14 This dialogue and the militia act are in the
“Gentleman’s Magazine” for February and March, 1756.
—­[Marg. note.]

While the several companies in the city and country were forming and learning their exercise, the governor prevail’d with me to take charge of our North-western frontier, which was infested by the enemy, and provide for the defense of the inhabitants by raising troops and building a line of forts.  I undertook this military business, tho’ I did not conceive myself well qualified for it.  He gave me a commission with full powers, and a parcel of blank commissions for officers, to be given to whom I thought fit.  I had but little difficulty in raising men, having soon five hundred and sixty under my command.  My son, who had in the preceding war been an officer in the army rais’d against Canada, was my aid-de-camp, and of great use to me.  The Indians had burned Gnadenhut, a village settled by the Moravians, and massacred the inhabitants; but the place was thought a good situation for one of the forts.

In order to march thither, I assembled the companies at Bethlehem, the chief establishment of those people.  I was surprised to find it in so good a posture of defense; the destruction of Gnadenhut had made them apprehend danger.  The principal buildings were defended by a stockade; they had purchased a quantity of arms and ammunition from New York, and had even plac’d quantities of small paving stones between the windows of their high stone houses, for their women to throw down upon the heads of any Indians that should attempt to force into them.  The armed brethren, too, kept watch, and reliev’d as methodically as in any garrison town.  In conversation with the bishop, Spangenberg, I mention’d this my surprise; for, knowing they had obtained an act of Parliament exempting them from military duties in the colonies, I had suppos’d they were conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms.  He answer’d me that it was not one of their established principles, but that, at the time of their obtaining that act, it was thought to be a principle with many of their people.  On this occasion, however, they, to their surprise, found it adopted by but a few.  It seems they were either deceiv’d in themselves, or deceiv’d the Parliament; but common sense, aided by present danger, will sometimes be too strong for whimsical opinions.

It was the beginning of January when we set out upon this business of building forts.  I sent one detachment toward the Minisink, with instructions to erect one for the security of that upper part of the country, and another to the lower part, with similar instructions; and I concluded to go myself with the rest of my force to Gnadenhut, where a fort was tho’t more immediately necessary.  The Moravians procur’d me five waggons for our tools, stores, baggage, etc.