96 DESOLATION OF THE FRONTIERS. [1763. 



This force was divided into numerous small 

 detached parties, who were stationed here and 

 there at farm-houses and hamlets on both sides of 

 the Susquehanna, with orders to range the woods 

 daily from post to post, thus forming a feeble chain 

 of defence across the whole frontier. The two com- 

 panies assigned to Lancaster County were placed 

 under the command of a clergyman, John Elder, 

 pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Paxton ; a 

 man of worth and education, and held in great 

 respect upon the borders. He discharged his mili- 

 tary functions with address and judgment, drawing 

 a cordon of troops across the front of the county, 

 and preserving the inhabitants free from attack for 

 a considerable time.^ 



The feeble measures adopted by the Pennsyl- 

 vania Assembly highly excited the wrath of Sir 

 Jeffrey xlmherst, and he did not hesitate to give his 

 feelings an emphatic expression. " The conduct 

 of the Pennsylvania legislature," he writes, " is 

 altogether so infatuated and stupidly obstinate, that 

 I want words to express my indignation thereat ; 



1 Extract from a MS. Letter — John Elder to Governor Penn : — 



" Paxton, 4th August, 1763. 

 " Sir : 



" The service your Hon' was pleased to appoint me to, I have per- 

 formed to the best of my power ; tho' not with success equal to my desires. 

 However, both companies will, I imagine, be complete in a few days : 

 there are now upwards of 30 men in each, exclusive of officers, who are 

 now and have been employed since their enlistment in such service as is 

 thought most safe and encouraging to the Frontier inhabitants, who are 

 here and everywhere else in the back countries quite sunk and dispirited, 

 80 that it's to be feared that on any attack of the enemy, a considerable 

 part of the country will be evacuated, as all seem inchnable to seek safety 

 rather in flight than in opposing the Savage Foe." 



