James Seagrove to Timothy Barnard. Savannah 29^th. July 1793. Sir, Having been obliged to come here from S^t Mary on business and being absent when your letters of 2^d & 3^d instant arrived there M^r Townsend came on with them to me. As you undoubtedly would receive my letters by Chavers the day after you wrote, you are fully informed of the unfortunate end of David Cornall, I hope you sent forward my talk to his friends and that no heady rash steps hath been taken by them, and that you have been able to hold your ground; as at this moment your presence seems more necessary in the towns than ever; Your letters mentioned above contain full and minute information on the State of Indian affairs, I have transmitted copies of them to the Secretary at War, also of all the talks, I have of late received. I do not conceive the death of David Cornall in so dreadful a light as you do, I never considered it as very alarming only as it respected some one or two of our white friends in the nation; on his relations first getting the news of it, the first gust of their passion once over; I think there is no fear but we can settle the business without difficulty. From every appearance of matters I think there is a favorable opportunity of our now fixing ourselves firmly in the nation. That the nation is convulsed and those [undecipherable] distracted is evident the cause of which arises in a very great degree from want of some person to direct them in whom they can place confidence, M^cGilleray's death gives a favorable opening and if we cannot improve it the Spaniards will; you know my desire that way and that I should long since have been there; but could not with any hope of safety; a majority of the Chiefs now feel themselves embarrassed between us, the Spaniards, the Chickasau and Choclaw, also other matters pressing them, and appear desirous of my coming among them. Whether they are sincere or not will be seen as I have determined to give them an opportunity. You will see by the enclosed letters to all the Chiefs that I have determined to meet them on the Oahmulge by the 10^th of September next and from thence go with them into every part of the nation that they desire and there do all in my power to settle matters to the satisfaction of all. Having received late instructions from the President of the United States to this effect, nothing remains but that you and I have every nerve to carry so desirable a business into effect; for this purpose, I must desire that you do immediately attend the Cusitah Chiefs and in conjunction with them call a meeting of as many of the friendly towns as possible and adopt such plan as you think best calculated to secure my entrance into the nation and security there. I am ordered to Rocklanding where your next dispatches will find me and where I shall expect to see you a day or two before the meeting at the Oahmulgee, you must not give the Indians any expectation of receiving any presents at our meeting the thing will be impossible in the present distracted state of this Country for me to attempt any thing of the kind would be highly resented. I meet them to serve them and establish them in peace when that is accomplished and all is quiet I shall attend to their wants, but I cannot help saying that too much hath been given already to ungrateful Indians, I shall find extreme difficulty I suspect to carry out a few articles of provisions for myself, for which reason the Indians must bring their provision to the Oahmulgee. I observe you want of money or goods to enable you to live and carry on the public business, I am sorry that it is not in my power to assist you with money, I have not had a dollar belonging to the United States in my possession for twelve months past, and I do assure you that I have exhausted all my own little resources in purchasing ready money articles and paying unavoidable public demands. The asortment of goods in the public stores at S^t Mary is much broke, I shall send orders to M^r Jordan to send you a supply of such as there is by Mordecai, as I know you cannot do without a little coffee and sugar, I have ordered 25 weight of the former and 30 of the latter to be put up for you, out of my family stores, when we meet at the Rocklanding I can assist you with goods. I have prevailed on the bearer M^r Jacob Townsend to engage to deliver you this and to carry up my letters to the upper towns where he seems to stand well with the White Lieutenant and other leading characters, M^r Townsend promises every assistance in his power and I have no doubt he will do as he says. Let me recommend a good understanding between you and him. I have seen your brother on Wilmington Island a few days past where on a visit to General Greene's lady, who has [undecipherable] on the point below your brother Robert, your family are in health. I shall bring or send the medicine you sent for, I wish you to bring the [undecipherable] up to meet me, lest that old Villain Madow gets hold of them, No news of any consequence from the North. I have sent home all the Indians by Townsend and Mordecai, also the horses and things belonging to Cornell and his party. It is impossible for me to give a Rifle to Folba or any Indian whatever, I have them not and if I had I should not give any in the present state of affairs, I will order something as an equivalent. Do not fail to improve on the kindness shewn the Indians who I detained and the great indulgence in sending them home. You will urge on the friendly towns not to suffer the unfriendly ones to send out on this frontier for as sure as they do it will create fresh difficulties. I am &c. (Signed) James Seagrove.