Now I have all seven pages. Let me produce the full transcription. [N^o 27 From Major Gen Knox Sec^y. of War.] War departm^t. Sir, November 24. 1792. Your letters of the 14^th & 16^th instants have been received & submitted to the President of the United States. He regrets that your opinion of the winter position of the troops was not delivered at an earlier period, and more especially that it should have been suspended upon a vague report of Mr. H—'s declaration of the Posts of Detroit & Niagara being relinquished to us in the Spring.— If the report was as stated, it is not corroborated by his official declarations.— As the case is now circumstanced, your fortified camp near the big Beaver is to be regarded as a position for two, or at most— three months:— and of course it would be highly improper to construct buildings or any thing not indispensibly necessary to render the position secure and the troops comfortable against the weather.— It will be proper therefore that the troops consider themselves as under orders to move on a short notice during the winter or early in the Spring according to events & circumstances.— Your observations on the supply of provisions has been considered, and the result appears thus.— Elliot and Williams have engaged with the public to furnish [underline: all the rations] which shall be required of them in the year 1793. on due notice.— It is their object therefore and for which they are responsible with heavy penalties that the supplies shall be regularly furnished at such places as shall be ordered.— It will be incumbent on [underline: them] to provide such numbers of Beeves that the army shall not be in want of that article after the 15^th of April, and such quantities of Flour in proper seasons so as to serve as well [underline: after] the 15^th of June as before that time if it be not then to be purchased.— It will however be necessary for you to give them information to the following purport in addition to the orders already given for the Magazines in consequence of my letter of the 3^d. instant to the Secretary of the Treasury.— Towit That the troops will probably remain in the positions already ordered for the winter and until the first of March next.— That at that period it is probable Head Quarters will be removed to Fort Washington and a great portion of the troops assembled at that Post. That it will be incumbent on them to have rations at that time in such a situation as to furnish the troops probably amounting to Four thousand at or near the said Fort Washington and to have the provision in readiness to be transported forwards so as to supply amply the current demand of a moving Army in the line of direction which shall hereafter be ordered.— Upon this notification to them they will find themselves constrained to take such measures as shall remove all doubt from your mind as to a full supply. In addition however, to this notification, it will be proper for you to know from time to time how they progress in compliance with your orders.— I inclose you the Copy of a return given me by Col. Mentges of the Quantity of Provision on hand at the lower advanced Posts.— It is an unfortunate circumstance indeed that the Paymaster is not at Head Quarters in order to carry into full operation the plan of the Comptroller transmitted to you on the third day of August last for the more orderly payment of your troops.— Pray urge him on as soon as possible.— The system pointed out is considered by the Treasury as an indispensible mean to a just & punctual arrangement of the Pay.— I have communicated with the Secretary of the Treasury upon the subject of the Pay, you request, and although he is exceedingly desirous that the troops should be punctually paid and is ready to furnish the money for that purpose, yet, he considers the present train of the business irregular & improper.— A Supply of money will however be furnished as soon as possible in some mode which shall be devised.— I hope the Cornplanter may have arrived & brought you information of the [undecipherable]tion of the hostile Indians intending a treaty.— From some circumstances the Indians will consent to treat, but they will most probably make extravagant claims about a boundary.— If a treaty should be agreed upon, it is not probable it will take place until in the Spring.— The representatives of that part of Virginia which lies upon the Ohio from the Pennsylvania line to the Great Kenhawa and called the Monongahela district have applied for a protection of their own militia during the winter.— The President of the United States will [strikethrough: consider] they and all the exposed Counties should be indulged with the number of scouts heretofore permitted at the expense of the public.— But he does not conceive that Militia stationed in block or Fortified houses will be of any service to the protection of the inhabitants, and he will therefore decline as well from motives of œconomy as the inutility of the measure, proposed any expence of that kind unless in case of the danger of an invasion, when it may be indispensible to call out the Country. But he has directed me to request that you will increase the force at Gallipolis and Marietta to such a degree as that being combined with the troops at your fortified Camp you shall have Patroles or Scouts of your troops incessantly moving on the line from your Camp to Gallipolis and also from your Camp to Fort Franklin.— The performance of this service will inure your troops to hardships, discipline them for the nature of the war for which they are destined, cover the Country and prevent the necessity of Militia being called out and all the train of Evils & expences thereon.— Suffer me to entreat that this line of patroles be such as shall effectually cover the Country from surprise & extort the confession from all parts of the frontiers that the troops possess vigilance, activity & hardihood — the essential characteristics of a disciplined Army. The means you have taken to bring the recruits into order and train them in a suitable manner are regarded with peculiar satisfaction by the President of the United States, and he has accordingly glanced at the same, in his speech to the two houses of Congress. Proceed, Sir, in this line and you will lay a foundation for your fame, not to be shaken by temporary impulses.— One hundred suits of Clothing will be immediately forwarded to you to supply deficiencies. this has been retarded for some time by reason of existing difficulties between & the late Contractor for that article, which I believe are now surmounted.— Captain Rogers of the Cavalry resigned on the 25^th ulto. This will make a Captain of the Senior Lieutenant of the Squadron. I have the honor to be Sir, with Sincere Esteem & your humb. Serv^t. Knox Maj. Gen. Wayne