The British government, not chusing to permit the union of the colonies as propos’d at Albany, and to trust that union with their defense, lest they should thereby grow too military, and feel their own strength, suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertain’d of them, sent over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for that purpose.  He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence march’d to Frederictown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages.  Our Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he had conceived violent prejudices against them, as averse to the service, wish’d me to wait upon him, not as from them, but as postmaster-general, under the guise of proposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most celerity and certainty the despatches between him and the governors of the several provinces, with whom he must necessarily have continual correspondence, and of which they propos’d to pay the expense.  My son accompanied me on this journey.

We found the general at Frederictown, waiting impatiently for the return of those he had sent thro’ the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to collect waggons.  I stayed with him several days, din’d with him daily, and had full opportunity of removing all his prejudices, by the information of what the Assembly had before his arrival actually done, and were still willing to do, to facilitate his operations.  When I was about to depart, the returns of waggons to be obtained were brought in, by which it appear’d that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not all of those were in serviceable condition.  The general and all the officers were surpris’d, declar’d the expedition was then at an end, being impossible, and exclaim’d against the ministers for ignorantly landing them in a country destitute of the means of conveying their stores, baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and fifty waggons being necessary.

I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had not been landed rather in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his waggon.  The general eagerly laid hold of my words, and said, “Then you, sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably procure them for us; and I beg you will undertake it.”  I ask’d what terms were to be offer’d the owners of the waggons; and I was desir’d to put on paper the terms that appeared to me necessary.  This I did, and they were agreed to, and a commission and instructions accordingly prepar’d immediately.  What those terms were will appear in the advertisement I publish’d as soon as I arriv’d at Lancaster, which being, from the great and sudden effect it produc’d, a piece of some curiosity, I shall insert it at length, as follows: 

               “Advertisement. 
                        “Lancaster, April 26, 1755.