Camp on the Waters of the great Miami 68 1/2 miles advanced of Fort Washington October 21st 1791. Major General St. Clair To the Secretary of War.
Sir, Since I had the honor to address you on the 19th I have received a letter from Mr. Ernest, the Contractor’s Agent for transportation, of which I have enclosed a copy. by that you will perceive if the promises are made good, that we shall have probably this day or two morrow eight days provisions on hand with that I shall immediately make a movement in advance, which is become of absolute necessity on account of our cattle and horses, the forage in our vicinity being entirely consumed but it will not be to any considerable distance because the horses of the Army, Mr. Hodgdon informs me, will not return sooner than six days this day included, which will bring us to the 27th instant there will then of the of the eight days provisions be but two left but his horses will bring flour for fifteen days which will be very near equal to our whole quantity of Beef. Supposing them arrived then a march of five five days if pressed in the manner I propose and expect to make it will bring us very near the enemy with ten days provision a head, and on the first or second of November, but Mr. Ernest seems to have no idea of carrying provision further than this post for he says if you move from thence (meaning this place) shortly, and take ten days provision with you, you will deprive us of the means to transport what may be necessary to support you after that is expended. In this dilemma I could see no resource but sending the Quarter Master back with orders to concert measures with the contractor’s agent and to supply all deficiencies that might happen on their parts so far as it is possible. It is his opinion that between them three hundred horses may be got to go between this post and Fort Hamilton, and one hundred and fifty to march with the army, and that means may be fallen upon to encrease the transportation equal to one hundred more, if this can be effected it will do. at any rate it must be attempted but hence arises another difficulty we have got on to the second of November and on the third the time of service of a number of the men expires and more will be expiring from day to day afterwards. I am very sensible how hazardous it is to approach in such circumstances, and my only expectation is that the men will find themselves to far engaged that it will be obviously better to go forward than to return at the same time it precluded the establishment of another post of communication however necessary, but that indeed is precluded also from our decreasing numbers, and the very little dependance Dependence there is to be placed upon the militia, when the order to deliver half a pound of Flour only per ration was given, altho they had Beef in lieu of it and it was to continue for a day or two only, they had little to have gone off in a body. some work however let it be ever to slight must be constructed at the next halt to deposit the men’s knapsacks in, and to serve as a point of raliement in case of a disaster.
Enclosed is the return of the Army for the last month, the return of the Jersey battalion, the want of which prevented its being sent in due time has at last been given in.
The complaint which Mr. Ernest says his people make of ill treatment I have enquired into and find it by the acknowledgment of the contractor’s superintendant to be entirely without foundation excepting indeed that having found them very innaattentive to their horses, and to the orders respecting them ^by which we had been very much retarded. I had threatened them with punishment if they did not do better. Horses were sometimes taken by the Drivers from one department into another, very frequently by them, but never but once that I heard of from them. when two of their horses were found loaded with tents, they were immediately laid down and the horses delivered.
Capt. Buell arrived on the 16th at Fort Fort Washington with seventy two non commissioned officers and privates having made a detachment to Venango of a Serjeant, corporal and twelve - which I ordered him to post on the road between Lexington and Fort Washington and fifteen as an Escort for Mr Ludlow will leave him few enough for escorting the provisions to this post if he can do that it is all I expect Desertion and sickness have thinned our ranks still if I can only get them to action before the time of the levies expires, I think my force sufficient, tho’ that opinion is founded on the calculations of the probable number that will be opposed to us having no manner of information as to the force collected to oppose us. It seems somewhat extraordinary that they should have allowed us to be here so long in the interior of the country and never looked at us, nor stolen a horse; for tho’ we have lost a few. I have no reason to think they were taken away by the Enemy. the few Indians that have been seen were hunters only, who we fell upon by accident, and most probably of the Ouabash tribes. there is however a disorder among our horses that is alarming. a sore appears just above the hoof in a day or two they are quite useless, and in a few more they loose the hoofs and die. and it appears to be contagious. The weather is now cleared up, and with the rains the disorders among men and horses, I hope will vanish except what arises in the last from scarcity of food that must encrease. In my last I corrected a mistake I had made in the two former with respect to the place where the waters we are encamped by discharge themselves, but there was another likewise in both, they are dated sixty four males advanced of fort Washington and should have been sixty eight and a half how that happened I cannot imagine. I fear too that you would understand when I say I have none to give to Plamingo and his people that I have nothing to give them which they stood in need of but it was time that I meant, their wants have been supplied the Officer at Fort Washington informs me that new they seem inclined to Join the Army. I have sent a copy of my message to him. with Great Respect &c Signed Ar St. Clair your letters of the first and ninth September are received