The Washington herald., 1910-04-24

ter TO William Fairfax. member Of the
Kings Council in Virginia, urging him
TO dssuade Governor Dinwiddie from his
purpose Of sending an expedition for a
campaign against the French on the
Ohio during the ensuing autumn and
winter.
The letter Of the next day to lines
was probably also written AT AleXan-
dria. On its reverse side. beginning
close at the TOP Of the sheet, Washing
ton wrote his description Of the Potomac
apparently in much haste, with many
interlined additions. shorter insertions by
Carets, and frequent words crossed out,
others being substituted as preferable.
The description. with comment on the
river navigation, overran that side Of the
sheet. so that il was finished by inter-
lined writing on the upper part OF the
opposite side.
The military letter and It's postscript
are as follows:
l2th Of August. I7a
Honble Sir:
Since writing n Ezrress I have considered and
find IL better 70 delay the other 20 Williamsburg
TIL you sig1Ife your Sentiments to me on this
head. that I may b. guided thereby and write
nothing Inconsistent with what you may represent
or advise: ] should therefore hope you wiu ac-
quaint me fully with your Opinion of this Affair
ard send your DISPATCHES 90 any 10 tho Cover
uourl Ly the return q this Messenger 20 take
the sane conveyance with mine that goes by an
! Officer who l shall send 70 receive the needful
for Recruiting II yoU think i advisable 20 order
nc In tho shattered Condition we are In 10
march MP 20 yen. ! will. il 10 more than ten Men
follows me (which believe win be the full amount
II 10 Is agreeable 90 you I should be glad 20 know
what State your Regiment is in as I hear some
Of yo':r Men arc infected with the same disorders
that ours arc possessd Of
am Your most iible Servant
G Washington.
forget 70 mention II ny lst ye great difficulty
OF getting Wagons that cannot be removed but by
| purchasing enough for that use. When We were
ont ] scnc express after express and desired 70
have the artillery sent and was answered that a
Wagon copd not be hired for times the Value.
Washington's observations and nara
ton of the canoe trip are as follows.
! The last part. including Bridge from
whence" and forward, Is interlined With
the previous military part Of The letter:
Sir:
Your desire. added to my own curiosity
! engaged me the last time was in
Frederick to return down by Water to
| discover the Navigation Of Potomack-
| the following are the observations 1
mad thereupon. l made in that Trip-
/ From the mouth Of Patersons Creek 10
the begg of Shannondoah Falls there is
/ no other obstacle than the shalIowa4ss
OF the Water TO prevent Craft from pass
| ing-The first of those Falls is also even
and shallow but swift and continues so
with interruptions of Rocks 10 what is
known by the Spout web is a mile &
| half-from this ['l their is Rocky swift
{ and very uneven water for near miles,
in which distant there are Falls, the
! first Of which is tolerably clear Of Rocks
but shallow yet may be much amended
/ by digging a Channel on We Maryland
side. abt miles from this, and y mile
! below We mouth of Shannondoah is what
they call the Spout, which is the
great (& indd almost the only difficulty
Of we whole Il has a considerable Fall
we water being confined shoots with
great Rapldity & adds much to the diff
\ ficulty is the bottom being exceeding
Rocky occasions a Ripping so prodigious
that none but boats or large canoes can
/ pass-The canoe / was in which was not
new had near sunk having received much