War Office July 27^th 1797 Sir, I inclose you duplicates of my letters of the 1^st and 16^th June ult^o and 13^th instant. By my latest accounts from the Northwestern frontier, the Indians appeared well disposed and pacific and had permitted the running of the boundary line agreeably to Wayne's treaty, with a wish however to retain a part of the Land which had been relinquished. It is at the same time rendered pretty evident, that Spanish Officers have endeavoured by Emissaries and presents to induce the Northern Indians to emigrate to the West Side of the Mississippi and join them in some hostile operation. The military force and fortifications have also been encreased and strengthened on the West side in upper Louisiana, on the ground, as assigned, that Great Britain intended to invade that Province from Canada through our Territory. With respect to an invasion from Canada you very well know that our chain of posts on the lakes, is calculated to guard all access to the United States from that Quarter, and to afford Government the earliest information of any military appearances in Canada indicative of such a project; that no Troops could have approached our Territory with such intentions without previous preparations, which could not have been concealed by the British nor overlooked by our Officers, whose duty it is to give immediate notice to this department of every circumstance of a military nature that may affect directly or remotely the United States. The truth is that the Troops in Canada are inadequate and have been so during the present war, to its defence, in consequence of which the Province has been kept in an almost constant state of alarm for its own safety. Such being the real state of things in Canada, it is strange that the Spanish Officers should have so long continued ignorant of them, or if they knew them, that they should have made an impracticable project a pretext for the occupancy of posts within our Territory. — These circumstances, should they have refused to evacuate the posts, after receiving your communications, will render it necessary that you should pay the strictest attention to your instructions; that you should render your situation as strong as possible by your works and defences; that you should lay in a large stock of provisions; that you should establish a sure mode of giving and receiving information from the post at or near Walnut Hill, and with the War department through Tennessee, and Officer commanding in that State; that you should conciliate the Indians; that you should avoid every thing which might give offence to the Spaniards, who are to be considered in a state of friendship and peace; and that your post be so far distant from theirs as to prevent all intercourse between the soldiers of their respective Garrisons and preclude the possibility of the idea of their being excited to insult or annoy them. If Lieu^t Pope's Men are to join your detachment. Should the Spanish Officer make reclamations on your fortifying, you will place it on its true ground, the necessity of securing your command and Stores from Indian insults or depredations, and the unmilitariness and impropriety of remaining uncovered in such a country. It will be proper not to refuse visits from the Spanish Officers; but till things assume a more settled countenance, I advise you upon no account to leave your garrison; at the same time giving such reasons for not returning visits as may be satisfactory. — Captain Nasworthy Hunter who carries this dispatch is a person in whom, I believe, confidence may be placed. He has therefore been appointed Inspector of the public Stores and buildings in the posts on the East Side of the Mississippi — You will of course see that he is respected accordingly. — I am Sir with respect Your obed^t Servant James McHenry Capt. Isaac Guion