August 23^th 1797 Extract of a letter from E.P. factor of the Indian trade to the Secretary of War There is a considerable sum of Money in the hands of the troops now at this Garrison. if the factory was Supplied with groceries and some other articles Suitable for there use. it would afford profits to the Public Sufficient to defray many expenses and to cover a number of [undecipherable] which must unavoidably [undecipherable] the soldiers being pretty strictly confined on the Indian side they have scarcely any other way of Supplying themselves with such little Necessaries as they want this [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the propriety of to [undecipherable] better consideration Answer September 26^th 1797 on an extract from Sam^d Lewes Son^t Elk. I have communicated your letter of the 25 ulto to the Secretary of War who is now now at Downingtown he has directed me to write you informing you that he has for the reasons you have Suggested ordered M^rs [undecipherable] to purchase and M^r Harris to forward Groceries which [undecipherable] you may dispose of to the Garrison &c. Col. H Gaither P.S. This above is extract of my letter to the Secretary of War and his answer. [undecipherable] doubts the [undecipherable] of this and refer the Cooperation of the federal Officers to his plans for the Interest of the U.S. from [undecipherable] to discover among the Officers cases of [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] of purchasing out of the U.S. factory such articles and [undecipherable] whose [undecipherable] exchanges he setting to circumvent [undecipherable] army regulations. [undecipherable] caution for the [undecipherable] of goods [undecipherable] on the Garrison. Col. [undecipherable] ordered [undecipherable] to whom he was there to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as a substitute for change. I am [undecipherable] [undecipherable] if there is any [undecipherable] you know [undecipherable] could go to the [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] a considerable numbers [undecipherable] and I believe all the gains by the [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] of these [undecipherable] grow I am &c. With due respect Yours sincerely &c. Edward Price F.W. May 9^th 1798 [EDITOR'S NOTE: Pages 10 to 32 inclusive are blank. It was probably the factor's intention to copy on these pages letters sent between January 23 and December 20, 1796. Drafts of some such letters are among the loose papers of the Creek Trading House.]