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.

152 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [XAT. 24.
good fort should be erected between this and Fort
Cumberland, in a line with the chain of forts across the
country, and garrisoned by two companies. This I
would advise, because, as I before observed, if we are
ever attacked by a large body, it must be here, since
there is no other road to our frontiers, either for transporting men or necessaries.
These three forts will employ four companies, which
will be a tolerable body, if the companies are large, as
they would be, according to the plan I sent you. And
it would be a trifling expense to augment each company
to one hundred privates, making two thousand, exclusive of officers, who were included in the scheme last
sent.
After this is done, I would post the remaining companies equidistant, or at proper passes, along our frontiers, agreeably to the enclosed sketch, and order
communications to be opened between fort and fort, and
large detachments to scout and discover the tracks of
the enemy.
It needs now only to be inquired, upon what part of our
frontiers these forts are to be built. The Great Ridge,
or North Mountain, so called in Evans's map, to which
I refer, is now.become our exterior bound, there not
being one inhabitant beyond, on all the Potomac waters,
except a few families on the South Branch, and at
Joseph Edwards's, on Cacapehon, as already mentioned.
So that it requires some consideration to determine
whether we are to build near this place, with a view to
protect the present inhabitants; or on the South Branch;
or at Patterson's Creek, in the hope of drawing back
those, who have forsaken their dwellings.
If we do not build there, that country will ever want
settlers; and if we do, there is so great a blank, with
such a series of mountains between, that it will be next