[N° 51] [To Major Gen'l Knox Sec'y of war.] Legions Ville 22 March [17—] Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9^th instant & agreeably to the instructions contained in yours of the 5^th I directed the D.M. General to make a Return or Estimate of every article wanted in his department for the ensuing campaign, which you probably have received this day. Enclosed is a Return or Estimate of Military stores & ammunition wanted in addition to the former Returns; in order fully to comply with the wishes & directions of the President "to prepare the troops for a conflict with the Savages in the dernier resort, & to make them perfect marks men". I have now the honor to enclose you certified copies of the speeches or talks held at this place by New arrow, the Sachem, Capt. O'Bale, or Corn Planter / delegates from the six nations; & myself on the 17^th 19^th & 20^th instant I have endeavored to keep them in good temper, and they are apparently satisfied, as you will observe by their answers or replies to my talks — they have been very particular & cautious throughout the whole of this business — first, in obtaining the attention of the whole of the six nations to come forward as their legal delegates; and secondly by bringing along with them an interpreter who was taken from the German Flatts above Albany in his infancy & adopted by the Corn Planter, he has lately been two or three years at home with his parents in which time he has learned a little English but can neither read nor write — they also sent to Pittsburg for M^r. Jos Michelson, to the end that there should be no mistake in the interpretation — You will observe great art in the speech of the Corn Planter, when he endeavours to make us stationary at this place, until the state of the water would not admit of navigation i.e. until after the treaty — [undecipherable] yesterday evening after all the business was over he gave a toast propose in this manner "my mind & heart is upon that River, pointing to the Ohio / may that water ever continue to run; and remain [strikethrough: the] the boundary of a lasting peace, between the Americans & the Indians on its opposite shores" — This is strong & plain language; and proves to a demonstration that his mind is fully made up upon the subject of a boundary line — I expect that the Indians will be ready to set off for their nation in the course of an hour — I mean to accompany them for a few miles, and then leave them in charge of safe escort — Notwithstanding the Corn Planters declaration that the six nations never took money for doing good, both he & New arrow are in real want of horses to carry them home, and to keep them to send occasional expresses by — Mares would be the most acceptable as they will bring them young horses; they are also in want & avidity of other little necessaries which I shall endeavour to furnish them with and be happy to get clear of them at so cheap a rate, especially as they promise to continue friendly. My time & attention has been so much taken up with those people that I have not been able to decide upon the strength of the Garrisons on the upper parts of the Ohio, or, the number of Scouts that may be necessary to keep in service at the expense of the United States — but will give you my ideas upon those & other subjects by the next post — In the interim, I have to request that