Was I in your place I should not be in the least uneasiness about the Emission of bills to which you gave your Consent for the Service of the Expedition against Cape Breton, or that which you purpose to give your consent to for his Majesty's Service in this against Canada.1 I don't wonder that you have had no answer concerning your last Emission; the Confusion caus'd by the Rebellion drew off the thoughts of the Ministry from every thing else; Besides as you wrote 'em word what you did upon the last Expedition, and have had no Answer (which is a sign that all is well) I think you have good grounds to take it for granted that it was agreable to the Ministry then, and to proceed now. But in one word the Importance of his Majesty's service and the necessity of another emission to carry it on is a sufficient reason for your proceedings. A Committee of both houses have consider'd my Speech to 'em (which will not be printed at present) and reported upon it, and the two houses will I believe pass upon the report today; so that I shall be able to send you a Copy of it by the next post. I have not time to add farther in my hurry, than that I shall keep up a strict correspondence with you (as I hope your Excellency will do with me) upon all material points. I have communicated to Mr Atkinson the Duke of Newcastle's Letter to my self, the particulars of which he will acquaint you with. I am 'till next post with great respect and Esteem Sir Your Excellency's most Obedient Humble Servant. W. SHIRLEY.2 worth with the answers furnished by Shirley. They indicate the latter's continued influence over the New Hampshire governor. 1 The underlining is by Wentworth. 2 On this date Shirley wrote to the Duke of Newcastle acknowledging the receipt of the latter's letters of Mar. 14 and Apr. 9 with the plan for the reduction of Canada. He agrees to do his best towards raising men for the campaign and congratulates the Duke on the favorable turn the rebellion in Great Britain has taken. In this letter occur the words which seem to show the feeling of Shirley regarding the Acadians favorable to their expulsion. The Affair of the Powder must be postpon'd for another Week. Surely if you have another Emission, the Assembly will pay for it, and that would put the best End to the matter. P.S. I shall esteem Mr Atkinson's1 serving in this Expedition of very great Consequence to the Success of it; and hope your Excellency will promote his going into the Service. I shall let Genl Saintclair 2 and Mr Warren know my Sentiments concerning him. His Excy Govr Wentworth. QUERIES UPON HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEW CASTLES LETTER DATED APRIL 9th 1746. Whether if it be to promote the Expedition, you shall make any variation, from His Majestys intention of the Companys to be raised to Consist of one hundred men. I think I can't. Speaking of the danger to Annapolis, Shirley writes (P. R. O., C. O. 5, 901, p. 7): 66 I would beg Leave to observe to your Grace, that the Danger to his Majesty's garrison arises chiefly from within the heart of the government itself, the Inhabitants and neighboring Indians whose Numbers are sufficient of themselves with a small assistance from Canada and the help of a proper Train of Artillery split up the Bay in small Vessells (which would give 'em great Encouragement to take up Arms against the garrison) to reduce it. However while the Attempt against Canada is depending, that will certainly go far towards holding the Inhabitants of Nova Scotia in suspense, till the success of it is known; and I hope by next Spring they may either be put upon a better foot of Subjection, or the most dangerous among 'em removed. . . .' 1 Theodore Atkinson, the Secretary of New Hampshire and Wentworth's right-hand man in obtaining supplies from the colony, was born at Newcastle, N.H., Dec. 20, 1697. Graduated at Harvard College in 1718, and died Sept. 22, 1779. 2 Sir John Saint Clair or Sinclair, Lieutenant-Colonel in the regular army, had been selected by Newcastle as commander of the eight battalions of British troops promised for this expedition, and had been given the rank of Lieutenant-General in the Provincial Service. He came to America in 1755, serving as deputy 2 Whether you propose a bounty to the men that shall inlist, and how much and by whom to be paid. I propose a Bounty, which must be paid by the Country; I know not yet the Quantum. 3 Whether the Arms and Cloathing which Lieut Genl St Clair has orders to make a reasonable allowance for the Expence of, is not to be paid for here, by the respective Governmts or whether any orders are Expected for drawing for the Same. The Expence will be paid for here by the Governmts or Soldiers; and allow'd for General St Clair. 4 Whether it is Expected that the respective Governmts furnish Vessells of War, transports, provisions, and other Necessary Subsistance and Stores at their Expence, — or on the Kings. They must be provided by the Governments, whether the King reimburses 'em for the Expence or not. It is best to construe the thing in our own favour; But it is not clear to me; and We must do as well as we can about it afterwards. 5 Whether any alteration can be made on His Majestys Commands, with respect to the Rendezvous appointed at Louisbourg, if one half of the men or any Considerable part, should choose rather to Joyn the Land Army, than go by Sea, of this or any other Government. This will depend upon the resolution of General Saint Clair, Admiral Warren, and myself. Endorsed: Queries 1 put and answerd relating to Expedition May 1746 per Govr Shirley. quartermaster-general under Braddock, and was wounded in the battle of the Monongahela. He served also under BrigadierGeneral John Forbes in 1758. 1 Newcastle's letter of Apr. 9 is in C. O. 5, 45, p. 229. It is of 1700 words, and relates to the troops which are to go to Louisbourg under St. Clair, provisions to be made for arms and clothing, and the securing of pilots familiar with the St. Lawrence River. WILLIAM SHIRLEY-PROCLAMATION 1 By his Excellency William Shirley Esqr. Whereas His Majesty has been graciously pleased to order a number of Troops under the Command of the Honourable Lieutenant General St. Clair to proceed from Great Britain to Louisbourgh, with a sufficient convoy of men of War, and with them a great part of his Majestys Troops now in Garrison at Louisbourgh and also with such Troops as shall be Levied for that purpose in his Majesty's colonies in North America to attempt the immediate Reduction of Canada; and has signified his Royal pleasure to me, as also to the Governours of the several provinces and colonies of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, by Letters dispatch'd from his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, that the necessary Dispositions should be forthwith made for the raising as many men within this and the above mentioned Governments as the shortness of the time will admit for proceeding on the said expedition. And whereas the Great and General Court of this province have with the utmost Chearfulness and unanimity, Voted to give all necessary and proper Encouragement for Three Thousand voluntiers that shall inlist into his majesty's Service in this Expedition; In obedience therefore to his Majesty's said Commands, I have thought fit with the advice of his Majesty's Council, to issue this Proclamation, in order to make known his Majesty's gracious intentions and Declarations for the Encouragement of all able Bodied, effective men that are inclined to inlist themselves into his service in the Land Expedition, together with the further Encouragement which is offered by this Government viz. Original, Mass. Archives, Military 72, 718. That the said Volunteers will be under such officers as I shall appoint; That they will be immediately intitlied (sic) to his Majesty's Pay, the Officers from the time they shall engage in his Majesty's Service and the Soldiers from the respective days on which they shall be inlisted; That if provision cannot be made of Arms and Clothing for them, by reason of the shortness of the time, a reasonable allowance will be made them in money for the same; That they shall be intitled to a share of the Booty that shall be taken from the enemy and shall be sent back to their several Habitations when this Service shall be over, unless any of them shall desire to settle elsewhere. And for the further Encouragement of all Voluntiers that shall engage in this Service, It is provided that they shall receive Thirty pounds in Bills of Credit of the old tenour, as a Bounty, as also for each man a Blanket, and a Bed for every two men; the said Bounty to be paid upon the Enlistment, and the Blankets and Beds at the time of their Embarkation or proceeding on the said Expedition; and that all such Voluntiers as shall proceed on this Expedition shall be Exempted from all Impresses for two years after their Return. Given at the Council Chamber in Boston the second day of June 1746, in the Nineteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith &c. By order of his Excellency the Governour, J. WILLARD Sec'ry. W. SHIRLEY. God Save the King. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH 1 Boston, June 6th, 1746. SIR, I am favour'd with your Excellency's of yesterday's date by your Express, and congratulate you upon your Success 1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Soc. Belknap Manuscripts, 61 C, p. 58. |