I this Moment recd. your favour of the 28th. of March by Express from the President of Virginia—I had not before Saturday the 8th. instant his Majesty's Grant from Mr. Pitt acquainting me with Genl. Abercrombies being appointed Commander in Chief and your being appointed to Command [illegible] in these Southern Pro[vinces] [illegible] I congratulate [illegible] [illegible] you all the Success possible [illegible] [illegible] [protecti]on of Providence—I imm[ediately] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] Assembly to meet on Tuesday [illegible] which is as early as they can meet as it was not expected and shall use my best Endeavours to bring them to comply with his Majesty's Demands and Expectations, as the whole Safety of America depends upon a vigorous Exertion of force this Campaign—We have at present only [3] [Compan]ies of 50 Men each [on hand in] this Province, th[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] last [illegible] [illegible] Men which [illegible] [illegible] Companies were [illegible] [illegible] sent to South Carolina which they did not want and [the] Companies now here I am limited by the Law not to send them out of the Province, except to assist South Carolina, and therefore can't send them until the Assembly meets, but I will give them Orders to be ready at an hours warning; two Companies are in our forts on the Sea Coast, which I will send by Water to Alexandria or Potomac in Virginia, the third is upon our Western frontier which will be ordered to march by Land to Winchester, and what others I can Prevail with the Assembly to raise as soon as ready shall be order'd to join you if they can do it in time, if not to garrison our forts and protect the Catawba Indians, who have already sent 60 Warriors to Virginia—and King Hagler is now here and has promised upon his Womens being protected to send us as many Warriors as they can spare immediately the [illegible]—he informs us that [the] Cherokees have al[illegible][illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​, [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ with them to [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ march through, [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible] promised Arms Ammunition Tents and provisions. We have no [flint]locks here but what have been provided to the Troops and militia on the Western frontier and on the [illegible]—That our great Distress is for pay, we have no Credit upon our paper Currency out of the Province, and therefore must beg you may credit them their pay, as all we send to Virginia to pay is above Cent ⅌ Cent [illegible]​​​​​​​, and as we are to have [illegible]​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ £20000 granted by [the British] Parliament to the [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ of [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ year—I hope [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ they may be [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ raise and pay [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ on the province by [illegible]​​​​​​​ [illegible]​​​​​​​ and if we have time and goods shall cloath them.

I shall be glad to know at any time how far I can assist and cooperate with you in the Glorious Cause you are embarked in—​​​​​​​and from the remarkable Intervention and Assistance of Divine Providence to the Protestant Cause and the Civil Liberties of Germany by the Great King of Prussia, I make no doubt but The same Divine power will be used in the Defense of the Protestant Cause the Civil and Religious Liberties of Britain and America, after the Divine Chastisement we have deservedly had in these Colonies.

I am with great Regard and Esteem

Sir

Your most obedient

and most humble Servant.

Arthur Dobbs