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.

212 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS [AT. 24.
carrying into execution without waiting advice, I am at
a loss to know, unless it was building the chain of forts
along our frontiers, which I not only undertook conformably to an act of Assembly, and by your own
orders, but, with respect to the places, in pursuance of a
council of war. If, under these circumstances, my
conduct is responsible for the fate of Fort Cumberland, it must be confessed, that I stand upon a tottering foundation indeed. I cannot charge my memory
with either proposing, or intending, to draw the forts
nearer Winchester. The garrison of Fort Cumberland,
it is true, I did wish to have removed to Cox's, which is
nearer Winchester by twenty-five miles; but not farther
from the enemy, if a road were opened from thence to
the Little Meadows, which place is about twenty miles
distant, and the same from Fort Cumberland, and more
in the warriors' path. However, I see with much regret,
that Lord Loudoun seems to have prejudged my promore of the frontier will be exposed by retiring your advanced posts near
Winchester, where I understand he is retired, for, from your letter, I take
it for granted he has before this executed his plan, without waiting for any
advice. If he leaves any of the great quantity of stores behind, it will be
very unfortunate, and he ought to consider that it must lie at his own door.
This proceeding, I am afraid, will have a bad effect, as to the Dominion
[Virginia], and will not have a good appearance at home."
From this extract it is manifest, that Lord Loudoun (who was then in
New York, and had never visited Virginia,) had no accurate knowledge of
the transactions in question, and that he had been misled by the Governor's letters. His remarks, as applied to the acts and designs of Colonel
Washington, are literally without meaning. It is extraordinary, that the
Governor should send them to him, knowing as he did their inaccuracy,
and foreseeing as he must, that Colonel Washington would discover on
the face of them an unfair attempt, in some quarter, to prejudice him in
the mind of Lord Loudoun. The Governor afterwards thought to add a
palliative, by assuring him, that the " paragraph of Lord Loudoun's letter
was entirely confined to Fort Cumberland; he was afraid you would have
evacuated and dismantled that fort before his letter reached me; nor can
you think, that he either prejudges or has any bad opinion of your conduct." This is an evasive reply, unsatisfactory, and suspicious.