Fort Le boeuf, June 27^th 1794 Sir I enclose to you a copy of a message which I received from the big nations since our arrival here and also the Reply made to said message. The impertinence of the Agent of the U.S. and of M^r Johnson agent for the British & Indians, coming to this place to order us off is among the most Extraordinary things I ever saw - Nothing but the fear of having our Supplies Stopped & Destroyed and the place destroyed in that way, prevented us from Acting as we see I expect we would have been treated at a british port upon a Similar occasion. We have always began our business upon the [undecipherable] a scale the [undecipherable] one only [undecipherable] Expose us. 700 good Rifle men from the Western Counties & point to open a good Waggon Road from Pitt to Franklin (with very little trouble an Excellent [undecipherable] as may be made [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] straight from Campbells - An Equal number from the frontier Counties on your side the Allegeny to open a nother Road from the Waters of the Susquehanna to the on the Waters of french Creek & The Road to be Advised [thought] straight to this place (the present path is 15 miles round) and the 1500 man D - scord to Presq'Isle would bring the big nations to a proper understanding Fort Franklin when we arrived there must be said to be verified - the houses & Stores within the fort were all abandoned & the people & goods Stowed & Jumbled into the poor miserable fort - the gate was kept Locked day & night - the Indians (for there were always a number about the place) were very insulting, would fire at the flag, abuse the Gentleman & attempted Throwing Stones at them over the Picket - however when we appeared they were relieved - we Encamped close by the fort and before we marched off we took down the whole of the fort Block house excepted & erected the work upon a new plan - There is but 20 mils [undecipherable] I showed that place have fallen we might have suffered - the Officers there thinks that Genl Knox does not intend to keep it in repair - There were two white men killed two days before we arrived, they had left the fort & was 10 miles on the path [undecipherable] - The Deputation of Indians had one of their [undecipherable] men with these lines marked - they were at the Corn Planters Town - [undecipherable] [undecipherable] below [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] to the head of [undecipherable] from them to Mississippi - from that line [undecipherable] the Mississippi I am with great Respect & Esteem [in your most obedt] [undecipherable] [General William Irvine Member of Congress Carlisle]