Page:Annals of Augusta County.djvu/80

 shall, after review, be received into the service, and be paid their enlisting money."

The ensign left to hold the fort was William Wright. The Governor wrote to him on the i2th, instructing him "to keep a good look out," to be exact in his duties, to make short excursions from the fort, and to apply to Colonel Fatten, in case of danger, to have some of his militia ready at an hour's warning.

The apathy of other colonies was a great affliction to the Virginia Governor. He wrote to Lord Halifax, February, 24, 1755: "But my heart is grieved, and I want words to express the obdurate and inconsistent behaviour of our neighboring colonies, not as yet awakened from their lethargy, North Carolina only excepted, who have voted £5,000 for the expedition. Maryland Assembly now silting. Pennsylvania Assembly adjourned without voting one farthing."

Where Andrew Lewis was and what doing from February 12, 1755, till the fall of that year, we cannot ascertain. Although ordered by the Governor, in February, to proceed with most of his company to Winchester, he could not have accompanied General Braddock on his disastrous expedition. In a letter to Colonel Stephen, April 12, 1755, the Governor refers to Captain Lewis as if he were not then at Cumberland, but he was probably in the vicinity of that place. Writing to Lewis himself, however, July 8th, he says: "You was ordered to Augusta with your company to protect the frontier of that county. We have lately a messenger from thence giving an account of some barbarous murders committed on Holston's river, which has greatly intimidated the settlers. Colonel Patton being here he carries up blank commissions for officers to raise one company of rangers of 50 men, for the further protection of the inhabitants. I, therefore, desire you will correspond with the above gentleman, and if occasion is, he has orders to send for you to assist in defeating the designs of these wicked murderers." But in a letter to Colonel Patton, on the 8th, he says: "Inclosed you have a letter to Captain Lewis, which please forward to him. I think he is at Green Brier; and another letter to Lieutenant Wright, who I think is at Holston's river."

Lieutenant Wright seems to have gone from his former post—the fort built by Lewis—to Holston river, and the Governor was dissatisfied on account of the poor speed he made. Writ-