Capt Robt Rankins to Col (undecipherable) Simms April 3d 1790 As I (undecipherable) you have not heard of the late mischief. I shall just beg leave to inform you that about six weeks ago, two men were taken off (the rest of the letter is undeipherable) by which means six men in a barge going up the (undecipherable) attempted to escape after they found themselves (undecipherable) were murdered, Mr May’s boat taken, himself and one other killed the rest of the crew made prisoners, two boats in which was a considerable amount of property belonging to Col John Edwards of (undecipherable), Capt Thomas (undecipherable) stood and a number of other Gentlemen taken, the Gentlemen themselves forced to (undecipherable) into Colonel George Thompson’s boat and ran for life, the Indians having pursued them in Mr May’s boat arrived for that purpose with (undecipherable) (undecipherable). Two men were also killed and seven more, one woman and six children taken prisoners about six weeks ago in (undecipherable) day’s bottom on the Ohio, 20 miles above Linestones, where they were engaged in erecting a new settlement. All this mischief has been done by the same party of Indians who are still on the (Undecipherable) Pierce and from information about the same please where the boats and (undecipherable) were taken for 7 mile above the north of Santo and we are informed by the two here above mentioned who have escaped and come in, that they have sent the plunder to their town by a party and expect are (undecipherable). A party of men were raised in this settlement on the first intelligence of the disturbance, but a dispute arising among them respecting the object in view, they split and advanced without doing of any (undecipherable, except bringing away a boat which the Indians filled up for their offensive operations; (undecipherable) such generally are the consequence of expeditions where the officers who conduct them have only (undecipherable) to advise and persuade; and it is made to be comented, that the Government under which we live wants power, or they who are at the helm a disposition to protest its Citizens. I have this moment received further intelligence of the (undecipherable) of those (undeciphables) Devils. A boat from (undecipherble) in which was Colonel Ward, Mr R Madison and these or four other boats from Manorgahala, were yesterday afternoon attacked at or near the place mentioned above, a Mr Richards was killed and the Mangahala people were obliged to abandon one of their boats with about 100 gallons of Whiskey, some other property besides several horses and cattle. A number of troops were killed and wounded in the other boats.