N^o 3. [Instructions to Brigadier Gen^l. / [undecipherable] Scott] Sir, Mar: 9, 1791 The fierce, and consequent effects of the depredation against the [undecipherable] towns, and the interruptions of justice between the United States, and the Wabash and other hostile Indians, most of the Ohio, are well known to you and the inhabitants of Kentucky generally. The President of the United States, in order that provision should be made for the protection of the frontier adequate to the occasion, laid before the Legislature a full statement of the recent Indian depredations. The acts of the deliberations of Congress will be communicated to you by the Honorable Mr. Browne. It would afford high satisfaction to the President of the United States, could a firm peace be established without further effusion of blood, and although he conceives the sacred principles of [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] of the country dictates dictates that he should take every proper encouragement to bring the offended Indians to a just sense of their situation, yet he is apprehensive that all lenient endeavours will be fruitless. He is therefore, [undecipherable] to [collect?] his [interior?] measures to impress the Indians with a strong conviction of the power of the United States, to inflict their degree of punishment which justice may require. [For] this [purpose?], the offers which you and the Delegates of Kentucky, and the other frontier counties of Virginia, made [and] [undecipherable] of the fourth of December last, to combat the Indians [secondary?] to your own modes of warfare. It is the result of information from men of reputation in Indian affairs, that a body of five hundred picked horsemen, [committed?] on good horses, by rapid incursions, would be equal to the destroying of the Indian Towns lying on the Wabash River, and that the probability would be highly in favour of surprising and capturing at least a considerable number of [undecipherable] women and children. In this view of the object, and also of intimidating consequences, impressions, such a successful operation would make upon the Indians by demonstrating to them, that they were within our reach, and laying at our mercy, and also considering from the before recited and other information, that such an operation by themselves in an Indian expedition would be highly gratifying to the hardy and brave yeomanry of Kentucky, the President of the United States, hereby authorizes an expedition of this magnitude, with[?] upon the conditions herein after described. First. The troops for the said expedition to be [undecipherable], received, instantly engaged for the purpose, whose bravery and fidelity could be entirely relied upon, to consist of such numbers, as you, with the persons herein after mentioned, may think proper, provided the number should not exceed seven hundred and fifty, officers included. But if the whole number could not be immediately completed with such characters for the time herein after mentioned, then you are to obtain the deficiency by drafts of the Militia, and otherwise, in the meantime, [undecipherable] to the persons herein after mentioned [undecipherable]. Secondly. The officers of the said expedition to be selected and appointed in the manner, thus you, [undecipherable], the Honorable John Browne, Benjamin Logan, and Isaac Shelby, may judge proper. Thirdly. The said volunteers, or militia are to be mounted on horses, and armed, and equipped in all respects as you in conjunction with [the] aforesaid may direct, and they are during the period of their engagements to be subject to the rules and articles of War of the United States. [Fourthly.] The sole conducting of the said expedition, excepting as herein after mentioned, shall be under your immediate [command] as Brigadier General, [undecipherable]. But if you should decline the command, then you and the before mentioned persons are to appoint the same, in the [manner?] upon your ability or the majority of you as you may judge proper. Fifthly. That the pay to be allowed to the said mounted Volunteers or militia for themselves, horses, provisions, arms, and accommodations, otherwise included, (excepting for [undecipherable] by wounds, in which case the commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, will receive such compensation in their respective grades, as the law permits) will be for the [privates] privates forty [undecipherable] [under?] two thirds of a cent per day, and the pay of the commissioned Officers added thereto according to the Schedule of the rates herewith enclosed. The principal of this Schedule includes in the said forty-six cents the pay of the privates, into three Dollars per month, which three Dollars are deducted from the species, as they proceed from the privates to the highest Officer. Sixthly. The said mounted volunteers are to be [rendez-vous'd?] as soon as possible after receiving these Instructions, so that the expedition may commence from the Ohio by the tenth day of May next. Herein performing dispatch in [collecting?] the men and [celerity?] in the commencement is most indispensable, inasmuch as thereby [the] Indians may be deprived of the [opportunity?] and the consequences may be fatal. The [point?] of departure from the Ohio to be agreed upon with the commanding General of Fort Washington and the said mounted Volunteers of all [departments?] are to be [inspected?] by an Officer of the Regular troops, previously to their marching from the Ohio. Provided however, that if the commanding General of the troops on the Ohio should previously to the said tenth day of May, think [it?] for public service to suspend the further operations of the said Mounted Volunteers, as you, and they are hereby directed to obey him accordingly. Seventhly. But in case no such order should be received from the said commanding Officer by the tenth day of May next, then the said mounted Volunteers are to proceed to the Wea or other towns of Indians, there to assault the said towns, and the Indians therein, either by surprise or otherwise as the nature of the circumstances may admit, sparing all who may [choose?] to [desist?] and also restraining as many as possible the [undecipherable] of women and children. And on this point, this is the position and the orders of the President of the United States, which are to be strictly followed with humanity, and that they be communicated to the commanding Officers of forces [undecipherable] to the United States upon the Ohio. Whether the [assault?] upon the said Wea or other Indian towns should proceed in [faith?], the commanding Officer would proceed to [find?] other Indian towns or villages upon the Wabash, or other places, to the destruction of which he should find his force adequate. Eighthly. After the enemy effected by [surprise?] surprize, rapid marches, and attacks, all the injury to the Indian[s] enemy, to which the force shall be equal, the said mounted Volunteers or militia, will return either by the way of Post Vincennes, or some other post[s] on the Ohio, which shall be agreed upon with the commanding Officer of the troops of the United States. At this post, the troops of the said expedition, will be inspected by an Officer of the Regular troops, in the same manner as when the troops of the said expedition commenced their march from the Ohio. It is expressly stipulated that any [undecipherable] who shall [depart?] shall be precluded from all claims for pay on account of services upon the expedition, performed upon his [undecipherable]. [Three?] four copies of each muster shall be made out — one to be retained by the [undecipherable] Officers, another by the commanding Officer of the Company, the third to be delivered to the commanding Officer of the party, and the fourth to be forwarded by the [paymaster?] of the said mounted Volunteers, to the War office of the United States. Ninthly. The Officers, non-commissioned Officers and Volunteers of said expedition, shall be allowed the pay of three days to repair to the Ohio, and three to return from thence, which six days shall be added to the number of days actually employed in the expedition north of the Ohio, and the pay shall be made out accordingly. The commanding Officer will upon his [return?], make a full report to the commanding General of all the occurrences of the expedition, and also state his opinion, with his experience on the matter, for whatever [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of chastising the Indians [undecipherable]. As [deep?] surprise [and] such sudden attacks could be the objects of the expedition, it is presumed that all proper precautions will be taken, that each a necessary [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] due guaranty of peace from [the enemy?]. Tenthly. Without [undecipherable] impeding the effectual operations, which may be found practicable, it is presumed from information and the nature of the [topography?], that the mounted Volunteers may be employed [north?] of the Ohio for a time not exceeding twenty to thirty days. This intimation is clearly to be understood not to [prevent?] the execution of any considerable object, [should?] it [require?] a longer time of course. You must make [an?] effectual arrangement with the commanding Officer at Fort Washington, for an adequate supply of provisions and stores, which is to be furnished at the expense of the United States. [Eleventhly.] That the said corps of mounted Volunteers being left entirely free from any restrictions [as to?] the manner of [executing?] the objects proposed, its reputation, and the operation [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] [conducted?], and [undecipherable] in [ultimate?] [undecipherable]. Twelfthly. Towards [undecipherable] the preparations essential to the said expedition, and also to [undecipherable] for want of proper preparations or other [undecipherable] reason, the sum of Two thousand Dollars has been delivered to the Honorable John Browne, for the purposes of said preparations. [The sum] is to be placed by you, and the before mentioned persons, or any three of you, in the hands of some person of character, and human integrity, as [paymaster?] of the said expedition, who [undecipherable] and shall [undecipherable] in such offices for the said [undecipherable] preparations thereout, and all other claims he may incur for the purposes of the said [undecipherable] volunteers, or militia. Thirteenthly Thirteenthly. But it is to be expressly understood, and it is hereby stipulated, that the said sum, or any part thereof, is not to be distributed until it shall be ascertained that said expedition is to proceed with the [undecipherable] to effect, according to the orders herein mentioned. In this case the [funds?] are to be established in the manner you and the before mentioned persons may direct, under your signatures, on any three of you on the sole and express condition, that the amount thereof shall be deducted from the pay advances for the finances of the troops upon the said expedition. But if circumstances should prevent the expedition from proceeding as herein suggested, then the said Honorable John Browne will receive the said sum of Two thousand Dollars, without any letters or [proclamation?] or restrictions, to be [balanced?] to the orders of the commanding [undecipherable] Officer of the troops of the United States. And it is hereby understood, that the President of the United States is secured the [undecipherable] [appropriation?] of the [undecipherable] mentioned in the foregoing: Provided the Major General, or commanding Officer of the troops on the Ohio, should judge the [undecipherable] [initiation?] to should require the enterprise, and should direct the same, under his hand and seal, directed to you and the persons aforesaid. The said second operation to be directed against such objects on the Wabash, and at such time as the commanding General may direct. It is to be understood, that the first of the said operations may take place about the tenth day of May next; and that the second may take place on or before the tenth day of June: Provided however, that the said second operation shall not exceed four hundred non-commissioned officers and privates. And if the said commanding General should direct a third expedition, either before or at the time proposed for the [initial?] expedition, the President of the United States will authorize the expenses thereof under the restrictions contained in the rules for the first and second. And in case of a second or third expedition of the nature herein specified, you, and the persons before mentioned, or the majority of you are to appoint the commanding Officer, and the other Officers thereof, in the manner before pointed out. And if the said three expeditions should take effect, or any of them, and you should command all or any of them, you will be allowed the pay and emoluments of a Brigadier General during your actual service. And other Officers who may be appointed to the command shall be allowed the pay and emoluments of a Lieutenant Colonel Commandant. The President of the United States is well aware of the high trust committed to you in conjunction with the Gentlemen aforesaid, but the confidence he reposes in you, and in them, has been grounded upon the public benefit at large, without regard to local precedents or local suggestions. [L.S.] Given under my hand and the [undecipherable] Seal of the War Office of the United States, this Ninth day of March, One thousand seven hundred and ninety one. [signed] H. Knox Secretary of War To Brigadier General Charles Scott