N^o 73 Head Quarters Greeneville 3^d. march 1794. Sir, I have the honor to enclose the General Return of the Legion for the month of February, as also duplicates of my letters of the 18. of January. — we have neither heard from or seen an Enemy since the date of those letters. — hence it is pretty evident, that the true object of the flag was to gain time & reconnoitre, as predicted in my letter N^º 70. — there is, however, something rather mysterious in the present conduct of the savages for, notwithstanding their non-compliance with the preliminary article, i.e. the surrender of the prisoners on or before the 14. ultimo; they have not committed any murder or depredations since that period that I have as yet heard of. There is therefore a possibility that they are inclined for peace: be that as it may, I shall soon bring them to an eclaircissement as I am determined to establish a strong post on the bank of [underline: Au. Glaize], at the north end of the portage, i.e. within the limits of the reservation made by the treaties of the 21. January 1785 & the 9. January 1789, which may be done consistently with good faith; and will most certainly bring the business to a speedy issue. — the distance from thence to grand Glaize at its confluence with the Miami of the Lake, is not more than from 25 to 30 miles: they will therefore be compelled to treat, fight or to abandon their towns, hunting grounds and possessions. — I have a further & powerful inducement for establishing not only this post, but another at the south end of the portage on the Miami of the Ohio. i.e. the benefit of water transport during the spring season from a conviction that it is next to an impossibility to supply a large body of troops so far advanced in an uncultivated & savage wilderness for any length of time by means of pack horses or land carriage only. — Under these impressions I had prepared two small boats at this place for the purpose of reconnoitring these waters, in one of which M^r. Robert Elliot (the Contractor) with a select crew descended this branch of the Miami on the 22. ultimo & arrived at Fort Hamilton on the 24^th. enclosed is a copy of his letter & report upon the occasion. — In addition to this I have sent Major McMahon with a small select detachment to reconnoitre the portage before mentioned and to determine with accuracy & precision the relative situation & the true course and distance with the nature of the grounds between the North & south ends of the said portage. we have no time to loose upon this occasion, as the waters begin to fail early in May: add to this, that the term for which a considerable number of the non commissioned officers & privates were inlisted belonging to the 1^st & 2. Sub Legions will expire in the course of six or eight weeks, so that in all probability we shall rather decrease than increase in numbers, — therefore I wish to make the best possible use of them whilst in our power. — The idea of [underline: lawful plunder] held out in the enclosed paper under the signature of George R. Clark has had a tendency to put an almost total check to the recruiting business at this place. — But should the act or Bill for the completion & better support of the Military establishment pass in the form reported, and be forwarded in time, so as to be officially announced I doubt not but that we shall be able to retain a great proportion of the best men, M^r. Clarks proclamation notwithstanding; and which does not as yet appear to have been discountenanced by