[Cover endorsements — lower right of wrapper, largely illegible due to damage: [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]] N^o1 Downings Town 6 October 1797 Sir, The practices of the French and Spaniards to alienate from the United States the affections of the Indians residing therein particularly those on the East side of Mississippi and recent attempts to convert them into avowed enemies render it absolutely necessary that you should use all possible diligence to gain possession [undecipherable]. You will not therefore wait at Massac for information from Bluff or any of the Spanish posts, or be deterred from proceeding with your detachment by any accounts of the dispositions of the Spaniards to dispute your passage, or find yourself to be stopped by any thing short of superior force, applied in such a manner as shall demonstrate unequivocally their determination to shut up the Mississippi. It is not however supposed that they will proceed to such an extreme, or that you will be opposed by other means than seemingly friendly requests and such pretexts as they may conceive calculated to induce you to suspend the undertaking. Therefore should you only be interrogated on passing New Madrid or called upon not to proceed you will reply that your destination is for the [undecipherable: Chickasaw] Nation, which is within the territory of the United States, that in navigating the Mississippi to carry you thither you are in the use of a right secured to the United States by treaties, and besides that your instructions have for their object the execution of the treaty between the United States and Spain, and to preserve peace with the Indian nations on the East side of the Mississippi. Artillery Ammunition and provisions have been added to Major [undecipherable]'s detachment. The former is for placing some [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] prevent the Contractor from [undecipherable] a letter. [undecipherable] the full qua[ntity] [undecipherable] should not be found a [undecipherable] will borrow from that garrison what will [undecipherable] you to [undecipherable]. There [is a] company of Artillery which is nearly com[plete] under marching orders to Pittsburg, and will be instructed to join you at the Bluff. Whatever articles therefore you leave or whatever provisions you may be deficient in, can be forwarded under his escort. On your arrival at the Bluff in case Captain Guion has fallen down the Mississippi you will send a trusty non commissioned Officer to him with the information of your arrival, stating also to him your strength in men, and what proportion of it circumstances may justify you in detaching to him, should his situation or the propriety of his occupying any post require it. I calculate that you will be able to secure in yours with one company of infantry and half a company of Artillerists.— But should Captain Guion have left no party at the Bluff, and the Spaniards have reoccupied it, you will halt at the Iron banks or any other fit place for a post on the Mississippi shore of the Bluff. If obliged to stop at the Iron banks you will render your detachment safe from attack by proper works, and give information to Captain Guion as before directed. You will also dispatch a commissioned Officer to the Bluff to request the immediate evacuation thereof, acquainting the Spanish Officer you surprize at its having been occupied and the necessity this extraordinary procedure lays you under to take measures to preserve entire to the United States the attachment of the Indians within our territory which this usurpation of our rights, if calculated to effect. You will instruct the Officer who may carry your remonstrance to ascertain the strength of the Spaniards at the Bluff, and if found inferior or only equal to yours, will immediately remove your detachment to their neighbourhood and fortify yourself. This step so necessary to preserve our influence with the Indians ought to be explained to them. You will therefore inform them that it has appeared to their father the President an indispensible measure for the present to preserve them against the designs of false friends to their protection against enemies and to counteract the ambiguous policy of the Spaniards who have not complied with.— As your instructions are not to be opened till your arrival at Massac you are upon no account to mention at that post the object of your detachment or to what point destined except to Brigadier General Wilkinson should he be present. Every other person is to be left to his own conjectures respecting it and the Spaniards to theirs. It is also enjoined upon you to make as short a stay at Massac as possible. With respect I am Sir Your obd^t servant James M^cHenry [The Officer commanding the detachment of Troops to Massac. To remain unopened till the arrival of the Officer at Massac]