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 I.] THE FRENCH WAR. 289
TO FRANCIS FAUQUIER, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR
OF VIRGINIA.
Fort Loudoun, 17 June, 1758.
$IR,
Although but little skilled in compliments, permit me
nevertheless to offer your Honor my congratulations on
your appointment, and your safe arrival at a government, which his Majesty has been pleased to entrust to
your administration.
plated for a vigorous campaign under General Forbes against Fort Duquesne. Mr. Pitt had lately come into power, and his zeal for the interest
of the colonies had produced a change in the counsels of his Majesty's
ministers respecting America. On the 30th of December he wrote a circular to the governors of Pennsylvania and the several colonies at the
south, requesting a hearty cooperation from the Assemblies in aid of. General Forbes's expedition. He stipulated, that the colonial troops raised for
this purpose, should be supplied with arms, ammunition, tents, and provisions, in the same manner as the regular troops, and at the King's expense; so that the only charge to the colonies would be that of levying,
clothing, and paying the men. The governors were, also, authorized to
issue commissions to provincial officers, from Colonels downwards, and
these officers were to hold rank in the united army according to their commissions. Had this liberal and just system been adopted at the outset, it
would have put a very different face upon the military affairs of the
colonies.
Major-General Abercromby, who had succeeded Lord Loudoun to the
command in America, assigned six thousand troops to Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland, as their quota for the expedition to the Ohio. Of
this number the Pennsylvania Assembly resolved to raise two thousand
seven hundred. - Votes, &c. of the.assembly, Vol. IV. p. 799.- The Maryland Assembly voted one thousand, but their bill was defeated by the usual
quarrel with the Governor, who refused his assent to their proposed mode
of levying the tax to defray the expense. — Votes and Proceedings for.March, 1758.
The troops actually employed under General Forbes were twelve hundred Highlanders, three hundred and fifty Royal.Americans, about twentyseven hundred provincials from Pennsylvania, sixteen hundred from Virginia, two or three hundred from Maryland, who had been stationed in
garrison at Fort Frederic under Colonel Dagworthy; and also two companies from North Carolina; making in all, including the wagoners, between six and seven thousand men. This army was more than five months
penetrating to the Ohio, where it was found, at last, that they had to oppose
only five hundred of the enemy.
VOL. II. 37 Y