[Extract of a letter from E. B. factor of the Indian trade to the Secretary of War] August 23^th 1797 Extract of a letter from E.B. 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 Garrisond. 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 expences and to cover a number of little which must unavoidably incur 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] the propriety of to procure better consideration Answer September 26^th 1797 on an extract from Sam^d Lewis Son^th Elk. I have communicated your letter of the 23 Ult^s to the Secretary of War who is now near Downingstown he has directed me to write you informing you that he has for the reasons you have Suggested ordered M^rs Francis to purchase and M^rs Harris to forward Groceries which [undecipherable] you may dispose of to the Garrison & Col. H. Gaither [In This above is extract of my letter to the Secretary of War and his answer. I have no doubts the factory of this trade expect the] Comprehension of the federal Officers to be drawn for the Interest of the US. I am sorry to discover among the officers one of position to the lengths of purchasing out of the US factory such as [undecipherable] whom we. whose doings he is willing to circum our many regulations. I proposed calling for the purchasing of goods rather on the Garrison. Col. [undecipherable] ordered me to whom he was there to issue some notes as a substitute for change. I am sorry as of learning if there is any going there as I write go to the Public. M^r W. Calls. I found a considerable numbers and I believe alto the gains by the [undecipherable] of those Indiscriminately given I am Sir With due respect Your Obedient Serv^t 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.]