From George Washington to Henry Bouquet, 7 August 1758
To Henry Bouquet
Camp at Fort Cumberland 7th Augt 1758
Dr Sir
Captn Waggoner with 50 Men & 19 Waggon’s wait upon you for Provisions agreeable to my Yesterday’s Return.1
A Letter which I have just receivd from Mr Walker tells me, that the Convoy may be expected at Pearsalls the 15th; and desires that the Escort (already consisting of 75 Men) may be reinforcd; as the Waggon’s and Cattle will cover a large space of Ground.2
Pray what will you have done with those Waggons when they come up, also with these now going for Provision’s when they return from Rays Town.3
I was this Instt favourd with your’s pr Express⟨.⟩ I am not surprizd to hear the Enemy are about, but was greatly so to find them idle so long4—I shall this moment send out a Party to waylay the Road. I am pleasd you have directed it, I wrote for leave to do the same thing Yesterday.5
Inclosd is a Return of the Shott &ca that have been brought to this place since my arrival here.6 I am Dr Sir Yr most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, British Museum: Add. MSS 21641 (Bouquet Papers); LB (original), DLC:GW; LB (recopied), DLC:GW.
1. The return of provisions enclosed in GW’s letter of 6 Aug. is missing. On 8 Aug. Bouquet wrote Forbes: “Tomorrow I am sending seventeen wagonloads of flour to Cumberland, where they have no more, and at the same time I shall have the munitions brought here which are there” (, 2:335–39). Thomas Waggener was a senior captain in GW’s 1st Virginia Regiment.
2. Commissary Thomas Walker’s letter has not been found, but see GW to Walker, 11 Aug., and Walker to GW, 14 August. The wagon train did not arrive at GW’s camp until 23 Aug. (GW to Bouquet, 24 Aug.). Walker was commissary for the two Virginia regiments.
3. See John St. Clair to GW, 9 Aug., in which St. Clair, General Forbes’s deputy commissary general with rank of lieutenant colonel in the 60th Regiment, gives instructions for the wagons to be loaded with ammunition and sent back to Raystown, Pa., where the main body of Bouquet’s forces was stationed. See also Bouquet to GW, 10 August.
4. Bouquet’s letter has not been found. On 8 Aug. Bouquet wrote Forbes: “Yesterday I had word that three sutlers’ wagons which were going from Juniata to Fort Littleton without escort, were attacked beyond Sideling Hill by nine Indians who scalped two wagoners and took two prisoners. And I learned just now that one of our convoys, coming here escorted by only thirteen men, was attacked on this side of the same mountain, and had two soldiers wounded. On hearing of the first, I sent out a party of thirteen Indians and seven volunteers to cut them off by an ambush on the Frankstown road. Another party of eight Indians and five volunteers with an officer from Virginia has marched in the direction of Venango, with orders to take a position on the communication with the fort and to try to discover if there is not a hidden camp. A third party is on the route beyond Loyal Hannon. A fourth is going straight to the fort, and I have written to Colonel Washington to push one ahead on Braddock’s route to stay there in ambush. I hope that we shall encounter some party, and if some of their men can be killed, that will make them more cautious” (, 2:335–39).
5. See GW to Bouquet, 6 Aug., n.7.
6. The return of ammunition has not been found, but see St. Clair’s listing of musket balls and shells to be sent from Fort Cumberland to Raystown in thirty-nine wagons (St. Clair to GW, 9 Aug.).