324

PAPERS RELATING TO FORT STANWIX.

The Breadth & Dept of the Ditch must be considered in Proportion for the Earth wanted to formthe said Parrapet, and to cover the Loggwork of the Proposed Barracks Magazines & Storehousesto be made under the Rampart.

His Excellency General Abercrombie is pleased to Observe in His Letter of the 16 of July to thefollowing Purpot—that He does not find himself vested with y e Power of Building Forts, and thatHis Excellency does not think that it would be right for Him to Undertake the Building of thoseHe proposed &c. &c.

I humbly conceive that the Plan Ordered for the Post at Oneida Carrying Place is in all Respectsand Circumstances to be considered as a Fort, as it partakes not only of the Figure, and therespective parts of a Fort, but even of the Parmanent Intentions of a Fortress, as must clearly appearby considering all the Particulars Ordered in that Plan, the Materials of which it is Ordered To beBuilt with being only peculiar to the Country and Scituation, and can no ways affect the Intentionof that Work, and as to its capacity in point of Size, and the proper Strength requisite in the Execu-tion, when considered, it is Ordered To be made, a good Post for 200 Men to 400 men I should thinkit my Duty to execute it with Propriety, Care, and Attention, in order that it might answer the endproposed—That of Covering that part of the Country.

How tar this can be executed (allowing it only to be looked upon as a Post instead of it’s abso-lutely partaking of all the Quality’s & Intentions of a Fort) to answer the end proposed, of havingit finished against the Winter must appearby Considering

First It will be near the end of this month before ’twill be begun upon

2 dl y How soon the Winter setts in in that part of the country.

3 J 'y The great Quantity of Carpenters Work to be executed in Logging and Braceing at least1420 Ft: Exterior Circuit by 14 feet high, besides the Retaining Logg Work, and the FrontLoggwork towards the Interior Area, togather with covering the Barracks , Storehouses and Maga-zines with Loggs under the Rampart, all this being composed of Heavy Workmanship, besides theLodging for the officers, and Storehouse for Indian Goods

4 th1 y The Consequences that may attend this Post being attacked If only half or two-thirdscompleated

And lastly, The Practibility of executing this post before the Winter sets in, Must still furtherbe judged, not only by the number of artificers that would be Requisite to Compleat it in due time,but by considering it is one of the Reasons inter alia His Excellency General Abercrombie HimselfGives for laying aside the Scheme of Building a Fort there—By observing as follows “ Besideswhen I recollect how far the Season is advanced and that is not likely, that by beginning a Fort*now it would be finished against the Winter & consiquently not of the Use proposed,”

N. B: The Exterior Circuite of Fort Edward is nearly 1569 Ft: And as I am informed tooknearly Two Seasons to build it. And the Exterior Circuite of the Fort proposed will be nearly1420 Ft.

GENL. ABERCROMBIE TO GEN STANWIX.

Sir Having been told that you had been obliged to incamp your Troops at Schenectady , thro’Reason of the Present shallowness of the Muhawk River, where it is said you cannot even yet getup light Batteaus w ch will have prevented your forwarding the Tools and materials necessary forBuilding at the Oneida Carrying Place the Post or Fort I directed by my letters of the 16 and 23 aIns 1 , should be forthwith built there.

* I beg it maybe remembered that I have concluded the Post Ordered is to be a Fort.