From George Washington to Henry Bouquet, 19 August 1758
To Henry Bouquet
Camp at Fort Cumberland Augt 19th 1758
Dear Sir
This afternoon the Party Commanded by Capt. McKinzie return’d without being able to discover anything of the Enemy’s motions, they waylaid the Road for several days near the great Crossings and intended to have advanc’d quite to that Post, had not their Provisions entir’ly spoil’d, notwithstanding every method and the utmost pains for it’s preservation was taken; some of their advanc’d Sentrys had nearly kill’d a small Party of 3 Cherrokee Indians, returning from War—this small Party went from hence upwards of six weeks ago1 and this is the 4th Day since they left Fort DuQuesne, the Environs of which they long watch’d, at length was oblig’d to cross the Ohio, where they kill’d two Squaws, whose Scalps they brought in here; they say there are a good many women & Children on that side the River, but very few men either French or Indians at the Fort—Capt. McKinzie says there’s no signs of the Enemy’s having been lately on G. Braddock’s Road so far as he proceed on it, Serjeant Scot and 4 private of his Party went on to Fort Du Quesne so soon as they return will transmit you any Intelligence they may procure.2
I should be extremely glad to receive some Bacon or Salt Provisions of some kind, without which it will be impossible for any Party I can send out to answer the propos’d end.
The Convoy from Winchester was yesterday at the North River (five days March for them from hence) so that we cannot expect them in less than 5 or 6 days especially as they lost some horses.3 I am with Regard Dear Sir Your Most Obt Hume Servant
Go: Washington
A Party of Abt 90 Marylanders under Captn Beal Escorting a few Store Waggons, is this Momt arriv’d—I shall forward them to Rays Town to morrow agreable to Sir Jno. St Clairs Order’s.4 Yrs &ca
Go: Washington
LS, British Museum: Add. MSS 21641 (Bouquet Papers); LB (original), DLC:GW; LB (recopied), DLC:GW. This is one of the very few surviving letters from GW signed but not written by him during the French and Indian War. The postscript is in GW’s hand. The material in the postscript is included in the last paragraph of the body of the letter in the original letter book. This suggests two possibilities. It may be that on the Marylanders’ arrival GW added the postscript to the letter his clerk had already written. In that case, GW must have made his letter-book copy from the clerk’s letter, incorporating his postscript in the body of the letter. Or, it is possible that GW’s clerk inadvertently omitted the material appearing in the postscript when he was making his copy from the letter book, and GW then added the omitted words to the letter he sent to Bouquet. The back of the document has in Bouquet’s hand the notation, “150 at Loudoun,” “300 at Phil.,” “700 at Winchester,” and “200 ordered,” with the total of “1350.”
1. GW refers to this party of Indians on 16 July in a letter to Bouquet.
2. Charles Scott, a native-born Virginian from Albemarle County, enlisted in the Virginia Regiment in October 1755 when he was only 16 or 17 years old. Scott set out on a second mission to Fort Duquesne in late August (GW to Bouquet, 2 Sept.).
3. The wagon train arrived four days later.
4. See St. Clair to GW, 9 August. See also the source note above. Joshua Beall was a captain in the Maryland forces.