Canajoharie Aug^t 29, 1796 Sir, I was detained longer in New York than I expected, owing to the Mohawks having a wish for meeting, on the Assembly respecting a claim they had to a tract of land back of Fort Hunter South of the Mohawk River. I however arrived home and found the Indians peaceable — I have made inquiry respecting the number of troops in the several British forts at the Westward, and from the best information I can obtain, there is at Oswego about fifty, at Niagara on the American Side of the Water one hundred and fifty, and opposite the fort of Niagara at Lewistown and Fort Erie two hundred and fifty — In all I want four hundreds. I have made inquiry also relative to proposals with an intention to inform you whether American troops could be supplied in this quarter, in case there should come forward to man the western forts, but do not consider it so convenient as to supply them until August or September, yet I fear Congress will [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] to purchase what might arrive at this time be procured. Provisions are dear with us — Wheat is [undecipherable] per [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] which makes the expense in the Indians [undecipherable] pardonable considerably more than used than what it has been years past. I shall however make every exertion in my power to keep the bill within bounds and to give satisfaction to my employers. will fall in the way this Summer makes me most fearful in attempting the thing which would be very [undecipherable] to me. If the posts at the Westward are not in the possession of the Americans this Summer, I believe Sir could you see the situation of this frontier, you would be more convinced of the propriety of the same kind of treatment toward the Indians as has been practised for several years past, as the British will take every advantage of any part of the failure of Congress in not making measures to carry the British treaty into effect, and have begun already to shut objections against the Connecticut Company going forward with their settlements south of Lake Erie above Presque-Isle — the Indians from Grand River on the British Side come forward with the objections, had they no [undecipherable] in the British [undecipherable] came those who are their allies as they are pleased to call them others did in the cause of the business I expect some trouble. If the British treaty has been should be carried into effect the administration of the Six Nations could be managed with much more care and they might be asked many things which would not be [undecipherable] to do otherwise. I shall however endeavour to do every thing in my power to secure this frontier from injuries and to give satisfaction to my employers. I am Sir with much respect & whom Your Hble St [notation left margin: Canajoharie Aug 29, 1796] [notation bottom left: Isaac M'Henry Esq^r] [signature] I. [undecipherable: Chepine?]