[Private] War Office, 21^st July 1790. Dear Sir As you have appeared to interest yourself in the due performance of the contractors for supplying the troops on the Ohio with provisions, I think it proper to inform you that the complaints from the commanding officers are such as to require the highest exertions on the part of the contractors— Brigadier General Harmar in his letter of the 9^th ultimo writes me thus. "I am sorry to inform you of the distressed situation, that all the posts have been in, and are, & are likely so to continue for want of provisions— I am daily advancing money out of my own purse to the contractors agents here to purchase meat from hand to month— If force should be employed against the savages, some other mode of supplies must be fallen upon, otherwise there is [7-21-1790]