SIR,

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ROGER WOLCOTT1 Boston, March 30, 1744.

2

Inclos'd are my orders to you to proceed to Cape Breton with the forces under your particular Command from Connecticutt, in doing wch if you judge proper to touch at Canso in your way for Intelligence it may not be amiss. I am sorry it is not in my power to procure you the Convoy of Captn Gayton's Ship for your Transport Vessells, as you desire, that Ship being order'd to go to Antegoa and from thence directly to Jamaica wth Maps for the Jamaica Squadron . . About fourteen days ago I sent three ships of twenty Guns each, two Snows of Sixteen Guns each and a Brig of near the same force to cruize before Louisbourg Harbour, wch I am in hopes may intercept any Intelligence, provisions, or recruits, wch the Enemy may expect to arrive early to 'em: And our Forces sailed under the Convoy of Captn Rous's Snow only, wch I doubt not is sufficient between this place and Cape Breton, as we have so many Vessells before it, and wch will be join'd by Rous after our Forces are landed on the Island wth the New Hampshire Troops, wch I expect will be on Monday or Tuesday next if no extraordinary Accident prevents 'em; I hope therefore there is no Danger of your meeting with any thing in your way, wch your own Colony sloop will not sufficiently protect you agt; However I have wrote to the Governour of Rhode Island in the strongest Terms I can, to engage him to order His Colony's Sloop to join you, as Col Lothrop will inform you; thô I must confess I have no great Dependance upon that Government in this Expedition. I heartily wish you all Imaginable success and am Sir

Your faithfull Humble servant

W. SHIRLEY.

1 Original, Law Papers, 1, 372. Printed: Conn. Hist. Soc. Coll. II, 272. See Shirley to Wolcott fication of command.

of Mar. 8 (ante, p. 193) for noti2 The Bien Aimé.

1

I must refer you to Col Lothrop for the behaviour of Lieutent Col Eveleth, Captn Byles, Captn Davis, & Captn Baker in leaving the Squadron Fleet and putting in to Cape Ann 'till Wensday last and permitting their Men to go on shoar all of 'em except Captn Baker who did not behave so ill as the rest; Col Eveleth & Captn Byles are most to blame pray acquaint the General with it, some notice shd be taken of 'em.

Major Genl WOOLCOTT.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS

[Extracts2]

GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF REPRESEN

TATIVES,

In Pursuance of the Resolution of this Court for forming an Expedition against the French Settlements on Cape Breton, pass'd the 25th of January last, which is agreeable to His Majesty's Pleasure signifi'd to me upon the present Rupture with France: "That I should take all Opportunities, as far as is depended upon me, to distress and annoy the French in their Settlement, Trade and Commerce" I have raised three Thousand Voluntiers, under proper Officers to be employed in His Majesty's Service upon that Expedition; two Thousand eight Hundred of which, by the 24th Day of last Month, and the Remainder within two Days after, were embarqued and sailed for Canso where they were to be join'd with three Hundred and fifty Troops more rais'd by the Government of New Hampshire for the same serv1 Simon Lothrop, Lieutenant Colonel of the Connecticut regiment, commissioned Mar. 1, 1744/5.

2 Massachusetts Archives, Court Records, Vol. 17, pt. 4, p. 713. Copies of this speech were sent by Shirley to various Provincial governors in answer to letters regarding the expedition, e.g. to Governor Law of Connecticut in Shirley's letter of Apr. 8, Conn. Hist. Soc. Coll. 11, 278.

ice, upon my Application to Governour Wentworth to be followed some time this Week by five Hundred Troops more from Connecticut, rais'd likewise for the same Service by that Government, upon my Application to them.1

The Governor then sets forth the extent of his naval preparations, the probability of aid from England and from Commodore Warren in the South by reason of orders given from London and concludes:- The warm Assurances I have receiv'd from His Majesty's Governours in the Colonies of New York, the Jerseys and Pennsylvania of their most hearty Endeavours to engage the Colonies under their respective Governments in the Support of the common Cause upon this Occasion, have given me good Encouragement to proceed in this Expedition, towards securing the Success. whereof, I immediately receiv'd from Governour Clinton, upon my Request to him for that Purpose, a considerable Train of Artillery, without which we could not have had the same Prospect of reducing the Island as we now have. W. SHIRLEY.

Council Chamber, April 3d. 1745

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH 2

SIR,

Boston, April 8th, 1745.

I should be oblig'd to you if you would let me know by the next post your sentiments upon our undertaking, in conjunction with the neighboring Governments, an Expedition against Canada this year, in case of our succeeding against Cape Breton; that you would communicate to me what you think would be the most advisable scheme for doing it; what the most proper season; by what time at latest it should

1 Good accounts of the preparations made in New Hampshire and Connecticut are in letters to Shirley from Governor Wentworth, Mar. 21 (6 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. 10, 120), and Governor Law, Mar. 30 (Conn. Hist. Soc. Coll. 11, 270).

2 Original, Belknap Papers, N. H. Hist. Soc., 1, 220; N. H. Prov. Papers, 5, 949.

be begun, and how long time it would take to march our Forces there, and when it would be necessary for 'em to retire on account of the season of the year; & whether it is practicable to march a sufficient number of forces by Land, and transport a sufficient Quantity of provisions for such an enterprise, as as also artillery and stores, and what number of men you think might be necessary for such purpose, also what number of Regular Troops and militia the Enemy can probably muster to oppose our army. And particularly, whether such an attempt can be prudently made without first making ourselves masters of Crown point, and how practicable that may be, with the manner of doing it, and what supports we should want from home to enable us to subdue the country; also in particular, whether it is not very practicable to break up all the enemy's settlements in the country, and oblige 'em to fly into Montreal or Quebeck, and whether the effect of that, if it should be repeated two years, and they were cut off from all supplies by sea from old France, would not be to subdue 'em by famine or extreme distress, supposing our Forces should not penetrate so far as Montreal or Quebeck; And that you would send me your sentiments as particularly upon every circumstance concerning the affair as if it was expressly mentioned here and put to you. I am inform'd that Mr. Atkinson is the most capable of advising in this matter of any man in America. I should be glad if your Excellency would consult with him concerning it as far as you shall think proper.

I have heard nothing further of Commodore Warren, so am in hopes he has been off Cape Breton, for some time past. I am with much esteem,

Sir, your Excys most obedient

Humble servant
W. SHIRLEY.1

1 This letter is printed here to show the energy of Shirley. It gives the reader ample preparation for the Massachusetts Governor's plans of 1746 for wider conquests in Canada. See Wentworth's reply, Apr. 12, on p. 206.

His Excy Benning Wentworth, Esq.

I shall find time, I hope, by next post to write to your Excellency upon our other affairs, as I shall then have got rid of my Despatches by a ship to go from hence this week to London.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL

[Extracts']

Boston, April 10, 1745.

SIR,

Having heard nothing further from Commodore Warren, I conclude he must have met, upon his designed passage, with some of our fleet; and thereupon altered his course and, instead of coming to Boston with the three of his Majesty's ships under his command, proceeded directly for Canso or Cape Breton, where I hope he is now blocking up the enemy's harbour, in conjunction with our cruizers and that Mons. Duvivier will soon bring us an account of it to Boston. It is a general observation, that the land and sea forces, when joined upon the same expedition, seldom or never agree, but I am persuaded it will not be so between you and Commodore Warren, as any misunderstanding between you might prove fatal to his Majesty's service in the expedition.

I am in hopes the Connecticut forces will have joined you before you receive this, and that by the middle of next month, if not sooner, you will be supported from England with ships and marines, or other troops in the reduction of Louisbourg, if that shall not be effected before the arrival

1 Printed in full: Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. 1, 19.

2A letter from James Skinner of Marblehead is inclosed as a postscript, giving an account of meeting Warren on his way to Cape Breton with three men of war.