Pittsburg October 9^th 1795 Sir Your letter of the 19^th Ultimo was transmitted to me and received at Presquisle on the 2^d Instant consequently tho' not the sooner of Acknowledging the receipt of it as early as might have been expected. Found it necessary to accompany Col^t. Butler to Fort Franklin in order to assist him in Carrying out the buildings now erecting at that Place — We set off from this port on the 22^d Ultimo [undecipherable] there on the 25^th and immediately fixed on a convenient situation at the Mouth of French Creek for a block house the lower Story of which is to be appropriated as a Store House — Barracks for an Officer and twenty men was also then laid out and is in considerable forwardness these buildings are to be enclosed with a Pickate. Materials for which as well as for the building is almost all procured as I expect the whole will be nearly completed at the end of this month — Shortly after my arrival at Fort Franklin I found it necessary to proceed to Presquisle in order to ascertain what additional means of Transportation for the supplies of that post might be necessary — Found a considerable part of the road from [undecipherable] to Le Boeuf [undecipherable] almost — the road from Le Boeuf also greatly impaired — a team of eight Good Oxen not being able to haul more than 25 [undecipherable: Bbls.] and two kegs on passing from Le Boeuf to Presquisle — a few men have been employed in repairing that Road, all that they are able to perform is scarcely perceptible — French Creek still continuing low the navigation of it has hitherto been but of little use on transportation all these difficulties in the sending provision and forage from this place agrees to your opinion contained in your letter of the 19^th Ultimo [undecipherable] than any price [undecipherable] Cattle be paid for Provision [undecipherable] to port it from [undecipherable] induces me to purchase of Col. Rice's Barrels of Pork at twenty six dollars, fifteen barrels [undecipherable] or twelve dollars five bushels Salt at four dollars and [undecipherable] — also sent George Bunn of the [undecipherable] with two horse to Cataraugus to purchase Corn for Forage I have reason to report it at that place at fifty cents per Bushel — I have authorized Mr. Bunn to make particular Enquiry into the Provisions of that settlement as well as that at Buffalo Creek and after making his first trip if successful with your permission Intend to send him to Niagara to obtain certain information respecting supplies of Provisions [undecipherable] generally and as the fullest confidence may be placed in the Integrity and Ability of Mr. Bunn I expect his information will be of much importance and will enable me to ascertain with precision the cheapest means of supplying the Post of Presquisle the ensuing year — The provision already deposited at that post and now on the way will complete a supply for one company up to the first of May 1796 and a considerable Quantity of Pork there can still be purchased at Col. Rice's & I expect at a lower price, it is however certain that both his pork and flour are greatly superior in Quality to that received of the Contractors the [strikethrough: Barrels] Barrels of Flour also contain one Eighth more than the Pennsylvania Barrels upon the whole the [undecipherable] the provisions obtained from Col. Rice [undecipherable] are [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and without [undecipherable] and taking into view the great destruction of Packages [undecipherable] are [undecipherable] of part of the Articles on transportation [undecipherable]. That the Articles purchased of Mr. Rice do not cost the United States more than similar articles carried from the post to Presquisle — Having the greatest part of the troops at that post but wintering Officers and are still in Tents and not a probability of the Garrison being in Quarters before the middle of next month, nor then unless a part of the Work laid out by Col. Robefontaine is suspended for the present season and their whole attention applied to the comfort of the Troops, who already feel the want of Winter Quarters on the high bank of the Lake I am Sir Hon^ble Timothy Pickering Your Obedient Secretary of War Humble Servant Philadelphia Isaac Craig