[in upper right corner in another hand: 47.] War Office. July 18. 1785. Sir, I beg leave to state to your Excellency and Congress, that the terms for which the Corps under Lieut Colonel Harmar is engaged, will expire generally in the course of next month, and totally expiring in a very few instan- -ces in September. It appears to be the sense of Congress that Colonel Harmars Corps should move further down the Ohio, and agre- -ably thereto orders have been transmitted to him from this Office for that purpose, and that he should take post somewhere near the mouth of the Scioto. This order was conditioned to take place as soon as he could be supplied with provisions, which is now pretty certain cannot be until the 1st of September, a period at which he will have but few men. The legislature of Pennsylvania, not being to meet until the 23d August, no effectual measures can be adopted by the President and Council of that State to retain the men or any part of them until that time, although it is the wish of the President and Council that the men should not be dis- -banded until new orders are issued to re- -inlist them, and they have given it as their opinion to Colonel Harmar, to keep the men together until the vote of the Legislature can be taken, and they have informed me, if an order for disbanding those Troops should be given, many very considerable inconveniences will result from the measure. I have considered that Colonel Harmars Corps could not from the short time of service be employed on the Treaty and [in upper right corner in another hand: 49] I have ordered all the recruits of this state (about 50 in number) to be in readiness to march to Fort McIntosh by the 25th Instant. This circumstance deranges exceedingly the recruiting Business here and as a larg pro- portion of the men have been engaged for the Artillery, the company must be a mixture of Artillery and Infantry. No returns has been received of any men being recruited in Connecticut. The Legislature of Jersey will not as- -semble before September and therefor there can be no expeditions from that State. If Congress upon considering this state- -ment should be of opinion that it would be probable that Colonel Harmar could retain a sufficient number of his present Corps to answer the purpose of the Indian Treaties I submit to them the propriety of passing a resolve, enabling him to retain them on the present estab- -lishment, until the Treaties shall be accomp- -lished. An Officer of Colonel Harmars is here and could immeidately be dispatched with the orders of Congress. I have the honor to be with the highest respect, Your Excellencys, Most Obed. Hble. Servt. H. Knox. His Excellency The President of Congress.