Fort Fidius on the Oconee 17^th Sep^tr 1793. Sir, Since writing you from Augusta on the 6^th inst. I arrived at this place in company with Colonel Gaither on the 9^th. I could plainly discover before I left Augusta, that the buisiness of peace which I was going on, was very disagreeable to many over in that metropolis, and was informed that I should meet with insults and perhaps worse if I attempted going to this place. I treated all this as an idle story; however when we had reached within thirty two miles of this place, we were not a little surprised to see Cap^t. Dickenson with a party of federal troops meeting us. They were sent as you will observe by the enclosed paper, it being the opinion of a council of all the officers at this Garrison for our protection, they having received alarming accounts respecting us, especially myself, of whom it was said currently that parties were out waylaying the roads to shoot me, we did not meet with any interruption, and got safe here. From undoubted information which I have every day received since being here; and from the conduct of the generality of those frontier people, I find that it is a matter determined on by them that peace with the Creek Indians shall not take place on any terms whatever. That in order to prevent my meeting the Indians, parties of militia are constantly kept out between this river and the Oahmulge, to intercept and distroy my self or messengers and doubtless Indians also, whether friend or foe. On the 2^d or 3^d instant a party of thirteen horsemen under command of Cap^t Stokes of the Militia went from a place called Long Bluff on this river, about 30 miles below this garrison, towards the Oahmulge, where they found four Indians cooking on the margin of that river, Stokes's party fired on the Indians, and it is said killed three of them; certainly it is he brought off three horses, a quantity of deer skins and four rifles. My informant a man of good repute was a witness to the sale and division of this property amongst the captors after their return into the settlement. It is said that those Indians had stolen two horses from Long Bluff a few days before, and were followed in consequence. This affair I fear has prevented the Indians coming forward agreeably to my request of the 29^th July. Not hearing of any of the Indians being at the Oahmulge, and being anxious to know the situation of matters I dispatched two trusty persons in the night of the 11^th thro' the woods with a letter to M^r Barnard for the purpose of obtaining information. I am not without great fear for the safety of those messengers, or any that may be coming to me from the nation, as several scouting parties of the Militia of this country are constantly patroling between this and the Oahmulge, in order to intercept either Indians or whites, and to put them to death. Ever since I have been here spies are kept about to watch my movements, and threats of the most insolent kind are denounced against me should I dare oppose their darling object, [underline: an Indian war]. For a week past an expedition hath been forming in the night