History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

292 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1757.
Apparently Gen. Pepperell was not aware that on the
6"\ only three daj^s after the investment of the fort, Gov.
Pownal had ordered the commanders of the regiments
above named to forward troops to Albany as fast as possible.
It is probable that the men whom he reports as having
already gone forward, marched promjjtly under that
order.
The Mass. Colonels Cols. Williams and Ruggles reached Kindeoiine
to o b e y dcrliook with their forces on the 12*'', and
orders from New ,. , , t , t i /-i tnt r>
Yorij sent a dispatch to Lieut. -Gov. DeLancey or
New York to ascertain the position of affairs.
On the following day he replied that Gen. Webb
had reported that the*Indians and Canadians were to go off
from Fort William Henry that day, and suggested that
they join Gen. Webb, and aid him in driving the French
from that fort. Williams and Ruggles in their answer,
dated the 13"', said that they were ordered to aid the forces
of Gen. Webb, attacked by the enemy, and not to join in
expeditions that might be projected at some future time
they did not think it consistent with their orders to proceed
to Fort Edward, that place not being attacked, nor in
danger of assault. Besides "we have learnt that a large
body of the enemy have turned eastward to attack our own
frontiers ; our duty is to march to their relief.
Accordingly these regiments began their retrograde
march at once, and were at Sheffield on the 15"'. On the
same day Gen. Pepperell wrote to Gov. Pownal that no
more troops need be sent to Fort Edward, as the danger
would be from Indians on the frontier. Though the commanders
of these regiments fell back, apparently without
orders, their movement was acquiesced in by their su-
periors, and seems to have been the proper course to
pursue.
A Magazine of Sup- Gov. Powiial took lueasurcs for the estabpiies
formed at lishmeut of a magazine of supplies at
Springfield.
Springfield, and ordered Gen. Pepperell,
in case the enemy approached the frontiers in force, to dismantle
all wagons west of Connecticut river by striking off
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