[Major General S^t Clair to The Secretary of War] Fort Washington Sept. 23^d 1791 Sir, [undecipherable] having left this place on the 17^th I did not expect to have written to you again from hence until [undecipherable] the campaign had been over, but a letter I received from Lexington of the 16^th brought me back and from that the following passages are extracted - having accidentally met with a W. Symmes at this place on his way to Head Quarters I cannot let him depart without expressing to you the anxiety I feel for the issue of the proposed Militia draught - a general opposition to the measure prevails throughout the district fostered I fear by some who should promote it - I believe the Quota of Jefferson will be levied but they are not a drop in the Ocean there are several other passages which it is needless to transcribe but the whole taken together gave me extreme uneasiness and left me very little to hope for from that quarter. After turning it in my mind I could find no alternative whereby they might be supplied but by applying for volunteers and the hope of my being forced to that was in fact, at the bottom of the opposition to the draught. I had prepared a letter for the Board of Kentuckey, covering an authority, conformable to the instructions for a third expedition; which I was on the point of sending off by express and another for the War office to inform you of my being reduced to that necessity, when a person arrived from Lexington who confirmed the report of the opposition that was generally made to the Draught on the ground that the Lieutenants had no authority from the State of Virginia that nevertheless the Lieutenants had [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] had evaded the draught and the [undecipherable] with much [undecipherable] a considerable [undecipherable] might have been Sent sent forward but at the critical moment when it was become most necessary orders to comply with any demand that might be made for Militia had arrived from the executive of Virginia. had been published throughout the district and all opposition had subsided and that the men would arrive at the appointed rendez vous at the farthest, not more than two days later than the time which had been directed which was the 25^th I am very happy, Sir, to give you this information instead of that which I had intended and that my letter had not been sent away The Quarter Master informs me he will have every thing necessary for the present time at Camp by the evening of the 27^th So that you may reckon with certainty on the Army's moving to their second position in the course of the month. for I Shall not wait for the militia, which must be mustered before they move, but leave orders for them to follow.— all Seems now as if it would go well. I have the honor to be with great respect, Sir, &c (Signed) A. S^t Clair.