Sir, Chickasaws Bluffs July 21^st 1799 On the 21^st instant at this place where I arrived the preceding day, with all my boats in good order, I had the honor to receive your packet under date [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — You are please to believe that I am expected to be at Natchez when your dispatches should reach me; but when you receive the communications I [have] the honor to address to you from [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of instant, together with the present and its enclosures, and the necessity of concentrating my force agreeably to my orders from General Wilkinson when circumstances should in my judgement render such a measure necessary, you cannot but [allow] of my halt at this point: indeed if I had not one, hard [undecipherable] orders would have been flatly disobeyed, namely to distribute to the Chickasaws at this place their [presents]. They had assembled here as early as the [undecipherable] of June last, but by the delay, which they attribute to the [undecipherable] and [the] want of provision were obliged to go off except William Colbert and about [undecipherable: one hundred &] of his people who only were remaining when I arrived; some stragling ones are hardly coming in, and tomorrow I am told the [Principal] and the [undecipherable] his [band], which will be here— In the [inland] they [have] no [undecipherable] every occurrence [undecipherable] the most minute, tends to [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be mistaken by the dullest observer. In a day or two hence I shall dispatch [to] [undecipherable] Natchez the [President's] message and to the [inhabitants] its contents, as well as to the Governor [undecipherable] the instructions from my government of requiring to the demolition of the works, which can [be] well done with the acquiescence of the [undecipherable] of the United States now there, and will as [expediently] remove the [pretended] obstacles, as if done under [charge] of the Commander of the Army— Be[sides] [undecipherable] neither the demolition of the works, nor the solicitude of [undecipherable] to the inhabitants of that district [the titles] to their [lands] are the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] causes for the detention of those posts— Had I halted at New Madrid but one day, with the troops, and every means but violence was used to effect it, a great point had been gained by our neighbours, whose vessel from Natchez laden with presents of Blankets, Shirts, Hats, Muskets, powder & lead, Tomahawks, Saddles and bridles &c for the Chickasaws arrived at their garrison of Hopefield opposite to this place, about eight hours before our arrival here— great pains, and much industry, have been used to detach from the friendship of the United States this nation of Indians; and I fear they have been in a considerable degree successful— A cousin to Wolfs friend came up with the Vessel just spoken of from Orleans— and on the day of our arrival, on a [fit] of inebriety, declared himself a Spanish Chickasaw Chief, Shewed a Commission from the Baron De Carondolet dated [undecipherable] May at Orleans, and sadly abused the Americans; observing that in [undecipherable] english, that when the Wolfs friend his Uncle arrived we should receive a talk, that would make our hearts ache— and I am informed that he is greatly dissatisfied with the Americans, but know not for what cause— Discord has spread her influence in this nation, The mountain leader and [undecipherable] Colbert are I believe firm friends, the other not. Part of their dispute has arisen about the [Spot] on which the Spaniards [undecipherable] their works erected and the circumadjacent land, [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] had sold it to the Spaniards at his [undecipherable] since the [undecipherable] as his entire right [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] in the Americans came they should do as they [undecipherable] to obtain the [ground] [undecipherable] the Chiefs and headmen to suffer us to [undecipherable] for a fortress on an eligible one, and [undecipherable] to [be] [abandoned] at almost any time. [In] promises I made [to] Colonel Delapin did not cost much, as this was the point of view before I left the [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] conversation between Colonel Delapin and myself, he [deemed] that in his opinion the true cause for the detention of the posts below was the expectation that France would [undecipherable] with the United States, but that the [business] would now blow over— it is certain that the [undecipherable] intended to reoccupy this [place] very soon— I [should] have made this communication some days earlier but have been prevented by a violent intermittent which attacked me on the [undecipherable] has so infected me that I am barely able to hold the [pen]. Tobacco which could be purchased very low in Kentucky, would be highly gratifying to the Indians; I have very little for them, and they are very solicitous for it— With the most perfect respect— [2 Sept GW] Sir, I am your very Obedient Humble Servant. The Honorable James McHenry Sec^y of War