May 2nd: Halted and sent the Horses to Grass
May 3d: March’d to Widdow Barringers 18 Miles from Mr. Evans; the day was so excissive hot, that many Officers and Men could not Arrive at their Ground until Evening, this is 5 Miles from Winchester and a fine Situation
May 4th: March’d to Mr. Pots 9 Miles from the Widdow’s where we were refresht with Vinison and wild Turkeys the Roads excessive bad.
May 5th: March’d to Mr. Henry Enocks, a place called the forks of Cape Capon, 16 Miles from Mr. Pots; over prodigious Mountains, and between the Same we cross’d a Run of Water in 3 Miles distance, 20 times after marching 15 Miles we came to a River called Kahepatin where the Army ferried over, We found a Company of Sr Peter Halkets Regiment waiting to escort the Train of Artillery to Wills Creek
May 6th: Halted, as was the Custom to do every third day, The Officers for passing away the time, made Horse Races and agreed that no Horse should Run over 11 Hands and to carry 14 Stone
May 7th: March’d to Mr. Coxs’s by the side of ye Potomack 12 Miles from Mr. Enock’s, and Encamped we cross’d another run of Water 19 Times in 2 Miles Roads bad.
May 8th: Ferried over the River into Maryland; and March’d to Mr. Jacksons, 8 Miles from Mr. Coxs’s where we found a Maryland Company encamp’d in a fine Situation on the Banks of the Potomack; with clear’d ground about it; there lives Colonel Cressop, a Rattle Snake, Colonel, and a D—d Rascal; calls himself a Frontierman, being nearest the Ohio; he had a Summons some time since from the French to retire from his Settlement, which they claim’d as their property, but he refused it like a man of Spirit;[30] This place is the Track of Indian Warriours, when going to War, either to the Noward, or Soward He hath built a little Fort round his House, and is resolved to keep his Ground. We got plenty of Provisions &ca. The General arrived with Captains Orme and Morris, with Secretary Shirley and a Company of light Horse for his Guard, under the Command of Capt. Stewart, the General lay at the Colonels.
May 9th: Halted and made another Race to amuse the General
Do. 10th: March’d to Will’s Creek; and Encamp’d on a Hill to the Etward of the Fort, when the General past the Troops; Colonel Dunbar informed them, that there were a number of Indians at Will’s Creek, that were Friends to the English therefore it was the Generals positive Orders, that they should not be Molested upon any account, upon the Generals Arrival at the Fort, He was Saluted with 17. Guns, and we found 100 Indian Men, Women & Children with 6 Companies of Sr Peter Halkets Regiment, 9 Virginian Companies and a Maryland Company.