15(3 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday 31st October, 1755, A. M. 



PRESENT: 



The Honorable Robert Hunter Morris, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- 

 ernor, &c. 



Eobert Strettel, \ 



Richard Peters, > Esquires. 



Lynford Lardner, ) 



The Minutes of Council held at Newcastle on Tuesday last were read, 

 together with the papers there entered. 



The Governor laid before the Council a Letter from Dr. Boude, of 

 Lancaster, containing a Letter sent by Express from Mr. Elder, Minister 

 at Paxton, giving an account of a large body of French and Indians were 

 coming against this Province and had already passed the Allegheny Hills, 

 which was read in these words : 



A Letter from Dr. Boude, of Lancaster, forwarding one from the Rev 

 Mr. Elder, of Paxton, to William Allen, Esq. 



"Lancaster, 26th October, 1755. 



"Sir: As Mr. Shippen and his son are out of Town I thought it my 

 duty to transmit you a copy of a letter just came to town, is as follows: 



"Paxton, 25 October, 1755. 



" '•Mr. Shippen : Mr. John Harris and Thomas Forster, Esq., they went 

 up the River last Thursday with a company of men to bury the dead 

 murdered there lately, and sent a letter to Mr. Carson, the copy of which 

 is as follows : ' Mr. Carson : We have an account from our Indians that 

 there is a large body of French and Indians coming down against us on 

 this side of the Allegheny Mountains. We are going this day to Sha- 

 mokin, where there is a body of Indians assembled, to know their minds 

 and to send out Spies to view the enemy and know their numbers. The 

 running Indians that came down and saw them says that there is a great 

 number, and compares them to the Trees. I and our neighbors desire 

 you'll send our families word that we expect to be down, God wiUing, on 

 Sabbath night next, and it would be well done to send notice of this news 

 to Virginia and through this Province, that they might prepare them- 

 selves for the worst event. Sir, please to disperse copies of this through 

 the Province as soon as possible, and you'll oblige 

 "'Your humble Servant, 



John Elder.'" 



"'P. S.— The Letter to Carson is dated the 21st inst." 

 " I am, sir, your very humble servant, 



Sam'l. Boude." 

 "To William Allen, Esq." 



Sundry other Letters of the same import were likewise read, and the 

 following ones ordered to be entered : 



