Governour with advice of the Committee of Warr Appointed to assist him, be, and he is hereby impowered and desired, that in case the Troops raised in this Colony for the Expedition against Canada, by any proper orders be called or ordered forth into his Majesty's service against the French before the session of this Assembly in May next, to give orders to the Comissaries appointed by this Court to make provision for that Expedition to deliver the Stores now in their hands, and also to provide & furnish what further may be wanted for the said Troops Subsistance and other necessarys for such time as he shall be advised to, and to provide for the Transportation thereof according to such Directions as he shall by advice as aforesaid think proper to give. A true Copy of Record

Teste,

George Wyllys, Secry

[Governor Law to Governor Shirley. Crown Point Expedition.] [Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 247.]

New haven, January 30th 1746-7

Sir According to your desire I have called our Assembly together & laid before them several matters contained in the Expresses received from your Excellency respecting the proposed Expedition to Crown point & recommended the matters to their deliberate consideration;

on which they came to a resolve, a copy whereof I have herewith inclosed by which your Excellency will better see the sense our Assembly have of that matter than by any account I could otherwise give.

Your Excellency will see of what Importance the Assemby judge the Reduction or Demolishing of that Fort is, & therefore tho they cannot see it advisable at this season to proceed; yet they have made provision in case any Door shall be opened for that purpose. I must therefore (as I am greatly desirous that place may be wrested out of the hands of the French) earnestly desire your Excellency to acquaint me of it in case you should have any Intelligence relating to this Grand affair. I am with great respect

Your Excellencys most obedient humble servant

His Excellency Governour Shirley.

Copy Examind per J. Willard, Secy.

Jonth Law.

[Endorsed] Gov. Law's Letter to Gov' Shirley, 30th Jan. 1746 —

[Colonel Stoddard, concerning the "Six Nations," 1747.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 252.]

Extract from Col° Stoddard's Letter to his Excellency Governour Shirley dated Northampton May 13th 1747

I send you the Letters lately receiv'd from Albany, by which your Ex'cy will perceive that the six Nations are thoroughly engaged, and that most of them together with some others of their Allies are likely to join in our Service; I think with your Excellency & the Council that the encouraging these Indians is a thing of great Importance.

The several Governmts have been endeavouring for near three. Years past to persuade those Tribes into War wherein they had not any Concern but to serve their Friends, and they seem generally got into it, and have left their hunting & other means of living, & exposed themselves & Families for our sakes, & can we expect they should fight for us, & devote themselves to that Service, & we suffer them to starve, or can we expect that they go a Warfare for us at their own Charge, or can we expect that Colo Johnson & Mr Lydius should pay the reckoning; They have taken a great deal of Pains to get the Indians into the War, & have effected more than the Governm's did in a Course of Years, & can it be thought that they should spend all their Substance in rewarding the Indians for their Service; It will cost them about 6 or £700 to fit out 100 Men for War (in York Money) as may be seen by Lydius Letter of March 26th And how many hundred will soon be out, & how many times they will go out this Summer, others can guess as well as I.

To Let the Design drop now we have a hopeful Prospect of distressing our Enemy would be fatal, for the Indians may well say, as they often suspected before hand, that our design was to get them into the War, & then leave them in the Lurch; and then we should fail of their Assistance, and no wonder if they should reconcile themselves to the french, which they would be glad of, & then take Part with the french against us; for the Indians are of such a Humour that if we deal justly & kindly by them, they will put their Lives in our hands, but if we deal deceitfully with them, that will soon raise. an Abhorrence of us: Colo Johnson & Mr Lydius are now under a Necessity of going forward & fitting out the Indians, so long as they have any substance remaining, & when that is gone the Affair will be at an End.

Therefore I see no way but for the several Governm's to send Supplies of Money or Goods to enable those Gentlemen to carry on the War; I think it altogether just that the several Governm's do contribute towards the Charge, & doubt not but several of them would

chearfully agree to it upon proper Application being made to them; And 'tis probable that the Money so expended would do us twenty times as much Service, as what we have heretofore expended in the War. Were it in my Power I would send a thousand Pounds in our new Bills or in suitable Goods to those Gentlemen for their present Necessity, this would revive their drooping Spirits (whilst they are full of Expectations of being undone) & would greatly animate the Indians; such Causes ought not to be Starved for want of a little Oyl to keep the Wheels in Motion.

Examined

J Willard Secry

[Shirley to Wentworth, concerning the "Six Nations."]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 253.]

Boston May 18th 1747. —

Sir, These are to inform your Excellency that by Dispatches I have received from Albany & Northampton, I find that the Indians of the Six Nations are generally spirited to go to War against the French of Canada, that divers Parties are now out & others daily offering themselves, which is a Point the Governments of New England (especially those of the Massachusetts & Connecticutt) have been labouring to carry ever since the first of the War, And if this Spirit be duly cherished & properly managed & directed, it may, by the blessing of God, prove of unspeakable Benefit for the Safety of these Colonies, I refer your Excellency to an Extract from Colo Stoddard's Letter to me for a more particular Account of this Affair: Only I would observe that Colo Johnson & Mr Lidius whose Influence on the Indians has brought about this great Event, are under such Engagements as they are not able to fulfill without proper Supplies from these Governments; And if for want of that the Indians should suffer any Disappointment, it is more than probable that they will be disgusted at their being left in the Lurch by us, & will fall intirely into the Interests of the French, which will be more fatal to these Colonies, than anything that has yet befallen us. Now as there is no General Court in being in this Province, we can do Nothing at present for the furnishing these Gentlemen; tho' Our General Court have intrusted Mr Lidius with this Affair, & have undertaken to supply him with a considerable Sum for this Service, & he has made his Draughts for the Payment, which will be done; but the Parties of

[* See document next preceding. — ED.]

Indians come so fast upon him & Mr Johnson to be fitted out for this Service, that what the will receive at present from this Governmt will be a very inconsiderable part of what they are under Engagements for, & the Gentlemen seem to apprehend that there is great Danger of their being ruined, & the Common Cause suffering the greatest Damage that we can conceive of, unless they be releived from these Governments.

I doubt not, Sir, but your General Assembly will in this Critical Conjuncture, readily make proper Supplies for the Encouragem1 of the Indians of the six Nations for prosecuting this War, & for keeping these Gentlemen in heart till an Agreem1 may be made between the Governmts to apportion the Charge that has arisen or may arise. in this important Affair, among themselves; And I shall lay this Matter before the General Court at their first Meeting, & I am fully persuaded they will chearfully fall into all the Measures necessary for promoting this important Interest - You will please to lay these Matters before your Assembly as soon as possible, & let me know their Resolution on this Affair. I am with great regard Sir Your Excellency's most Obedient Humble Servt

W Shirley

P. S. I shall write to your Excy fully upon other matters by next post

His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq'

[4-48] [Petition of Robert Miller, Louisbourg Soldier, 1747.]

W. S.

To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Captain General And Governour and Commander in Chief in And Over his Majestys Province of New Hampse the Honble his Majestys Council and House of Representatives In General Assembly Convened July 14 1747

Humbly Shews Robert Miller of Hampton falls in the Province aforesaid

That your Petitioner at the Unfortunate Attack of the Island Battery in the Siege of Louisbourgh Met with a Shot by which he lost one arm which Renders him Incapable of Labouring for the Support of himself & a Large family the Only way he had to maintain them That Your Petitioner before his going to Louisbourgh was an Inhabitant of this Province But went in the pay of the Massachusetts Government for which Reason your Petitioner Apprehended that what Pension Gratuity or allowance he might hope to Receive for this

Great misfortune of the Loss of his Arm Ought to be paid by the Massachusetts and Accordingly Petition'd that Court for Relief But was Denied Any because He Belonged to New Hampse I Would therefore Pray Your Excellency & Honours that you would take my Case into Consideration And Do what You may think proper that I may have Relief from the Place where it Ought to Come That if it appertains to this Province Your Excellency & Honours would Grant me Such As in Your Great Wisdom You shall think proper And if it doth not Appertain to this Province that you would Grant Me Such assistance as you shall think proper towards My obtaining of it that I may not be shut Entirely Out Between the two Provinces and Your Petitioner as in Duty Bound shall Ever Pray &c :

Robert miller In Council July the 16 1747 read & ordred to be Sent Down to the Honble House Theod' Atkinson Sery

[4-49]

[Supplies Sent to New Hampshire Soldiers, 1747.]

Inv° of Sundrys Shipt on board the Sloop Augustus Davd Dungham for New York Consign'd to Mr Gulian Verlank Merch there on Acct & Resque of ye Prove of New Hampshire & by order of Mr Secretary Atkinson to be reship'd by Mr Verplank for Albany to ye Adress there of Coll Johnson & Jn° Hen' Lydius Esqrs

One Large Case & one Bale Conta 8 pcs Blue Broad Cloth qt 187 yds @ 60/.

8

pcs

Boston July 15: 1747 –

p

cs half thick vizt 7 blue 1 red qt 262 yds best Sort 2 pcs Conta 30 Stript Duffell blankitts @ 80s A Large Case 8 Yds Crocus & Carts on board . Cash pd Capt Dungham fret to York.

£561,, 15,,

Como @5

C'.

Errors Excepted

209,, 12,, 160,,

5,, 8,,

II,, IO,, 47,, 8,, 3

£995,, 13,, 3

Sam Wentworth

Hipp'd by the Grace of God, in good Order and well Conditiond by Samuel Wentworth in and upon the good Sloop call'd the Augustus whereof is Master, under God, for this present voyage, David Dungham and now riding at Anchor in the Harbour of Boston and by God's Grace bound for New York to say, one Bale & one Case On Accot as Inv° & goes consigned to Mr Gulian Verplank to be reshipd for Albany to Coll° Johnson & J. H. Lydius Esqrs being mark'd