To George Washington from Hugh Mercer, 15 September 1758
From Hugh Mercer
Camp at Reas Town 15th Sept. 1758
Sir
I have the Pleasure to inform you that General Forbes arrived Yesterday at Juniata Crossing, and is looked for here by twelve OClock; It is but this minute I understood he had left Fort Loudoun; It seems the Generals health exceeds our Expectations, as he bears the Journey well & has proceeded with great expedition these two days past.1
Your Letters were forwarded immediatly on my receiving them2 some live stock will be sent by the Return of the Party of Virga Troops from hence & I proposd conveying you a Quantity of Flour under the same Escort, but am prevented by an unexpected demand from our advanced Posts; Col. Bouquets anxiety on account of supplies of provisions oblidges me to employ even the Artillery Horses for transporting the flour3—I mention this, that what Horses or Waggons can be mustered up at Cumberland may be sent up if you find a further Supply necessary. I am Sir, Your most obedt humble St
Hugh Mercer
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Juniata Crossing was one of the stopping places between Fort Loudoun, Pa., and Raystown on Bouquet’s road.
2. See GW’s letter to Hugh Mercer, 9 Sept., telling him of the shortage of provisions at Fort Cumberland. See also Mercer to GW, 11 September.
3. Lt. James Sinclair, Forbes’s assistant deputy quartermaster general, wrote to Bouquet, 13 Sept. 1758, that he had on this day sent to Loyalhanna from Raystown “two & twenty Waggons of which fourteen are loaded with pork, four with Indian Corn, three with Oats and one with Whisky likewise Eighty pack horses loaded with flower, which is all we can muster up at present, having been oblidged to send six and thirty with a suply of flower to fort Cumberland” (Stevens, , 2:497–98). Bouquet’s missing letters of 13 Sept. to Sinclair and to Mercer, or his letter of 14 Sept. to Mercer ordering him to use “every Horse” at Raystown to bring flour and bread to Loyalhanna, must have diverted the “six and thirty” intended for Fort Cumberland (ibid., 498). See also Mercer to Bouquet, Sinclair to Bouquet, both 14 Sept., ibid., 505–7.