N° 70 To Major Gen^l Knox Sec^y War — Head Quarters Greeneville 18 Jan^y 1794 Sir, I have the honor to inform you that the hostile Indians have sent in a flag with overtures of peace as mentioned and explained in the enclosed copies of their speech to me and my answer to the Delaware, Shawnees & Miami Nations — It is very evident that this extraordinary Embassy [undecipherable: probable reading "as at other times"] is in consequence of our sudden & unexpected possession of General St Clair's field of battle towards the Right, and some recent movements on the left of Grand Glaize, in order to discover the true situation of that place and the route by which it was most accessible; those last objects have been effected by a chosen detachment under the command of Capt Eaton, just returned from the vicinity of that place, and closely followed in by the bearers of the Flag. — Hence it is very problematical, whether the Enemy are influenced by a sincere desire for peace or endeavouring to gain time in order to secure their winter provisions, and to withdraw their women and children from — pending destruction, as well as to gain an opportunity to reconnoitre our position and to discover our numbers, which they have never heretofore been able to ascertain. — We may therefore eventually have cause to regret the loss of the present Golden favorable opportunity whilst the wide, deep swamps & [undecipherable: probable reading "rivers"] are strongly frozen over for advancing and striking with effect, so as to produce a conviction to those haughty savages that neither the inclemency of the season or distance of