were employed in scouring the country, were ge. nerally eluded, or attacked to advantage. In one of these skirmishes, immediately in the neighbourhood of a stockade, the Americans were totally routed, and captain Mercer killed. Such was the confidence of the enemy, that the smaller forts were very frequently assaulted, and they had repeated skirmishes* with such scouting parties, as they fell in with. The people either abandoned the country, or attempted to secure themselves in small stockade forts, where they were in great distress for provisions, arms, and ammunition; were often surrounded, and sometimes cut off. With this state of things, colonel Washington was deeply affected. "I see their situation,' said he, in a letter to the lieutenant governor,

know their danger, and participate their sufferings, without having it in my power to give them 'further relief than uncertain promises. In short, I see inevitable destruction in so clear a light, that, unless vigorous measures are taken by the assembly, and speedy assistance sent from below;

* In one of these skirmishes, Mr. Donville, an ensign in the French service was killed, and in his pocket were found the orders given him by Dumas, the commandant on the Ohio, in which he was directed to pass fort Cumberland, to harass the convoys, and, if possible, to burn the magazines at Conogagees. To the honour of Dumas, particular instructions were given, to restrain the Indians, as far as should be in his power, from murdering those who should fall into their hands. Unfortunately, obedience to such orders could seldom be enforced.

the poor inhabitants now in forts must unavoidably fall, while the remainder are flying before the barbarous foe. In fine, the melancholy situation of the people, the little prospect of assistance, the gross and scandalous abuses cast upon the officers in general, which is reflecting on me in particular for suffering misconduct of such extraordinary kind, and the distant prospect, if any, of gaining reputation in the service; cause me to lament the hour that gave me a commission, and would induce me, at any other time than this of imminent danger, to resign, without one hesitating moment, a command, from which I never expect to reap either honour or benefit: but on the contrary, have almost an absolute certainty of incurring displeasure below, while the murder of helpless families may be laid to my account here.

"The supplicating tears of the women, and moving petitions of the men, melt me with such deadly sorrow, that I solemnly declare, if I know my own mind, I could offer myself a willing sacrifice to the butchering enemy, provided that would contribute to the people's ease.”

Colonel Washington had been prevented from taking post at fort Cumberland, (the extreme position towards the enemy held by the Americans, where the largest number of troops were stationed,) by an unfortunate and extraordinary difficulty, growing out of an obscurity in the royal orders, respecting the relative rank of officers commissioned by the king, and those commissioned by his governor. A captain Dagworthy,

who was at that place, and of the former description, insisted on taking the command, although it had been committed to lieutenant colonel Stevens, and, on the same principle he contested the rank of colonel Washington also. This circumstance had retained that officer at Winchester, where there were public stores to a considerable amount, with only about fifty men to guard them. In the deep distress of the moment, a council of war was called to determine whether he should march this small body to some of the nearest forts, and uniting with their petty garrisons, risk an action with the enemy; or wait until the militia could be raised. It was unanimously advised to continue at Winchester, to protect the public stores, and the inhabitants of that place. Lord Fairfax, who commanded the militia of that and the adjacent counties, had ordered them to his assistance; but they were slow in assembling; and he complained that the unremitting exertion of three days in the county of Frederick could only produce twenty men.

The incompetency of the military force to the defence of the country had become so obvious, that the assembly determined to augment the regiment to fifteen hundred men, by adding to the number of privates in each company: and as it had become apparently impracticable to complete it by voluntary enlistment, orders were given to draft the men required, out of the militia, and that the drafts should serve until the following December.

In a letter addressed to the speaker of the house of burgesses, colonel Washington urged the necessity of increasing the regiment still further to two thousand men, a less number than which,

could not possibly, in his opinion, be sufficient to cover the very extensive frontier of Virginia, if the present defensive system should be adhered to; and he expressed his apprehensions, that without artillery and engineers, or assistance from Britain, or the neighbouring colonies, they would be unable to act offensively, and to drive the French from fort du Quesne, which was said to be regularly fortified. To prove that less than two thousand men could afford no real protection to the country, he represented its actual situation, and stated the number of men which would be necessary to garrison the chain of forts, which must be indispensably kept up, so long as the French maintained their position on the Ohio. In making this statement, he observed that, with the exception of a few inhabitants forted in on the south branch of Potowmack, the north mountain near Winchester had become the frontier; and that without effectual aid, the inhabitants would even pass the Blue Ridge. He also recommended the erection of a fort at Winchester, and that the regiment should be organized into two battalions, to consist of ten companies of one hundred men each. His propositions, except that for increasing the regiment to two thousand men, were generally acceded to. In this letter, he observed, that the woods seemed "alive with French and Indians,"

and again described so feelingly the situation of the inhabitants, that the assembly requested the governor, to order out half the militia of the adjoining counties to their relief: and the attorney general, (Mr. Peyton Randolph) formed a company of one hundred gentlemen, who engaged as volunteers to make the campaign. Ten well trained woodsmen, or Indians, would have rendered more service.

The distress of the country increased. As had been foreseen, Winchester became almost the only settlement on the northern frontier beyond the Blue Ridge; and fears were entertained that the enemy would soon pass even those mountains, and ravage the country below them. Express after express was sent to hasten the militia, but sent in vain. At length, about the last of April, the French and their savage allies, laden with plunder, prisoners, and scalps, returned to fort du Quesne.

Some short time after their retreat, the militia appeared. This temporary increase of strength was employed in searching the country for small parties of Indians who lingered behind the main body, and in making the best dispositions to repel another invasion. A fort was commenced at Winchester, which, in honour of the general who was ordered to take command of the British troops in America, was called fort Loudoun; and the perpetual remonstrances of colonel Washington to the assembly, were at length so far successful, that the laws for the government of the Virginia forces were rendered rather more effective.