182711From George Washington to Colin Campbell, 2 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
The Army under the Comd of G: Braddock has met with an fortunate defeat, ⟨ erasure ⟩ un⟨ erasure ⟩ which has occasioned my retn much sooner than was ⟨ erasure ⟩from the Ohio; expectd⟨.⟩ This circumstance enables me ⟨ erasure ⟩ full time to ⟨ erasure ⟩ order s the Militia of the several Countys in my district, to meet me; on the days I have appointed.
182712From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Peters, [c. 1 August 1755] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The House is not yet together: But the Speaker and a Number of the Members are of Opinion that a Common Messenger will be sufficient to carry the Letters; and are not inclin’d that any Gentlemen should be charg’d with them in Behalf of the Publick. They hope the Colonel does not mean to come to Philadelphia but only into this Province, to be near the...
182713A Parable against Persecution, [July 1755] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Miss Ailsa Joan Mary Dick-Cunyngham, Prestonfield House, Edinburgh (1955) Written in the style of the King James Version of the Bible, the Parable against Persecution was one of Franklin’s pleasantest hoaxes, affording him and his friends much amusement. He wrote it at least as early as the summer of 1755 and took copies of it and other ephemeral pieces to England when he went over two...
182714A Parable on Brotherly Love, [July 1755] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society; also copy: Liverpool Record Office In a letter to Benjamin Vaughan, Nov. 2, 1789, Franklin discussed his “Chapter of Abraham and the Stranger” (see immediately above) and then went on to say: “When I wrote that in the form you now have it, I wrote also another, the hint of which was also taken from an ancient Jewish tradition; but, not having the same...
182715From George Washington to Benjamin Grymes, 31 July 1755 (Washington Papers)
I do n’t remember not recollect to have receivd more than one letter from you, and that I shoud have answerd sooner ; but knowing that I cou’d give you no satisfactory acct myself, of your Bed &ca, I thought it more advisable to desire Doctr Walker to enquire of Mr Gist, and of Colo. Cresap (at whose Ho. I perfectly remember the great Tent was left) concerning them, and to let you know their...
182716Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 28 July 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), p. 117. Col. Thomas Dunbar, commander of Braddock’s army after the defeat on the Monongahela, decided to withdraw his demoralized troops instead of making a new attack from Fort Cumberland, and on July 16 informed Governor Morris that he planned to bring two regiments into winter quarters at...
182717From Benjamin Franklin to Daniel Fisher, 28 July 1755 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , XVII (1893), 275–6. Till our new building is finished, which I hope will be in two or three weeks, I have no room to accommodate a clerk. But it is my intention to have one, though my business is so small that I cannot afford to give more than I have always given, Viz.: Diet at my own Table, with Lodging and...
182718Alexander Colden to James Parker, 28 July 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Archives By the Phi: Post received the Inclosed from Mr. Franklin which he desired me to forward to you and to desire you to forward it imediately by this post to Mr. Chew requesting him to forward it to Mr. Franklin at Boston. He writes “the Substance of the letter may be printed but not entire as we have not the Governors leave to whom it was directed. At least the...
182719From George Washington to Robert Orme, 28 July 1755 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at Home the day before yesterday, without meeting with an Egachee, or any other remarkable event. I calld at Belhaven on purpose ly to acquaint Majr Carlyle with your desire, who will use all possible means to procure a Vessel though I fear it will be somewhat difficult to do it at present, as the Shipping have are most of them employ’d, in transporting the Tobo from the difft...
182720To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 July 1755 (Washington Papers)
The dismal Defeat of our Forces by such a handful of Men gives me very great Concern, as also for the Death of the Genl & so many brave Officers entirely owing to the dastardly Spirit of the private Men their Panick I suppose made them deaf to all Commands & in course was the Bane of all our Misfortunes[.] The train of Artillery being in the Enemy’s Possessn is a monstrous Misfortune; however...