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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Robert Dinwiddie to Arthur Dobbs
Dinwiddie, Robert, 1693-1770
April 13, 1756
Volume 05, Pages 577-578

[Reprinted from Dinwiddie Papers. Vol. 2. P. 382.]
Governor Dinwiddie to Governor Dobbs.

Apr. 13th, 1756.

Sir:

Y'r favo. by Co. Innes and y't by y'r Son I have rec'd. I p'd Co. Innes £200 y's Mo., w'ch he carried with him to Fort Cumb'l'd for y'r Son's Co'y, but Y'r Speaker forgot to send the Rec'pt for the Steers, but I think Y'r Son says he has it. The Expedit'n ag'st the Shawnesse prov'd unsuccessful. They were gone upwards of a Mo.; met with very bad Weather; a great part of y'r Provis's lost cross'g a River, the Canoes being over-set. They were oblig'd to eat y'r Horses and are ret'd, having taken the French Men, who I believe are of the Neutrals, bound to Fort Du Quesne. The Commiss'rs y't went to the Cherokees, &c., are not ret'd, but write me the Cherokees and Catawbas are in good Hum'r and profess great F'dship. They are ready to assist us with y'r Warriors if they can have a Fort built for y'r Women and Children. Y's Fort I expected had been built before y's, as I sent Gov'r Glen near 18 mo's ago 1,000£ St'r. towards building thereof; but he has not begun it, w'ch makes those People very uneasy, and I fear if not built y's Sum'r they will join the Fr. Our Assembly is now sitting. I have applied to them for Money to assist the building a Fort in the Upper Cherokee Co'try, and I have hopes of succeed'g, and I entreat Y'r assist'ce in y's necessary Affair. If neglected, I fear the Consequence. I just now have a L'r from Co. Washington from Winchester, who says the Fr. and Ind's, upw'ds of 200, are comitt'g the greatest Barbarities ab't Winchester, and by an Order taken on a Fr. Man they have taken and scalp'd, it appears they intend to set fire to our Magazine at Conechege, on w'ch Washington has reinforc'd the Party y't are Guard there, by w'ch You may observe the Intent's of the Enemy are to perpetrate y'r cruelties on our Front's y's sum'r. Our Assembly cannot be prevailed on to grant any Men for the Northern Expedit'n, but in a Committee of the whole Ho. have resolv'd the contrary; or can I prevail with them to vote a Sum of Mo. for y't Service, but propose augmenting our Forces to 2,000 Men to protect and defend our Front's. I have a difficult Task with

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them. They are very obstinate, but I shall continue my strong endeavors in shew'g our great Distress and the necessity of assisting G'l Shirley, but I fear all I can do will prove abortive. Fifteen of the Cherokees who went ag'st the Shawnesse came here yesterday. I shall try if I can prevail with the Party, consist'g of 60, to march to Winchester. The Assembly have passed an Act for send'g the Neutrals to Britan. They cannot be persuaded to let them remain here. I am therefore under a necessity of agreeing to y's. I send you my Speech and the Addresses of Council and Assembly. M'yl'd has resolved on 40,000[£], but cannot agree on the Method to raise it. Pennsylvania has voted £60,000, half of w'ch is exhausted, and they decline giv'g any Assistance to the No'ern and Western Expedit's, so y't You may judge w't Situation we are in and how disjointed the Colonies are. I am, with great Esteem and Regard,

Y'r Ex's most ob'd't h'ble serv't.