War Office, 20 July 1790 Sir [ncd] [Filson Club institutional stamp] I have the honor to inform you that Judge Innes transmitted me a copy of a letter written by him to you, dated 10. May last, on the subject of Scouts to be called out in certain cases for the internal defence of your county at the expence of the United States. Since writing the former letter to Judge Innes, authorizing him to write to you the arrangement has been changed — and I have now the honor by the direction of the President of the United States to inform you that the authority contained in said letter relative to said Scouts is to be considered as having ceased and terminated upon your receiving this letter, duplicates of which I have written and transmitted to you. The representation of the then deplorable situation of the frontier counties, and the high estimation the said Scouts were held in by the inhabitants, were the inducements of the President of the United States to [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] to calling forth that expensive species of militia as a temporary measure for the protection of the exposed counties. But experience has demonstrated the inefficacy of defensive measures for an extensive [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] against straggling parties of Indians, and as conditional orders have been transmitted to the governor of the western territory, and the commanding officer of the troops of the United States, to act offensively against the Shawanese and outcaste Cherokees joined with them, inhabiting north west of the Ohio, who are probably the banditti, which has for some time past committed depredations on the counties lying along the Ohio. And as the militia, or rangers hereafter described will in cases of necessity be permitted, at the expence of the Union in lieu of the Scouts it is believed that no injury will be sustained by revoking the authority for calling into service so expensive a species of troops as the said Scouts. The President of the United States is anxiously desirous of effectually protecting the frontiers, and he will take all such reasonable measures as in his judgement the case may require, and for which he shall be by the Constitution or by the laws authorized. He has therefore directed me to inform you, that in addition to the general measures aforesaid which have been ordered, he has empowered the Governor of the Western Territory & Brigadier General Harmar, or either of them, to make the arrangement hereafter described for the internal security of the exposed counties. The said [text obscured by Filson Club institutional stamp] commanding officer, or either of them will under their hands & seals, empower the lieutenant of such counties, lying along the Ohio, as they shall judge necessary to call forth, the number of militia, or rangers hereafter mentioned, and under the regulations prescribed. 1. The said militia or rangers shall not exceed, for the internal defence of any county, one subaltern, one serjeant, one corporal and twelve privates — But a less number may be ordered as the said Governor [text obscured by ink blots], commanding officer, or county lieutenant may judge requisite. 2.^d The said militia or rangers shall during the time of their actual service, receive the following rates of pay, which are the same as is by law established for the regular troops of the United States and the militia viz: Lieutenant, twenty two dollars, Ensign, eighteen dollars, Serjeant, five dollars, } per month. Corporal, four dollars, Privates, three dollars. 3.^d The said rangers shall be furnished with rations, in such manner as the lieutenant of the county shall think proper. The United States will allow for each ration six pence Virginia currency, or eight & one third hundred parts of a dollar. The subaltern to have two, and the noncommissioned & privates one ration each. [29 July 179?] 4^th The lieutenant of each county will be responsible on oath that the said rangers shall be called into service only in cases of imminent danger, and that they be discharged as soon as the danger shall cease. [Filson Club institutional stamp] That when any service shall have been performed by said rangers the following evidence thereof will be required: 1.^st A return of the names, rank, ages, residence and times of service of each of the said rangers. 2.^d A pay abstract, or account for the number of said rangers, agreeably to the aforesaid return. 3.^d An abstract of the rations agreeably to the aforesaid returns. 4^th These papers to be signed & verified upon oath by the lieutenant of the county, or commanding officer of the militia — who will transmit the same to Brigadier General Harmar, or the commanding officer of the troops of the United States, on the Ohio. 5^th Brigadier General Harmar, or the commanding officer of the troops, will certify on the said return, that the said rangers were ordered into service in pursuance of his authority, or the authority of the governor of the Western territory. 6^th The paymaster of the regiment of regular troops will receive the amount of the said abstracts from the Treasury, or pay office of the United States, and pay the same to the county lieutenants, and the said county lieutenants will pay each of the rangers respectively taking triplicate receipts for the payments — two of which he must transmit to the paymaster aforesaid — within two months from the time he shall have received the money from the said paymaster — and until these said receipts shall be transmitted to the said paymaster the lieutenants of the counties will be held responsible for the sums they may have received, or such proportion thereof for which they shall not have produced receipts from the individual rangers (or their attorneys) who performed the service. And whereas some of the counties may be involved in such immediate danger as not to permit the county lieutenants sufficient time to obtain the authority herein mentioned from the said governor, & commanding officer, in which case the county lieutenants may order out the rangers herein mentioned under the regulations prescribed, on condition that as soon as may be, the said lieutenants of the county & two magistrates, make a statement to the said Governor & commanding officer of the reasons which induced them to order out the said rangers. [Filson Club institutional stamp] This statement will be considered as essential in order that General Harmar, or the commanding officer may ground thereon his certificate on the pay abstract, without which payment will not be made. It may perhaps be considered as unnecessary, after stating the vouchers before mentioned, to add any further precautions against unnecessarily calling out the rangers before needed — But as the said service is at best only to be viewed as an expedient rather temporary & desultory than permanent and regular, it is earnest desire of the President of the United States that it should be conducted with the highest oeconomy. He therefore has desired that the county lieutenants may be strongly impressed with this idea as well from a personal regard to themselves as to the common welfare of western country and the United States. If the permission now given be used with great discretion, and only in cases of real necessity, every consideration will in future justify a more extensive & perfect protection should the situation of the frontiers require the same. I shall beg that immediately upon your receiving this letter, that you will inform me thereof. [Filson Club institutional stamp] I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient Humble Servant Knox Sec. of War The Lieutenant of the county of Mason. Kentucky. [Given by me Priscila Davis 30^th [undecipherable]/1918?]