Upon the Receipt of your Excellency's Letter, on the 8th., of the 1st. inst; I forwarded your Express to Virginia, and sent Orders to him to have all the Northern Regiments of Militia to be in a Readiness to be draughted in order to have Detachments sent from each Regiment, if necessary, and to send to the Tuskeroras and Meherin Indians to know how many of them we can depend upon to join us in Case a War shall be proclaimed against the Cherokees as a Nation—I at the same time summoned the Council to meet me here to answer your Letter more particularly, and have their Advice—and in Concurrence with them am to acquaint you, that before, I had sent off Coll: Waddell with 60 Men detached from the 2 provincial Companies, of 50 Men each, to protect the Settlers to the Westward, and gave him a special Commission to command and draw together if necessary the 3 Regiments of the frontier Counties to join the Provincials, and still now send up as soon as possible 10 Barrels of Gunpowder and 4000 weight of Lead, and have given Capt. Paine, who last year Commanded a Company on the Ohio, the Regiment of Militia of Orange, & made him Adjutant General, to instruct and discipline the Militia, who is to act under Colo. Waddell, and shall order Captain Bailie with what other Men he can spare from fort Granville, to join and act in the Detachment under Colonel Waddell, and shall by an Express order Mr. Waddell to join with and cooperate with your Provincial Troops in Case they unite or with the Virginian Provincials or Militia, if more convenient, to relieve Fort Loudoun, if it is attacked, and convey provisions to Capt. Demeré if possible; this is all can Be expected from this Province 'till our Assembly meets here at Wilmington next Month.

If you find it necessary to declare War against the whole Nation or any particular Towns, let me know as soon as possible that I may do the same in this Province, and don't doubt but Virginia will do the same, and as we are under the Military Command of Brigr. Stanwix, Application ought to be made to him for a plan of operations & Troops if necessary—But in my Opinion we shou'd use our utmost joint force to crush them at once, if War shou'd be proclaimed, to enter their Country at once, burn their Towns, take them their Wives & Children and sell them in the Islands for Slaves, and give a Premium of £10 for every person above 10 Years of Age, but nothing for Scalps unless killed in Action, You may consider how far this is to be followed, in Case of a General War; I believe the Cataubas will join us with what force they can.

I shall expect impatiently what Information you have, by this Express—your Expresse's horse tired, and I was obliged to order a Horse to be pressed for him, which was valued to him.

I have agreed with the Express for eight pistoles, which please to order him—I am with Truth and Esteem