[N° 16] [To Gen^l Knox Sec^y of war.] Pittsburgh 31 august 1792. Sir, I have the honor to enclose a copy of Captain Haskell's letter to me of the 21^st instant— in addition to which Capt. W^m Mills (brother to our Capt. John Mills) by whom the letter came, says, that in conversation with M^r Hewitt (who is a militia officer) he mentioned that whilst he was with the Indians they expressed an anxiety for a Hostile interview, & that nothing prevented them from committing depredations but a full expectation of our advance into their country- that they affect to hold us in the utmost contempt, for offering to treat of peace, with a people who neither want or wish for it: be that as it may I am decidedly of opinion that we ought immediately to establish our magazines of forage & provision; & have [underline: therefore] directed the Quarter Master General to contract for Fifty thousand bushels of grain— Chiefly Indian Corn & five hundred tons of hay— at present nothing can be done by water— the Ohio has never been so low in the memory of the oldest inhabitants The Copy of a letter to the Q. M. G. will give you some idea of it— at the time the boats went from this place there was a smart fresh in the Monongahela, but it was evaporated before it reached Marietta. The clothing for the late first regiment has generally arrived, as well as that for the rifle corps except Shoes & blankets & part for the second, not a single moment shall be lost in forwarding it, when the state of the water will admit, in order to stop the mouths of Haskell & others I enclose you a copy of Gov^r Mifflin's letter to the Lieutenant of Alleghany County— I shall forbear to comment upon it— I however informed Col^o Neville that at present I did not think myself justifiable in calling out any militia, or in assenting to the measure; that when there was a necessity, I would do it with a full reliance upon their turning out with alacrity We are in want of many articles in the Hospital department of which the enclosed letter & invoice from Doctor Carmichael will inform you. By this mornings post you will see the numbers & condition of our force at this post— the men in confinement have all been tried by a General Court martial— some are condemned to death, some to Corporal punishment— others are acquitted or, ordered to do the drudgery of the camps for a given time the whole of which sentences will take place tomorrow & next day— I trust it will break the neck of desertion You'l please to observe that the principal part of these Criminals were lately brought here as by the several detachments as prisoners.