New York 19th. January 1761—

Sir,

I am this day favored with Your Letter of the 25th. November last, from Wilmington, Acquainting me that the Assembly was then Sitting, and Considering the granting an Aid to His Majesty for Six Months to Co-operate with Your Neighbouring Colonies, I am hopefull that their Resolves will have been favorable And that by virtue thereof, this so necessary Aid will have been forwarded, with the utmost Dispatch, in order that they might be ready to Join, & Act in Concert with the Virginia Forces, in their Operations against the Cherokees on that Side, Whilst the Regular Forces under Lieut. Colonel Grant already in Carolina, and the Troops of that province are Attacking them on the Other, in Which Case we may promise Ourselves certain Success, as the Numbers of these Combined Forces Acting as aforesaid, are full sufficient to warrant And Insure the Same; I must therefore once more hope that the province of North Carolina will not have been backward in Exerting themselves to their utmost, in Aiding & Assisting in so Essential a Service but that they will, as they ought, have Chearfully & speedily Contributed thereto, with all their might & Capacity.

With regard to Rogers's Rangers they are by no means fit for the above Service; And as to the Northern Indians I Should be Sorry to trust them from the Experience I have of that race in General. I know there is not the least Dependance to be had on them; but as I have already Said, Supposing the One and the Other of the above, to be fit & to be trusted there cannot be the least Occasion for them, if the provinces of So. & No. Carolina & Virginia Exert themselves in furnishing their respective Quotas, and in Co-operating with Lt. Colonel Grant, Who I have no Doubt with their Assistance, will Soon Compell the Indians to Sue for peace, and reduce them to the necessity of Observing & fullfilling the terms, that it may be found Expedient to grant them.

I return You my most unfeigned thanks for Your kind wishes, & am, with great regard,

Sir, &ca.