The Hon^ble The Secretary of War      Phil.^a May 17^th 1794 Sir I am honored with yours of this date, respecting the number of Pack horses ordered by Major General Wayne, I have received your Order to repair with General Scott to Fort Washington. —— The number of Horses ordered by General Wayne constantly increases, and will most probably be double the number you mention. Your letter of the 17^th [undecipherable: April?] says "we shall require at least 500 Pack horses constantly on the Road, & a reserve of 250 to supply any loss that may eventually take place whether occasioned by common Casualties, or by Savages or by the River thence" —— You will perceive by M^r Bell's Letter N^o 20^th [undecipherable] ordered to march on the 26 to the Head of the [undecipherable] with about 500 Pack horses, 13 complete [undecipherable] horses, and in all [undecipherable] Trans[undecipherable] I beg leave to refer you to the returns in your possession and the enclosed reports for the general State of our means of Transportation the last year — The expenses of Oxen carrying burdens on their backs have not even been tried. As our calculations the plan is relinquished for the following reasons. —— 1^st Oxen cannot be procured [undecipherable] in quick number, as would make it an Object of attention. 2^d The additional difficulty and expense of raising the requisite number of drivers, which must be considerably greater than for the management of Pack horses, especially in a Country where the use of Oxen, in this way is totally unknown, when to these we add their [undecipherable] slow [undecipherable] motion under loads, in our uncultivated thick woody Country, (such as the army must pass thro') with the [undecipherable] which [undecipherable] them to the [undecipherable], would inevitably occasion on a march or in Camp, it will be admitted that the present prospect of succeeding will not justify the undertaking. M^r Bell expresses serious apprehensions that the [undecipherable] of Stores will fall short. They are [undecipherable] his wants have been under stated in due time on Bills and [undecipherable]. He has drawn Bills since the 23^d January to amount of 33,613 Dollars — the duty [undecipherable] at least [undecipherable] 20,000 by [undecipherable] on the 4^th of [undecipherable] including my orders to continue for his use 3000 Doll^rs in the Hands, amounting in the whole to 53,613 Dollars [undecipherable] his own estimates. The money by [undecipherable] I expect he received the third day after the date of his [undecipherable] at Fort Washington. —— By the enclosed [undecipherable] Returns the deficiency of any necessary articles appears, and at that time and the Store for the present year are under way of constant growth and in good Order. He mentions a few other difficulties which I trust may be arranged by proper attention. I have the honor to be & J. James O'Hara [undecipherable]