[To Gen^t Knox — N° 5/] Pittsburgh 6^th July 1792 Dear Sir, I had the honor of receiving yours of the 22 ultimo, with a schedule of the recruits already marched, and ordered to march; after 5 o'clock P.M. the last post day; but as it did not require an immediate answer, I did not avail myself of the opportunity of writing by Judge Addison. There is one disagreeable circumstance which I omitted to mention in my last, i.e. that the Small pox prevails in this place at this warm season, which has occasioned the inoculation of ten or twelve Soldiers of the Garrison: I have felt very uneasy, lest there should be a considerable number of the recruits, now advancing, who have not had that disease, as I can't bring myself to agree to a constant succession of [underline: inoculation], as the detachments arrive; if to risk their taking it in the natural way would be unpardonable: I have therefore come to this resolution — to separate those who have not had it — from those who have, previously to their arrival in town, agreeably to the inclosed Copy of a Letter to Major Ashton [who has not yet arrived] there recruits I mean to send to Big Beaver, to take post at the Block House, under a competent number of Officers — at the same time that they are kept out of the way of that Disorder, they will give security to the frontiers of Washington & Ohio Counties, until I have your Orders & directions whether to [underline: inoculate] or not. The inclosed Letters from Cap^t Cafs will inform you of some of the measures taken in this quarter, to obtain the intentions of the hostile Indians, with respect to [underline: peace] or [underline: war]: I was not a little astonished at [Cap's] Letter asking for a Furlough to go to New Hampshire, at a period when he cannot well be spared — and at a [underline: crisis] rather delicate, for a Soldier to request it — under those circumstances & with those impressions, I am inclined to accept of his [underline: resignation]; and have therefore left it in his own choice, to continue in the Command of his post — or quit the Service. Whilst I am writing, your Letter of the 29 ult. with the inclosures arrived; I rather think that Captain Brant will be too late at the Au[underline: [undecipherable]] to be of much service, as the Indians can't continue long in any considerable numbers for want of provision, unless they are Supply'd by the British — the reports are that they had assembled to the amount of [underline: four thousand] at that place about the first of June, however I hourly expect some intelligence from that Quarter by the [underline: famous] Cap^t. Brady — who with two more active woodsmen, well acquainted with the Country set out from Big Beaver, four weeks since, for the purpose of gaining information, & discovering the present residence & situation of the Hostile Indians, of which you shall be duly [underline: advised] — at present all is quiet. "You leave me sole judge "to direct the Quarter M^r. General to stay at [underline: Pittsburgh], or to repair to Fort Washington." He will therefore remain here for the present. [underline: apropos] Col. Hamilton mentioned that a systematical direction, for that department, would be made out & forwarded to me — it has not yet been sent, altho much wanted, there appears a kind of clashing — between the late Q^r. M^r. Generals Duty, & that of the present; therefore the sooner that department is organized the better. I have the honor to be with much Esteem, your most ob^t. & very Hum^t Serv^t. Anty. Wayne The Hon^ble Major Gen^l. Knox — Sec. of War. To Brig^r. Gen^l. Wilkinson — N° [3/] Pittsburgh 7^th July 1792 My dear Sir, I was honored with yours of the 12^th by Ensign Harrison, who I have ordered to accompany M^rs Wilkinson to Philadelphia, and have the pleasure to inform you, that with the polite & friendly assistance of Col^l. O'Hara, she is very comfortably accommodated with a decent [underline: Coachee], belonging to M^rs. O'Hara, and a pair of excellent Horses of my own, with a careful driver accustomed to the road; in addition to which they have three Saddle Horses, one for herself, another for one of her little boys & one for Harrison to ride occasionally: thus appointed, they took their departure on the 4^th; I had the pleasure with some other Gentlemen & a party of Dragoons, to accompany them seven miles on their way, and am happy to inform you that M^rs Wilkinson & her boys, were in high health & Spirits; & felt a confidence of a safe & pleasant journey to the Grand Emporium of America. Inclosed are duplicates of my Letters of the 16^th and 26 ult^o.; perhaps you have not heard the fate of your first messengers named [underline: Freeman], and [underline: Gerrard] — it is said they have been killed by a party of Indians, near the miami villages: Gen^t. Knox writes me "it would appear that they were taken prisoners, but in the first instance were spared, on asserting they were a flag to the Indian council. they had proceeded some distance, on their way to auglaize as prisoners, but they made so many enquiries of the Indians, relative to the distance of Indian towns, & the names of the water they crossed, that their conductors concluded they were Spies & killed them; which was very disagreeable to the chiefs at Au Glaize." I hope that your other messengers of peace may meet a better fate; we are very anxious to hear the result of the Indian Council; & have some friendly Indians at it, from whom we expect the earliest intelligence: Every thing is quiet here: several detachments of troops are on their march; but none yet arrived — The President has not Determined upon the Companies that are to compose the Sub-Legions. I have directed the purchase of a quantity of very fine grained powder, which with a little alteration in the touchhole of the Musket, in an oblique, in place of a right-angular direction with the caliber, will preclude the necessity of priming; as the concussion of the air, in forcing down the cartridge will cause each Musket to prime itself with more certainty than the common mode; the Eye of the Soldier, will therefore, be perpetually upon his Enemy, and he can load in a full [underline: trot] without danger of losing any part of his powder; ashe will have no other motion, but biting off the top & introducing the cartridge into the piece, and much quicker, than he could load standing in the usual way — This is a manoeuvre that must be practised, it will accustom the recruit to the report of his own Musket, so as not to be alarmed at his own fire, which in addition to a powerful & well appointed Cavalry, I trust we shall produce a conviction, not only to the Indians, but to the world, that the United States of America are not to be insulted with impunity. — I am with sincere Esteem your assured friend & most ob^t. Hum^d. Serv^t. Anty Wayne Brig^r. Gen^l. Wilkinson. — To Gen^l. Wilkinson N° 4/ Pittsburgh July 9^th 1792 Dear Sir, Inclosed is an Extract from the General Orders of the 4^th inst., which you will please to have inserted in your orderly book, & comply with. I hear that Shaylor has depreciated — he was at one time, an active & good officer; his late sufferings, together with the [underline: ordeal] he has gone thro may have a good effect; but should he again be caught tripping upon any occasion, he cant expect to pass with equal impunity. I am Sir, your most obed^t. & very Hum^t. Serv^t. Anty Wayne. Brig^r. Gen^l. Wilkinson. — P.S. I have ordered the Corporal and Six of the Men, who came up in the Barge, as also a certain Eleazer Root & W^m. Leonard, two Soldiers, belonging to Cap^t. now Major Strong's Company, to return as an escort to some forage boats & Contractors Stores — apropos, will it be practicable, to cut & secure a quantity of Hay at the respective posts — particularly at Fort [underline: Jefferson] — we must pay every attention to our Cavalry. A.W. — N° 5/ To Gen^l. James Wilkinson Pittsburgh 10 July 1792 Dear Sir after writing you on the 9^th we have been favored with a considerable fall of rain which I hope will [underline: raise] our waters. I have therefore directed the Quarter M^r. General to forward all the grain he has in Store, and wish you to improve the present opportunity — i.e. the apparent cessation of hostilities to throw as large a Supply of forage & provisions into Fort Jefferson & the intermediate posts as circumstances will permit. — Its a well established maxim "that in order to secure an honorable peace, we ought to be well prepared for war:" here permit me to hazard an opinion — that the apparent placidity of the Indians, may be the result of truly political principles, i.e. to lull us into a state of Security; and probably cause us agreeably to the words of the act of the 5^th March 1792 "to forbear to raise the troops" for they have emissaries among them, who are not unacquainted with our Laws & politicks and whose interest it is to prevent a permanent peace with the Indians; an event that I really believe will never take place, as long as the British retain the posts on the Lakes, which by treaty ought to have been delivered up to us, Eight years since, but they say it is not yet convenient an expression which was inadvertantly inserted, and of which they ungenerously avail themselves. — I have given a fair tryal to the musket —