may have to involve the Colonies in a general Indian war. I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN PENN.

To Arthur St. Clair, Esquire, at Ligonier, in Westmoreland County.

P. S. My Commissioners who attended Lord Dunmore, could not induce him to come into any reasonable temporary line of jurisdiction, and therefore things must remain in the disagreeable situation of interfering jurisdictions. In this unhappy situation I am satisfied, you and the other Magistrates will act a prudent part. It is impossible in such a case to give particular directions. With respect to the keeping up the rangers you have raised for the security of the inhabitants, I shall recommend it to the Assembly to defray the expense that shall accrue in that necessary measure; and I cannot have the least doubt, that they will approve of what has been done on this occasion, as also the continuance of the same forces, until their sentiments can be known.

CORRESPONDECE LAID BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Ligonier, May 29, 1774.

SIR: The panic that has struck this country, threatening an entire depopulation thereof, induced me a few days ago to mate an execursion to Pittsburgh to see if it can be removed, and the desertion prevented.

The only probable remedy that offered was to afford the people the appearance of some protection. Accordingly Mr. Smith, Mr. Mackay, Mr. Butler, and some others of the inhabitants of Pittsburg, with Colonel Croghan and myself, entered into an association for the immediate raising an hundred men, to be employed as a ranging company, to cover the inhabitants in case of danger, to which association several of the Magistrates and other inhabitants have acceded and in a very few days they will be on foot.

We have undertaken to maintain them for one month, at the rate of one shilling and six pence a man per diem; this we will cheerfully discharge, at the same time we flatter ourselves that your Honour will approve the measure, and that the Government will not only relieve private persons from the burthen, but take effectual measures for the safety of this frontier, and this I am desired by the people in general to request of your Honour.

I am, sir, your most obedient, most humble servant,

AR. ST. CLAIR.

JOHN MONTGOMERY TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Carlisle, June 3, 1774.

HONOURABLE SIR; J am just returned from the back Country. I was up at the place where Courts, are held for Westmoreland County; I found the people there in great confusion and distress; many families returning to this side the mountains, others are about building of forts in order to make a stand, but they are in great want of ammunition and arms, and cannot get a sufficient supply in these parts. I wish some method would be taken to send a supply from Philadelphia; and unless they are speedily furnished with arms and ammunition they will be obliged to desert the country. There is a fine appearance of crops over the mountains, and could the people be protected in saving them, it would be of considerable, advantage, in case we should be involved in an Indian war, and obliged to raise troops, to be able to support them with provisions in that country. Captain St. Clair has wrote your Honour a full state of affairs in the back country, whose letter I send by express from this place.

I am, honourable sir, your Honour's most obedient humble servant,

JOHN MONTGOMERY.

To the Hon. John Penn, Esq., Governour and Commander-in-chief of the Province of Pennsylvania.

JOHN MONTGOMERY TO WILLIAM ALLEN, ESQ.

Carlisle, June 3, 1774.

HONOURABLE SIR: I have been lately over the mountains as far as Westmoreland Court House, about thirty miles this side of Pittsburgh. There is nothing to be seen but desolation and distress; hundreds of families are flying to the interior parts of the Province; those who would willingly make a stand are discouraged for want of ammunition and arms; which articles they cannot be Supplied in only from Philadelphia, and I beg you would use your endeavours with those gentlemen who have the disposing of the public money, if there be any to send a supply of arms and ammunition.

It is a pity to lose that fine country; I believe there will be an Indian war, and therefore we ought to be prepared for it in time; I make no doubt but the Governour will call the Assembly in order to take proper measures for the protection of our back country. It is certain that a party of Shawanese are out on the frontiers, and it is the general opinion that they will strike some part of Virginia. There is one Campbell killed near Newcomer's Town, and it is feared that the traders in the Shawanese country are cut off. White Eyes is returned to Fort Pitt, and says that the Delaware Indians are well disposed, but the Shawanese are determined on war. Mr. Croghan, I find, has deserted the Virginia cause, although I have little dependance on him, yet he is capable of doing mischief; a number of the principal people over the mountains have agreed to raise one hundred men to range from Fort Pitt to Ligonier. The inhabitants of what is called the town of Fort Pitt is about to stockade it in, and to have no connection with Mr. Conolly. A fort is to be built at Hanna's thirty miles this side Pittsburgh, one at Captain Proctor's, seven miles from Hanna's, and one at Ligonier, but the want of ammunition is a very great discouragement. There is a great number of men in that country, and I think were they properly encouraged would be able to make a stand. I flatter myself that you will exert yourself on this occasion.

I am, honourable sir, your very humble servant,

JOHN MONTGOMERY.

P. S. This and a letter for his Honour goes by express from this place. I hope his expenses will be paid by Government.

INDIAN INTELLIGENCE.

June 5, 1774.

Two messengers from the Newcomer's Town, arrived with an account that, five days ago, one Conner, a white man, who lives at the Snake's Town, upon Muskingum, had returned home from the place the traders were making their canoes, and informed that the traders were all safe to the number of twenty-five or thirty, and that the Shawanese had taken great pains in protecting them, and had sent them off with their peltry, with some of their young men, and some Delawares, to protect them upon their way up the river to Pittsburgh.

These messengers further say, that all their towns, as well as the Shawanese, are now quiet, and that their Chiefs have been strong enough to prevail over their rash and foolish men who wanted to take revenge upon the white people for their loss, except two small parties, consisting of thirteen men in the whole, who were friends to the Indians that suffered, and could not be restrained, though their Chiefs did every thing in their power to prevent them from the bad undertaking; that they hope that their brethren, the English, would not blame, or think that they countenance any evil that might be committed by those rash men, who have stole away from them to do mischief contrary to their Chiefs' desire, and were all chiefly Mingoes who have had the most friends Killed that one party has been out eleven days, and was to return in fifteen, and intended against that part of the river where their friends were put to death, or somewhere else upon Virginia below it. The above party have declared, as soon as they have taken revenge for their people, and returned, that they would then set down and listen to their Chiefs.

The above messengers say, that the day they left home a runner came from five Cherokees that were to be in the day following, upon business, and that the Delawares would inform us of it as soon as it was known. And that, also, they heard that one of the before mentioned parties who had gone to take revenge upon the white people, was returned, and had killed one man.