For it is certainly of the utmost consequence to preserve a perfect harmony between the land and sea at so dangerous a crisis, which I dare say Mr Warren is disposed to do, and will do if he considers rightly, and small matters conducted with prudence will serve to do it; and unless the Commodore is so imprudent as to assume what does most evidently not belong to him, and it is inconsistent with the King's commission to myself and the honour and right of the province that I should give up, (which I have a better opinion of him than to think he will) every thing will go smooth between us, and more so because I have a real esteem and friendship for him. I am very much concern'd to hear that the men are grown uneasy about the plunder, and impatient to return home; surely they won't disgrace their past behaviour by unreasonable discontents and murmurs now, nor think that the expedition is over 'till his Majesty has the place in his own hands. It is evident that it would shift for itself if the troops should quit it, and that securing it for his Majesty till the possession is deliver'd to his orders must be part of the expedition. I hope this will reach you before my arrival, and that I shall have an happy sight of you some time next week, and am with much truth and esteem, Sir, Your faithfull friend and servant. W. SHIRLEY. Lieutent Genl. Pepperrell. ledgements for so Signal a favour of the divine Providence. The honour which you have done my Commission and to New England by your share in this Conquest, claim mine and your Country's Thanks; And I doubt not but that the high Honour which his Majesty has done you by Signifying to you thro' Sir William Pepperell His Royal Approbation of your Services will farther animate you to exert your best Endeavours for Securing this valuable Acquisition to his Dominions." By words of this character Shirley retained the regard of all who had shared in the work at Louisbourg and when the need came in later years to call again upon his province for exertions against the French, he found little difficulty in obtaining good subordinate officers to serve under him and an earnest body of men in the ranks. See also his plea for honorable dealing with the rank and file, post, pp. 267-268. JABEZ BRADBURY TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY1 GEORGES, July 29th, 1745. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, The third day of our being Attackt by the Indians, and before I recd your Excys Orders for So doing being desireous of Knowing who of the Penobscotts were amongst our Enemys, I put up a Flagg of Truce, one of the Indians came in, Capt Bane and I went out to the others who were thirty five in Number many more being up the River, at the Same time, burning Houses and Killing Cattle whom we Saw not. Amongst those we Saw were nine Penobscotts, the Chief of whom were Sebohooset, one called Rich Outrea and Paternion, men well known here. I Read your Excellencys Letter to them thrice that they might fully understand it. They sayd it came too late and added that we had broak the peace by refusing them Powder at the Truck Houses, and the taking a St Johns Indian last fall. The Man mentioned in my Last Letter they Killed and Scalp't. We brought him in and buried him, and I hear that a Dutchman at Broad Bay was killed and Scalp't by the Indians about the Same time they were here. Its now more than ten days Since we Saw them, where they are I know not, but Suppose they are preparing for more mischief, and Expect Soon to See them here. I hope your Excy. will Send Seven men to fill up the Company, and also Increase the Number if it may be thought best. I am your Excellencys most obedt humble Servt. His Excellency Governour SHIRLEY JABEZ BRADBURY. Copy examined. J WILLARD Secry. 1 Cont. Copy, Law Papers 1, 316. Printed: Conn. Hist. Soc. Colls. 11, 353. WILLIAM PEPPERRELL TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY [Extracts1] LOUISBOURG, Augt 6th, 1745. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, Since I last had the honour of writing you I have not receiv'd the favour of any of your commands, and altho' am daily expecting (as well as constantly wishing for) your Excellency's safe arrival here, I cannot omitt giving you or the government the necessary notice of every occurrence. One of the inhabitants of this place, vizt, John Batiste De Young, who is desirous of recommending himself to my favour, tells me that in the departure of a schooner lately brought into this port (by Capt Fletcher) from Canada, he has good assurance from one Charles, a marriner belonging to said schooner, that about the 6th July last past there were ten thousand French troops raiz'd, victualled, and ready to march from Quebec for the English frontiers; he also informs me that the number of men at Canada fitt to bear arms are 45,000, of which number are only 150 regular troops in the French King's pay, 50 of whom are posted at Quebec, and 100 at Montreal; that there are 2000 French families settled on the River St Lawrence below Quebec; that there is no fort or battery between the entrance of the river and Quebec; he further adds that he was last year at Canada, but knows nothing of the French building a fort on the Isle of Orleans. On the other hand I am inform'd by the captain of the same schooner that the French at Canada were in constant alarm from an expectation they had of an English visit this summer, and from many other hands that the number of men at Canada is 25,000 only. Your intelligences from Albany will probably give you the best satisfaction, but for my own part I am under no apprehension of so formidable an attack, but that the chief, 1 Pepperrell Papers, Mass. Hist. Society, Printed: 6 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. 10, 347. if not only, danger of the frontiers is from the Canada men who lately besieg'd Annapolis, and which I fear, without the extraordinary interposition of the province, will soon ruin the whole frontiers, which must greatly abate, if not overballance, the joys of our late victory. As the support of this fortress is of the greatest consequence to all the British Colonys it is highly reasonable they should all contribute thereto in some regular stipulated proportion, which I hope will be most speedily and successfully solicited, but as this will be a work of time and the event uncertain, the burthen must, I apprehend, lye a little longer on the Massachusetts, and as large supplys of all sorts of stores should be furnish'd and secured in the King's magazines here for support of this and the neighbouring garrisons not only this winter, but for a six months' siege, which may reasonably be expected to commence with the spring, it will require a close and speedy attention, for that the army may, and probably will be here so early next spring as to prevent recruits or supplys coming in, as was the late case of this place. I have nothing further at present to offer for the publick service, but to beg of your Excellency, as I have with the utmost justice represented the circumstances of the army and of this fortress, that due consideration may be had thereon, and that such resolutions may be taken as may be for his Majesty's service and the further honour of my dear country, for the peace and welfare of which and every happiness to your Excellency is the most hearty wish of, Your Excellency's most obedt humb. servt. W. P. His Excellency Govr Shirley &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH SIR, [Extract1] Louisbourg, Sept 2d, 1745. His Majesty's service upon several accounts requiring my Presence here a few weeks, for securing our new acquisition, till his Majesty shall have an opportunity of taking it into his own protection, I set sail in his Majestys ship Hector, from Nantasket, on Saturday night pas month, and arrived here on Fryday Evening pas Fortnight, where I have been endeavoring, in the best manner I can, to settle the State of the land Forces, and to act for the Interest of the common cause of the Colonies concerned in the Expedition in every respect. Upon looking into the State of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Troops I find it to stand thus: The Massachusetts Government sent into the service of the Expedition, upon the first Enlistment, including the Troops in their pay which were aggregated to your Regiment the train of Artillery and workmen, thirty three hundred men, of which twelve hundred and thirty eight are return'd home, ninety five are killed and fifty seven died natural deaths, so that of those soldiers there remain here nineteen hundred and twelve; since which Enlistment the Massachusetts Government have voted a thousand men more to be rais'd for the service, of which about seven hundred are actually raised and arrived at Louisbourg, so that there are in the whole about twenty five hundred Massachusetts Troops now upon Duty within the Garrison and Batteries here, and the remaining three hundred are now raising with the utmost Dispatch, to compleat the last thousand, and relieve some more of the Massachusetts Troops. Your Excellency sent hither, upon your first Enlistment 308 soldiers of which 169 — including the Invalids now sent 1 Belknap Papers, N. H. Hist. Society, 1, 240. Printed: N. H. Prov. Papers, 5, 372. |