which is a great consideration. For were I to pursue Mr Braddock's route, I should save but little labour, as that road is now a brush wood, by the sprouts from the old stumps, which must be cut down and made proper for Carriages as well as any other passage that we must attempt." Yet his letter to Bouquet on the day after, July 11, says that Forbes was not stickling for the new road: "I shall hurry up the troops, directly," he wrote, "so pray see for a road across the Alligeny or by Fort Cumberland, which Garrison may if necessary be clearing Braddocks old road." However, lest he be put under the necessity of taking the longer route, he wrote again to Bouquet by James Grant: "that the Road over the Allegany may be reconnoitred, for he (Forbes) is unwilling to be put under the necessity of making any Detour."
On July 14 General Forbes wrote Bouquet from Carlisle: "I . . have all along thought the road from F. Frederick to Cumberland superfluous, if we could have done without it, which I am glad to understand we can do by Raes town. It would have been double pleasure if from thence
