From George Washington to Henry Bouquet, 13 June 1758
To Henry Bouquet
Connogochieg [Md.] 13th June 1758
Sundry matters on which Colo. Bouquets directions is desird.1
As the 22th Inst. is fixd upon for me to begin my March from Winchester2 I am in hopes we shall all be ready for that purpose—but if I shoud not be able to get Arms and Blankets for the Men—are we to wait any longer for them, or to march of at all events?3
After the first division of Colo. Birds Regiment has Marchd to Fort Cumberland with me—are his remaining Companies to follow after as fast as they can? or are they to remain & escort up Provisions as shall be found most advisable?
If we find it impractacable to get a sufficient No. of Arms repaird in time to furnish the two Virga Regiments, & the Militia Compa. of Prince William, have we in that case liberty to make up the difficiency with the Maryland Arms? Or must we forbear touching them altogether?
Is not Colo. Bird to March with the first division of his Regt? who is to be left to see that the remainder follow, & execute the orders that may be given them?
How many of the Sick & lame of the Virginia Troops shoud be left in Garrison at Fort Loudoun? & shoud any of them be posted at Edwards[,] Pearsalls &ca in order to keep open the Communication for Expresses at least?
What method is best, to provide our Troops with Powder Horns and Shot Pouches? will their be time to Order them to be made at Philadelphia, & sent from thence to Fort Cumberland by the first Convoy?
Is the Troop of light Horse to March to Fort Cumberland with me, or not?4
am I to distribute the 200 Hatchets that lye at this place among my Men so soon as they come to hand?
Go: Washington
ADS, British Museum: Add. MSS 21658. GW enclosed in this memorandum his sketch of the “Frontiers of Virginia” from Winchester to Fort Cumberland showing the important streams and mountain ranges as well as the forts at “Edwards’s,” “Pearsals,” “Cocks’s,” and “Ashby’s.”
1. GW returned to Fort Loudoun at Winchester from Williamsburg on or before 9 June. He left with St. Clair to go up to Conococheague on 11 June and got back to Fort Loudoun on the night of 13 June. Bouquet, who arrived at Conococheague from Pennsylvania on 12 June, conferred for a few hours with GW, Gov. Horatio Sharpe, and St. Clair and left immediately. See Bouquet to Forbes, 14 June, in , 2:87–89. Bouquet’s answers to these queries, dated 13 June.
2. See St. Clair’s orders to GW, this date. St. Clair indicates that 24 June was the date set for GW to march.
3. Bouquet’s memorandum for GW of this date is a point-by-point response to the inquiries made here, and St. Clair’s orders to GW, also of this date, incorporate the points made in Bouquet’s memorandum.
4. Bouquet’s answer to this question does not appear in his responses of 13 June, but his “Articles agreed upon at Conegogee the 12th June 1758” includes this item: “The Virginia Light Horse the 24d march towd Cumberland” (, 2:79–80), and St. Clair’s Orders to GW of this date, 13 June, confirm this. In fact, Stewart and his troop were not ready to march when GW left Fort Loudoun with his detachment on 24 June. For the formation of Stewart’s troop, see GW to St. Clair, 23 June, n.2.