[N^o 66. To Major Gen^l Knox Sec^y of war] Camp S.W. branch of Miami Six miles advanced of Fort Jefferson 23d. October 1793. — Sir, I have the honor to inform you that the Legion took up its line of march from Hobson's choice on the 7^th instant and arrived at this place in perfect order & without a single accident at 10 o'clock in the morning of the 13^th, when I found myself arrested for want of provisions. — I have been much deceived by the Contractors upon this occasion; the deposit at Fort Jefferson not being more than one quarter part of what had been ordered at an early period; and their means of transport not half equal to the supply of the troops even at Fort Jefferson. — I have therefore been reduced to the necessity of ordering the Quarter master General to forego any further supplies of of forage or stores in the line of his department for the present and to employ his whole force to assist in the transport of flour &ca in the Contractors department; those Gentlemen after much evasion & equivocation, being at last forced into a decisive declaration of their incapacity to comply with the requisition for the daily issues and deposits mentioned in my letters of the 18th. and 23d. instants, (pursuant of means of transport;) to which letters, & the antecedent copies of the correspondence between the Contractors and myself upon this interesting occasion, I must beg leave to refer you. — Notwithstanding this defect upon the part of the Contractors I do not despair of supporting the troops in our present position or rather at a place called Still water, at an intermediate distance between the field of battle & Fort Jefferson; and for which I shall make the necessary arrangements in obedience to the instructions contained in your orders of the 25th. of May 1792. — The safety of the western frontiers, the reputation of the Legion, the dignity and interest of the Nation all forbid a retrograde manoeuvre or giving up one inch of of ground we now possess — until the Enemy are compelled to sue for peace. — The greatest difficulty which at present presents, is of providing a sufficient escort to secure our Convoys of provision & other supplies from insult & disaster and at the same time to retain a sufficient force in Camp to sustain & repel the attacks of the Enemy, who appear to be desperate & determined. — We have recently experienced a little check to one of our Convoys, which may probably be exaggerated into something serious by the tongue of fame before this reaches you — the following is however the fact, viz: Lieut^t Lowrey of the 2d Sub Legion and Ensign Boyd of the 4^th, with a command consisting of about ninety non commissioned Officers and privates, having in charge twenty waggons belonging to the Q. M. Generals department, loaded with Indian Corn; some of the Contractors loaded with stores; were attacked in the morning of the 17^th instant, about seven miles advanced of Fort St. Clair, by a party of Indians; those two gallant young Gentlemen, who promised at a future day to be ornaments to their profession; together with those non commissioned Officers & privates bravely fell, after an obstinate resistance against superior numbers, being abandoned by the greater part part of the escort upon the first discharge. — The Savages killed or carried off, about seventy horses, leaving the waggons & stores standing in the road, which have all been brought to this Camp without any other loss or damage except some trifling articles. — Enclosed is a return of the killed, wounded & missing; as also a field Return of the troops at this place: out of which one troop of Dragoons & one Company of Light Infantry have been detached this morning to reinforce four other Companies of Infantry commanded by Col^o. Hamtramck as an escort to the Q. M. Generals & Contractors waggons & pack horses. — I have this moment received the enclosed return of the mounted Volunteers, recently arrived & encamped in the vicinity of Fort Jefferson; I shall immediately order a strong detachment of those Volunteers as a further reinforcement to Col^o. Hamtramck. — I fear that the season is too far advanced to derive that essential Service which might otherwise be expected from them: — [strikethrough: whether they can act with effect or not, is yet eventual.] It is It is reported that the Indians at Au Glaize have sent their women & children into some secret recess or recesses from their towns and that, the whole of the warriors are collected or collecting in full force. — I have spies in every direction and some confidential emissaries among them, from whom I hourly expect certain & interesting intelligence. — The Savages however can't continue long embodied for want of provisions; on the contrary we have by great exertions secured in this Camp 70,000 rations; I expect 120,000. in addition by the return of the present convoy, unless they meet with a disaster, a thing that can scarcely happen should my orders be faithfully executed — which I have no cause to doubt from the character, vigilance & experience of the Commanding Officer. — A great number of our men as well as officers have been left sick & debilitated at the respective Garrisons from a malady called the influenza: among others Gen^l. Wilkinson has been dangerously ill — he is now at Fort Jefferson and on the recovery. I hope he will soon be sufficiently restored to take his command in the the Legion. — Our want of a sufficient number of officers is a serious misfortune: I have however, accepted of the resignation of Lieut. Col^o. Smith of the 3d. Sub Legion. — Major Ballard Smith & Captains Melcher & Tillinghast are in arrest, and will probably be dismissed the service; when time & circumstances will admit of holding a General Courtmartial; which is out of the question at present. I anxiously wait the safe return of the escort & convoy; when we shall endeavor to take new Ground — which will probably be disputed: be that as it may, the Legion will not be too far committed. — With every sentiment of esteem & respect I have the honor to be your most obed^t. hum^l Serv^t. Wayne [The Hon^ble Maj. Gen^l. Knox Sec^y of war.]