[To Major Gen^l Knox Sec^y of war.] N^o 68. Head Quarters Greeneville 4. Dec^r 1793.— Sir, I had the honor to write you very fully on the 15th ultimo by a special messenger Cap. Tho. Lewis) who went by the way of the Wilderness, the water passage being too uncertain at this late season of the year.— Its now turned of three months since I have been honored with a single or any commands from you; which I attribute to the fatal malady that has so languaged in the City of Philadelphia, and proved fatal to so many thousands of its inhabitants.— This we have only from report, as all direct communication seems to be cut off between the western waters & the atlantic States; however I hope that the cause is totally removed before this period.— The Contractors still continue to deceive & disappoint us in their means of transport and deposits of provision; as you will observe by the enclosed Returns & copies of Letters upon that subject.— I however hope & trust that my letter will rouse them from their torpitude and produce the desired effect. We have by the greatest exertions, completed our defences, and rendered this Camp impervious to Savage force, unless they come Armed with the olive branch: an event that possibly may take place.— Mr. Wells and the yellow beaver, returned last evening from reconnoitering in the vicinity of Au Glaize with two captives taken on the 29th ultimo, who say that the Indians are in considerable force, and the chiefs now in Council at that place; that about one thousand Warriors had assembled to oppose the Legion; that at present there are not quite one half that number together, being dispersed a hunting, but in such a situation and at such a distance as to be assembled again in the course of two or three days at farthest. That three deserters from this Camp got into Au Glaize on the 28th i.e. six days since, upon which the warriors were called in from hunting.— What the result will be is yet unknown.— were I to hazard an opinion, they will either fight or treat by the 1^st of January. Be that as it may, the surest and wisest measure is to be well prepared for war: our numbers are far from complete; and the term of service for which many of the soldiery were enlisted daily expiring, as you will observe by the duplicates monthly return & abstract herewith transmitted.— In my letter of the 8th August last I mentioned this subject very fully, together with the measure I had adopted for the re-enlistment of the Soldiery; which was attended with some success particularly with those, who had a few months to serve, but with few or none, whose term of service were on the point of expiring. I shall therefore pursue the same principles in order to re-enlist as many men under similar circumstances as can be obtained: our means are but small; say nineteen hundred Dollars.— There is another unpleasant circumstance operating against us: the heavy arrearages of seven months pay due the Legion, which is really wanted to procure some necessary comforts of life— which may be had even at this place at three hundred p^r Cent. advance.— May I pray you to supply the defect as soon as possible; and also to forward the Pay for the mounted Volunteers of Kentucky: I hope the last that ever will be asked for.— I have promulged viva voce, that the cause of this deficiency was owing to the fatal malady that pervaded the City of Philad^a & from an apprehension of transmitting the malady with the money.— Whilst I am upon this subject I beg leave to suggest the expediency of hiring or giving a bounty to nominal recruiting Officers pro. tem. in addition to the real ones now employed in that service thro' the different States, with orders to recruit for the [underline: Legion of the U: States] and not for any particular Corps: with these recruits we can level the respective Corps or Companies as circumstances or occasion may be. There are and will be many vacancies in the Legion, occasioned by resignation, Death and other casualties, since the list of promotions transmitted you some time past.— There are now two Majors and four Captains in Arrest, who will be tried as soon as circumstances will admit of holding a General Court Martial.— — The stubborn habits of [underline: indiscipline] and inebriation are hard to subdue; but I am determined, and will eradicate them from the Legion aided by the countenance and protection of Government. In the interim, I have a choice of difficulties to contend with: a Savage enemy in my front, Famine in my [underline: rear], and something like what I hinted to you in my private letter of the 15th ultimo in the [underline: Centre].— however I don't despair of surmounting the whole in as very little time.— Until when I ever believe me to be with sincere esteem & respect your most obt & very hum Servant. A Wayne the Hon^ble Maj. Gen. Knox Sec^y of War.