Negotiations Have Failed, Wayne to Commence Offensive; Problem with Infected Clothing

Item

Type

Recipient's Letterbook Copy

Title

Negotiations Have Failed, Wayne to Commence Offensive; Problem with Infected Clothing

Description

The treaty negotiations have failed so Wayne is ordered to begin the campaign against the hostile Indians. There is a possibility that some of the clothing stores have been infected with yellow fever so the appropriate preventive measures will be taken before the clothes are transported.

year created

1793

month created

09

day created

03

author

sent from location

War Department

recipient

in image

notable person/group

xxx Anthony Wayne xxxxx
xxx Henry xxxx Knox xxxxx
Indians
Commissioners
audacious Savages
Major Craig
Lieutenant Colonel Clarke
detachment of troops under Lieutenant Read
Supreme being
Secretary of War

notable location

War Department
Pittsburgh

notable item/thing

superiority in arms
peace by milder terms than the sword
war
defeat
interests of our country
Commissioners' letters
clothing
malignant putrid fever
yellow fever
murder of helpless women and children
month's pay
..nothing further remains but to commend you and the Troops employed under you to the protection of the Supreme being hoping you and they will have all possible success in the measures which you may be about to take to prevent the murder of helpless women and children.

document number

1793090313155

page start

237

transcription

No.<sup>o</sup>60 Major General Knox

Secretary of War

---

War Department
September 3.<sup>d</sup> 1793

Sir

The Indians have refused to heal. The enclosed has been just received from the Com-missioners.

You are now to judge whether your force will be adequate to make those audaci-ous savages feel our superiority in arms. Eevery offer has been made to obtain peace by milder terms than the sword - the efforts have failed under circumstances which leave nothing for us to expect but war. Let it therefore be again and for the last time impressed deeply upon your mind that as little as possible is to be hazarded, that your force be fully adequate to the objects you propose to effect, and that a defeat in the present time and under present circumstances would be pernicious in the highest degree to the interests of our country.

You will see by the Commissioners letters

that
that they have used due means to communicate the result to you. But lest their messengers should have miscarried, I transmit you the information by express.

Some apprehensions have taken place lest part of the Clothing may have been tainted by a malignant putrid fever which prevails in this town, known by the name of yellow fever. I have directed Major Craig to smoak all which left this City after the 6 Ultimo at Pittsburgh in order to remove all possibility of doubt on the subject.

I now direct Lt. Colonel Clarke and the attachment of troops under Lieutenant Read at Pittsburg to descend instantly with the rear of all the Clothing at Pittsburg which it is expected will embrace all excepting part of the fourth Sub Lesion. All the Stores destined for the army it is expected have reached you.

Your arrangements having been prepared for this event if no unforeseen circumstances should occur to prevent your proceeding nothing further remains but to commend you and the Troops employed under you to the protection of the Supreme being hoping you and they will have all possible success in the measures which you may be about to take to prevent the murder of helpless women & children

The
The months pay will be transmitted immediately and also a duplicate of this letter.

I am Sir with great esteem Your Obd<sup>t</sup> Servant H Knox Secretary of War

Major General Wayne

Item sets

Document instances

In image In source Location in source
[view document] (3 pages) DTC01 (286 pages) Collection: Anthony Wayne Letterbooks Vol.1-3 V: 2

Document names

Type Name Location Notes
Author Henry Knox War Department [n/a]
Recipient Anthony Wayne [unknown] [n/a]