Dear Sir:

I am sorry I have the Occasion to write You of the Defeat of our Forces on the Monongahela under the Com'd of Gen'l B——k. Copy of the two enclos'd Let's will give You the Particulars thereof. Y'r Son was not in the Engagem't, but was with Colo. Dunbar by some stink'g Weeds in the Woods. Y'r Son's Sight is hurt, but he will soon recover it. If Mr. Glen, agreeable to promise, had prevail'd over a Number of the Cherokee and Catawba Warriors to join our Forces we should not in all probability been defeat'd, as they w'd have attack'd the Ind's in their Bush way of fight'g, w'ch the Regulars are Strangers to; but by Y'r Let'r of the 7th of y's Mo. y't Gent. had a meet'g with those two Nat's of Ind's at the very time they sh'd have join'd our Forces. He has all along, I think, done every Thing contrary to his Duty and the Serv'ce of the Expedit'n. The Forces y't rem'n are all ret'd to F't Cumb'l'd, and as there are three Mo's wherein they may do Business, I have wrote Colo. Dunbar, who now Com'ds them under Gen'l Shirley, y't I have call'd our Assembly to meet Tuesday come Week, y't if he will make another Attempt over the Mount's I can promise him a Reinforcem't of four or 500 Men in less than a Mo., but I fear that there is such a Panick among the People y't they will not venture again.

The Loss of our Artillery is monstrous, as they undoubtedly will turn them ag'st us, tho' they destroy'd a great many y't were with Co. Dunbar.

P. S.—It's natural to believe these Banditti will endeav'r to Rob and murder our frontier Settlem'ts. I therefore have three Compa's of Rangers to oppose their Wicked Designs.