Enclosed List of Deserters, Indian Relations
Document 1792Negotiations with the Chickasaws, anxiety of the frontier settlers, enclosed list of deserters.
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[N°/8 To Major Gen'l Knox Secy War]
Pitts burgh 27 July 1792
Dear Sir,
I have the honor to enclose you copies of letters from the Leutenants of the Counties of Ohio, Washington & Westmoreland, and one from Capt Brady, giving I an account of his tour into the Indian Country &c with my answer, that to Col'd Baird authorising him to add four more scouts to those already in the service of the County of Washington, was an addition that I could not well avoid, under present circumstances. This disagreeable state of anxious Suspense
is much more intolerable than actual [strikethrough: actual] fighting for their people do really persue me with their apprehensions of Danger, which I endeavour to quiet by reasoning, & assurances of effectual Support.—
The day before yesterday, I received a letter from Cap'tn [undecipherable: probable reading Cabt Phlerps] with the enclosed copies from a M'r Israel Chapins & a certain Rosecrants, who I expect will accompany the Legation of the Five Nations to the grand council of the hostile Indians — he speaks the Seneca, Delaware, and Shawnese Languages, & has been promised a liberal reward for bringing the earliest & most Authentic account of the result of their councils, and the real views & intentions of the Indians: he appears to have the confidence of the Cornplanter, who I have Directed Cap'tn [undecipherable] to try to prevail on to go to that council for the purpose of using his influence with the hostile Indians to listen to peace or if for war, to give us timely information.
Agreeably to your request that I would adopt some means of promoting the militia force, I had an Idea of enlisting the Six months men under Major M'Cully, and applied to him for permission, and to
to afford some of his officers in the business, which he very politely agreed to do; but upon the arrival of last Post he called at head Quarters, & shewed me copies of your letters to Governor Mifflin & his answer, and in Confidence a letter, which in confidence I impart to you, from M'r [undecipherable] Dallas of the 13th inst — forbidding him in the strongest terms, to admit of any enlistments from his corps into the service of the U.S — with words to this effect "[underline: as we do not know, nor understand, what the views of the Federal Executive are]"; however you will cordially cooperate with the Federal troops for the Defence of our frontiers, this I write by order of the Governor, & in confidence". —
I wish that it was practicable to take M'Cully with his corps into the service of the U.S — for he is an active partisan & a Veteran Officer; and his men are good & hardy woodsmen — the business can be done, provided I am authorised — any orders of Gov't Mifflin to the contrary, notwithstanding.—
I returned last evening from Washington, where I went in order to quiet the minds of the people, respecting the Indians, and to Endeavour
to reconcile the inhabitants of that County and Ohio to remain upon their farms.—
The river has been so low for these ten days past, that a boat of the smallest draft of water could not pass without grounding — last evening and this morning it has rose three feet perpendicularly; I shall therefore take advantage of this favorable rise to throw some troops, into big Beaver Station, and to dispatch an express to Gen'l Wilkinson, to send a proper Officer to Nashville, to detain the Chickasaws at that place until further Orders — it may seem extraordinary, but I have not an Officer at Pittsburgh, except Major Ashton or Lieut't Morris who is sick, [undecipherable] of that [undecipherable], which I think necessary for this business — they will improve by time — this morning Lieut't [undecipherable] arrived with detachment belonging to Cap'tn Carberry & Lewis; he would answer the purpose of an Embassy to the Chickasaws, but is the only Officer with the detachment amounting to [undecipherable] Six Men! — the Cavalry begin to improve; the hand mills fully answer my expectations five of them will grind twenty four bushels of Corn in two Hours with ease, which in this way will be of double service to the horses, than if given them in the whole grain — Discipline begins to make
Type
Author's Letterbook Copy
Description
Negotiations with the Chickasaws, anxiety of the frontier settlers, enclosed list of deserters.
Date
07/27/1792
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Pittsburgh
Repository
Collection
Document number
1792072753555
Page start
31
Note
Letter No. 8. Cited in Knox to Wayne, 08/03/1792.
Notable persons
Henry Knox
Anthony Wayne
Capt. Brady
Col. Baird
Capt. Cass
Israel Chapins
Rosecrantz
Legation of the Five Nations
hostile Indians
the Cornplanter
Major McCully
Governor Mifflin
Mr. (?) Dallas
Genl. Wilkinson
Chickasaws
Major Asheton
Lieut. Morris
Lieut. Price
Capts. Carbury and Lewis
Cavalry
riflemen
Infantry
deserters
Seneca
Delaware
Shawanese
Federal Executive
Notable locations
Pittsburgh
Counties of Ohio, Washington
Westmoreland
Indian Country
Beaver Station
Nashville
Pittsburgh
Notable items
howitzers
round pebbles
lists of deserters
treaty
negotiations
hostilities
peace
war
