. They have never killed even a deer, and there is the
strongest reason to suspect, that the scalp, which they pretend to have
taken, was an old one. I think it very necessary to send a message to
their nation to complain of their conduct, and know at once if they are
friends or enemies. If you approve it, I shall be obliged to you to propose
the thing to the Governor of Virginia."
t Alluding to a passage in Colonel Bouquet's letter, in which he says;
Yv