Secretary of War in Colerain 11^th Jany 1797 On my arrival here the 3^d Jany I found M^r J^o Jordan whom I had left in charge of the Store had been absent about 2 months the business rested in care of M^r Eb Bullard appointed by the late Secretary of War as 2^d Assistant the acct are so much behind that I shall not be able to comply with your request in my last instructions, relating to the return of goods & state of the acct as soon as I could wish. I made an attempt on my own but such a press of business was upon me & the acct in such a situation I dont know when it [shall] be completed I intend taking a particular acct when the goods are to be moved, I trust and hope those who were left in charge of the Store have been careful of the public property the 2^d Ag^t was by no means competent to the acct you'll see by the enclosed extracts of letters from M^r Seagrove how Jordan was recom- mended to me by him & my instructions & my instructions had I entertained an idea of M^r Jordans leaving the Store in my absence I should have been very uneasy I dont think it will be possible to keep the acct on the form directed by the comptroller with the assistance I have to [undecipherable] the - in more than one Gen^l acct [will] require a separate entry of every article col. & whole 35 to 50000 doll worth of goods consisting of such a variety of articles are to be retailed out in the smallest parcels, perhaps Buttons, thread, needles, pins & fish hooks, &c in deer skin, I leave it to the experienced to judge how many persons it would require if it was to be practicable at all to do it - I have been appointed to an important thing. I was sensible of the confidence placed in me & my wish was to discharge the trust with satisfaction to those concerned & reputation to myself I have suffered much distress and anxiety of mind from an apprehension (for want of proper assistance) of my not being able to accomplish this object I have the consolation of reflecting that no exertions of mine have been wanting from the duties of my station [undecipherable] I should be inexcusable I have early to trust to my part [a letter of the 21 dec 179[undecipherable] & 24 dec 179[undecipherable] & letter of 10 July 179[undecipherable] & Jordan & Bullard] character & knowledge of those concerned when necessary heavy & responsible, M^r Seagrove is a [undecipherable] very young man but quite unacquainted with [undecipherable] we are importuned and pestered with the Indians for presents, pro- visions &c they have been accustomed to receiving pro- [undecipherable] at this place we have been forced to divide even our small stock of provisions with them & to make a few presents to some of the leading men to keep them quiet - they went so far as to threaten if their demands were not complied with we had Seagrove & some of the worst characters down our protection was very weak less than 30 effective men in my explanatory the nature of my situation & [undecipherable] a few of the leaders took female presents, they appeared [undecipherable] well disposed a number of traders have been down along time waiting the arrival of goods and living on the factory at a great expense - [undecipherable] [undecipherable] county - thousand weight of [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] - the hunters have brought down considerable quantity this Winter this place from our experience forms to be essential to the [undecipherable] they have a good hunting country [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] suffering from want of [undecipherable] he will soon be prepared to receive the Factory goods at the [undecipherable] at last was out about 3 months of February with a [undecipherable] cargo most of which was [undecipherable] & this [undecipherable] [undecipherable] being in want of goods of the best [undecipherable] I lent 2000[undecipherable] with [undecipherable] these have made pretty good returns for [undecipherable] have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] & these have made even there to [undecipherable] how to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] respecting such as he has become security for & who have not [per M^r [undecipherable]] made payment, a considerable expence occurs from being obliged to give the Indians corn or flower for their return this has been the practice in M^r Seagrove time I dont believe the trade will support it outside his mending & repairing their [undecipherable: probable reading "rifle"] guns, hatchets &c gratis I hope some arrangements will be made when Col. Hawkins comes on