The first day the wind was very fair, and gave us hopes it would continue so the whole passage, but shifting next day to the northwest quarter, we experienced a perfect hurricane, in which the vessel made water so fast, that the men were constantly at the pumps to clear her. The sea ran so high, and the vessel was so old and crazy, that I expected each wave would dash her to pieces; the third day we shewed a little sail, though it continued blowing very fresh till evening, when it became pretty fair; yet she still made water at a prodigious rate, and extremely fatigued the men. We saw land next day, but were becalmed till the morning after, when a fresh gale springing up fair, we went at the rate of eight knots an hour till four in the afternoon, when a pilot came on board; the Captain told him that he must run the vessel quite to New York that night, as he had no cable to bring her to an anchor. Had I known this circumstance before, which even the pilot was astonished at, I should not, I believe, have trusted so much to fair weather. We arrived, however, safe at New York.
I waited next morning on Sir Jeffery Amherst, who gave me my commission, with orders immediately to join my regiment, which was then on its way to Pittsburg. I dined with his Excellency next day; after which he told me to wait on Col. Reid, and not be in a hurry to join my regiment. A packet it seems had arrived from England the same day I received my commission, which, I suppose, brought a list of the officers to be reduced on half pay, and on waiting on Col. Reid, I found I was of the number. I related Lord Egremont’s assurances to the contrary, and produced this his Lordship’s Letter to Sir Jeffery Amherst in my favour.
Whitehall, July 23, 1762.
“Sir,
Mr. Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, having represented the long and very useful services, particularly in the Cherokee country, of Mr. Timberlake, and having strongly recommended him to some mark of his Majesty’s royal favour, and Mr. Timberlake having accompanied some chiefs of the Cherokee nation to London, where he has constantly attended them, and has conducted himself entirely to the King’s satisfaction: I am to acquaint you that his Majesty, in consideration of the above services of Mr. Timberlake, has been pleased to command me to signify to you his royal pleasure, that you should appoint him to the first Lieutenancy in an old regiment, which shall become vacant in North America, after you receive this letter. I am, &c.
(Signed)
Egremont.”
The Colonel, on perusing it, was of the same opinion, that certainly his Lordship never intended me to be reduced. I went again to wait on the General; but being denied admission, I immediately inquired for a vessel bound to Virginia, and having at last found one, returned home after spending between twenty and thirty guineas to no purpose; for had it been his Lordship’s intention to have had me reduced, I could have been no more in a young regiment, without sending me to New York, in North America, for a commission.
I remained at home till January 1764, when the General Assembly of the colony met for the dispatch of public business, whither I repaired to petition for my expences from the Cherokee country to Williamsburg; which, however, were greatly superior to the accounts I gave in, lest they should judge any of them unreasonable. While my money lasted the Indians wanted for nothing, and I am still considerably indebted on their account.
I gained a majority, and a committee was appointed to look into my accounts, who told me it was to be paid by the council, out of the money for contingent charges, and not by the colony. After waiting a considerable time, at a very great expence, whilst urgent business required my presence elsewhere, I at last got the favour of Mr. Walthoe, Clerk of the Council, to undertake presenting my petition and accounts to the Governor and Council, in my absence, which he did at the next meeting, and soon after sent me the following letter.