^r^v>!f^ iute I 



Figure i. — Braddock's 

 Route in the campaign of 

 1755. The solid line ap- 

 proximates the present U. S. 

 route 40. From VVinthrop 

 Sargent, The history of an 

 expedition against Fort Du- 

 Quesne, Philadelphia. 1755. 



ing to regulate the hire of wagons, in spite of the 

 repeated pleas of the governor. Franklin published 

 new advertisements more strongly worded than the 

 first, threatening an impress of wagons and drivers 

 if better cooperation could not he had.' Finally the 

 governor found it necessary to issue threatening 

 warrants to the magistrates of four of the more re- 

 luctant coimties. This action brought in the wagons 

 but caused new difficulties to arise, for in order to 

 prevent trouble the townships had contributed, in 

 addition to the fifteen shillings per day offered in 

 Franklin's terms, from fi\e to fifteen pounds to each 

 owner who would hire out his wagon. 



This practice caused others to demand more for 

 their services. Governor Morris wrote to Richard 

 Peters that lu- was "preparing to send sixty waggon 

 loads of oats and corn from hence (Philadelphia), for 



* Pennsylvania Archives, scr. 1, vol. 2, pp. 295-96. Franklin 

 suggested that St. Clair, with a body of troops, would probably 

 enter Pennsylvania and take what ho wanted, if it could not 

 be obtained otherwise. 



which I am sorry to say, that I shall be obliged to 

 give more for the transporting of it. than the thins; 

 is worth, such advantages are taken by the people of 

 the Public wants. . . ." '' Two weeks later Edward 

 Shippen, explaining the teamsters side of tlie argu- 

 ment, told how they had to pay ferriage at the Susque- 

 hannah and make the return trip with empty wagons.' 

 It would be well to mention here that not all of the 

 wagons were to accompany the expedition; many 

 were to transport supplies only to Conococheague '' or 

 to Wills Creek, and it was the owners of these wagons 

 who, since they did not feel bound by the same terms 

 oflTered the 150 accompanying tlie expedition, most 

 often took advantage of Uic situation. In addition, 

 wagons were needed to supply Colonel James Burd 

 and his party, who were building the Pennsylvania 



'- Ihid., ser. 1, vol. 2, Morris to IVlors. May 30, 1755. 



• Ibid., .Shippen to Morris, June 13, I "55. 



'The modern spelling is given above. A number of spellings 

 were common in 1755, among them Conegogce, Connccochicg, 

 and Cannokagig. 



PAPER 9: CONESTOGA WAGONS IN BRADDOCK's CAMPAIGN, 1755 



143 



