WILLIAM THOMPSON TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Cumberland County, June 19, 1774.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: By James Caveat, Esquire, who is just come down from Westmoreland, there is a certain account of a number of people being killed by the Indians, on the west side of the Monongahela river. Mr. Caveat was on his way to Philadelphia, (believing the Assembly was setting,) to lay the indifferent situation of the people of Westmoreland before your Honour, and the Assembly, and to pray the aid of Government in said country, otherwise, it must be entirely evacuated.

They have at their own risk raised two hundred men, which are stationed in the best manner that number will admit of, to guard their frontier; but they are only raised for one month; and indeed these poor people are not able to pay that expense, much less are they in a condition to support troops for any length of time.

I took the earliest opportunity of acquainting the people over the hills of your friendship towards them, in procuring without loss of time, a quantity of arms and ammunition, which was now on the way up for their use, and also assured them that you would do every tiling on your part for their preservation, and hoped the like disposition would be found in the Assembly if called on for assistance.

As that part of the country was entirely without ammunition, Mr. Montgomery and myself purchased and sent off, about ten days since, all the powder and lead we could get in Carlisle, which I expect is safe up before this.

It is said the Indians have fixed a boundary betwixt the Virginians and us, and say, that they will not kill or touch a Pennsylvanian. But it will be best not to trust them, and I am doubtful, a short time will show to the contrary.

I am, your Honour's most obedient, and very humble servant,

WILLIAM THOMPSON.

To the Honourable John Penn, Esquire.

LORD DUNMORE TO CAPAIN JOHN CONOLLY.

Williamsburg, June 20, 1774.

SIR: I have received your letter of the 8th instant, by express. I am sorry to hear of the murders committed by the Indians, but hope the prudent steps you have taken, will put a stop to further cruelties of that kind. I entirely approve of the measure you have taken of building a fort at Wheeling, and also of marching into the Shawanese Towns, if you think you have a sufficient force; and I desire you will keep a constant correspondence with Colonel Andrew Lewis, that you may co-operate in such measures as may be thought effectual. I hope you will prevail on the Delawares, and the well affected part of the Mingoes, to move off from the Shawanese.

It is highly necessary that you continue at Fort Dunmore, and I think therefore, that you could not do better than send Captain William Crawford with what men you can spare to join him, and to co-operate with Colonel Lewis, or to strike a stroke himself, if he thinks he can do it with safety. I know him to be prudent, active, and resolute, and therefore very fit to go on such an expedition, and if any thing of that kind can be effected, the sooner it is done the better. I refer you to my letter by Captain Penticost, by whom I sent you some blank commissions.

I would recommend it to all officers going out on parties to make as many prisoners as they can of women and children; and should you be so fortunate as to reduce those savages to sue for peace, I would not grant it to them on any terms, till they were effectually chastised for their insolence, and then on no terms, without bringing in six of their heads as hostages for their future good behaviour, and these to be relieved annually, and that they trade with us only for what they may want. I am, &c.,

DUNMORE.

To Captain Conolly.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Ligonier, June 22, 1774.

SIR: In my last I informed you of Mr. Croghan setting out for Williamsburg, since which I had a letter from him from his own house. He therein informed me that he found the country so much alarmed at his going down, that he chose to return, and trust his business to letters, and desired to see me as soon as possible, Accordingly I set out for Pittsburgh, the 17th instant, and had the happiness to find two of the principal traders arrived there with a great quantity of peltry, and that they had been conducted there by some of the Shawanese Chiefs, and that the rest of the traders, with their horses and skins, were got as far as the Newcomer's Town, under the protection of another Shawanese party.

The traders inform us that they have met with no ill treatment from the Shawanese; but on the contrary, they were at the greatest pains to protect them from the Mingoes, who had suffered most from the white people, and who came to their towns several times with the intention to murder them. It seems they did not think it prudent to bring the Shawanese to Pittsburgh, but conducted them from some distance below that place, through the woods to Colonel Croghan's. Mr. Conolly ordered out a party of forty men to make them prisoners, as he says.

The people of the town were alarmed at seeing a party march out the rout they took, and suspected they were intended to attack a party of our people stationed at the Bullock Pens, about seven miles from thence, which it seems has some time been threatened, and acquainted me with what they feared. I immediately waited on Mr. Conolly, and insisted in direct terms, he should tell me if he had any such design. He assured me he had not, but that as the Shawanese had committed depredations on his Majesty's subjects, he had ordered out that party to make those prisoners who had escorted the traders; and that might have been his real intention; but I am convinced those who were to put it in execution would not have made prisoners. We put it out of their power to do either, by sending them over the river.

Your Honour will judge from this circumstance that the crew about Fort Pitt, (now Fort Dunmore,) are intent on a war, for were not that the case, honour, generosity, gratitude, every manly principle, must have prompted them to be kind, and afford protection to those poor savages, who had risked their own lives to preserve the lives and property of their fellow-subjects; but why need I mention this circumstance, one at least as strong is that John Drinning, who publicly acknowledged, or rather boasted, of having killed the Indians, with Mr. Cresap, is one of Mr. Conolly's Lieutenants, and is at the present time out some where with the command of a party to take scalps, from friends I suppose; a murderer, I am sure, will never meet an enemy on fair terms.

I mentioned something of a condolence in my last, and as the Shawanese were up, I suffered myself to be persuaded by Mr. Croghan to collect a small present of goods for that purpose, which was on Sunday morning to have been divided and sent to the three nations, the Six Nations, Shawanese, and Delawares; but Mr. Conolly's frolic prevented it that day. Next morning, the Indians, being some Six Nations, and some Delawares, were brought down to Mr. Croghan's and were shown the condolence, and acquainted that it was ordered for them by you, and that when their Chiefs arrived they would be spoke to, and the present delivered, and a messenger was sent after the Shawanese to acquaint them likewise. As the Indians themselves make a distinction betwixt us and our neighbours, it may perhaps be a means of keeping peace in our quarter at least. I hope your Honour will not be offended at my taking this upon myself. The value of the goods is but trifling, not exceeding thirty or forty pounds. I have inclosed a list of them, but the person from whom I got them neglected to affix the prices.

Whatever may be Mr. Croghan's real views, I am certain he is hearty in promising the general tranquillity of the country, indeed, he is indefatigable in endeavouring to make up the breaches, and does, I believe, see his mistake in opposing the interests of your Government; and I doubt not but a very little attention would render him as serviceable as ever. Real friendship you must not expect, for, by his interest alone he is regulated, yet he may be useful, as by and by you will probably want to make another purchase. I purposely gave him an opportunity of opening a correspondence with me, which he embraced, and from what I can see, he would be glad to be on better terms