Now I have all pages. Compiling the full transcription: [Administrative docket on outer wrapper: no 3 / Januy. 31^st. 1799] [Center: by — [undecipherable] — Gov] [Nº 133] Head Quarters, [undecipherable: Loftus Heights] January 31. 1799 Sir I had the honor to receive your letter of the 6^th October on the 20 Instant, by the hand of M^r Richard Clark. I trust that your confidence in the detachment I have the honor to command, is well founded, and that my personal services may be justified by Events. I am obliged by your attention to the Knapsacks, and now Commission'd Officers required, as they are much wanted. With respect to [undecipherable], I must beg leave to refer you to my former communication his good fortune has baffled my most active exertions, and it would seem he had escaped the stroke of justice, which is to be lamented for [undecipherable] in man, be [undecipherable] his own [undecipherable: rascality], has the active Chief, to whom the most not look up; filled by capacity and inclind by desperation, join, and which may [undecipherable] their Sinister views — Your reflections, respecting the adherents of this man, and the conduct to be used towards such as have abandoned him, are too just and too obvious to have soliciting. It was not from any expectation [of] immediate benefit to the Public, or any view to the reclamation of his followers, whom I employed, but to weaken his force, to excite Suspicions — to destroy mutual confidence, and to lure the lawless [undecipherable] acrimony with the fearlessness of such rascals, that I employed the arts of seduction, to embrace a combination, which I had no power nor authority to overthrow, and when the situation of our Public Affairs general, we combine the particular information which I received at that time from Major [undecipherable: Hensey] & Lieu^t Clarke, with the dep^g [undecipherable] Table[s] [Nº 134] and mysterious [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] Conduct, I must insist be found that the conjuncture [seemed?] consequences which called for the exertion of every means of prevention within my reach. I could have no idea of admitting to my confidence, or to any place of trust, men who had, wickedly or ignorantly violated the obligations of allegiance & conscience and of personal faith; the [undecipherable] of the whole number sent, two only remained in service, and these are held as intruders; should the Government of Tennessee [undecipherable] Surrender the negative to the command of [undecipherable] Sargent [undecipherable] Your information respecting the [extraordinary?] issues of [rations?] at the posts above, and the strength of the Garrisons, is no doubt correct and will be clearly ascertained by a [undecipherable] to the monthly [returns?] and the [arrivals?] of Provisions to [undecipherable] the expense be aided — [Nº 135] voided, while we continue to conciliate the Savages, by provisioning them who [reside at] our posts. I can safely affirm, that no Officer has been more attentive to this important branch of Service than myself, and that I have devised checks against abuses, never before thought of; for instance, I oblige the Officers commanding Garrisons, to give me monthly [returns] receipts of their daily issues, and for our satisfaction on this head, I transmit you under Cover a copy of this return for the month of August last, received from Fort Wayne, in which you will find, that the aggregate Sum of [undecipherable] provisions issued exceeded fourteen thousand rations; the Garrison and its dependents [not?] consume more than four thousand; the remainder being distributed to the Indians, and if we push those [undecipherable] for those it will be he found the Indians, were assembled there during that month to receive their annuities and their Goods. To prevent this expenditure, the [undecipherable] disposition of the Executive would be improper to compel the Militia — who are still bound in the order of the 14^th June 1797, to counteract the good will of the [undecipherable: Shawnee?], in the vicinity of the respective Garrisons, in as such manner as may be their power, [undecipherable] with the reserve of their posts, [undecipherable] and under such orders, to turn away no Indian hunger and de-contented, would in my opinion be highly reprehensible. [margin: 3] But [undecipherable] far as this is a subordinate & inevitable moment, which has [undecipherable] and my reflections, you are [undecipherable] prompted to supply new observations, which with I humbly dare, have influence on any [Nº 136] any decision tending to affect it. The savages residing within our [formal?] limits have been so long habituated to receive regular annual [donations?] of [Govt?] and occasional Supplies of provision in the [approximate?] [undecipherable], as the price of Peace, that it has almost grown into a right of prescription, and therefore it is [undecipherable] doubtable whether any sudden innovation might produce unnecessary desperation, and in the present posture of our affairs, circumstances against which the respective [undecipherable] would wreck itself as a feather in the balance. This proposition will be best [seen?] by calculating the expense of a [single?] [undecipherable] against any one [undecipherable] reduction. I however Consider it my duty in obedience to your orders, immediately to dispatch [undecipherable] to [Nº 137] To the Commanding Officers of Fort on the Mississippi and North of the Ohio, of which you have a copy under Cover, and I flatter myself the [tenor?] of this letter may meet your approbation. Since my arrival here, more than one Hundred Chiefs of the Choctaw Nation, have from time to time called on me, with great numbers from their respective tribes. They all profess friendship; they surrender their Spanish Commissions, for such certificates as I think proper to give them, and would willingly part with their Medals, was it in my power to give them other ones, & a chance to detach this Nation radically from the Spaniards. I deem it material to remove from them every Symbol of [undecipherable] Allegiance and dependance on [undecipherable], they are so [undecipherable] desirable that Medals and Gorgets should be provided, and that you should permit me to use them more freely, which could be done immediately, and at little expense — you have under Cover the pattern of a Shawnee [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and the small Medals are [engraven?] [undecipherable] so [undecipherable] bear the same device, and the Gorgets are Copper Gilt, or washed with Silver, bearing the arms of Spain — I have designed patterns for Medals and Gorgets applicable to our own Nation, which are also enclosed, and would you adopt them, a design them and transmit me with authority to operate, the work should be done at hand at half the expense it would involve by contract. I enclose you three Indian Commissions, issued by Don [undecipherable: Galvez?] and the [undecipherable: Governor?] of [Nº 138] of Louisiana, and before I dismiss the subject, it is proper for me to observe, that the Choctaws being [undecipherable] of the considerable donations, [undecipherable] annually made the Chickasaws, and knowing they out number that Nation four to one, are at a loss to account for our attentions to the weak, and our [neglect?] of the Strong. And there is a theme of incessant inquiry and complaint from them. I am collecting materials for our Water battery, to [undecipherable] not to break ground on the [undecipherable] I hear from [undecipherable] on that subject. The [undecipherable] are [undecipherable] in a [undecipherable] state [undecipherable] most but recover slowly, and the number this day — seventy five — I have a plan of [undecipherable] and the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [margin: Negros] intelligent people here, that in this climate the Soldiers must not be exposed to labour after the vernal heats commence, indeed the Whites who are born here, cannot stand the piercing rays of the sun, while the African is unaffected by them: it follows that our labour in General must be done by [Negroes], who will cost about half a dollar per day. The number of our sick and the want of medical assistance, has obliged me to employ [undecipherable: Todd?], who has resided several years in the Territory, and is a man of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. The Doctor from motives of patriotism and [undecipherable: Country?] [undecipherable: desirous?] to the practice of his profession, is disposed to enter the Service, if he can obtain a Surgeon's appointment, in which State I should consider him a great acquisition, and as it would appear Doctor [Philips?] has been inclined not to join his corps, I shall [undecipherable] [Nº 139? — continues] myself much obliged Sir, and the service will be materially promoted, would you transfer [Philips?] to some other Corps, and appoint Todd to the 3^d Regiment, Six Companies of which are here without either Surgeon or Mate. You have enclosed the corresponding letter from the Contractor's agent, covering a [negociation?] said to have taken place between yourself and the Contractor, touching the [undecipherable] provisions of the last Contract, with no answer. Having received no [official?] information of this transaction, it would be improper for me to act on the representation of the agent, conformably to the apparent intentions of the parties, and this practicable, but the lapse of time having rendered it impossible, the most obvious and equitable plan of adjustment, which occurs to me under existing circumstances Circumstances, will beg you to add the allowance for damages, [undecipherable] &c and the compensation [undecipherable] to the amount of the provisions and rations, which may be expended in the Public Service, between the periods embraced by the said agreement, which can be precisely ascertained from the abstracts of the Contractor, duly examined and certified: by this method it strikes me, the Public will have precisely what was intended, and the Contractor [undecipherable] had soundly recompensed his [undecipherable] troubles and expenses. I have not yet received the new Contract, nor do I know who is the Contractor. I entertain such apprehensions to the safe passage of my dispatches through the Western Country, whilst the diabolical [undecipherable: dispositions?] recently manifested are afloat, that I shall trust no future communication by — [Nº 139] by that route, except in the charge of an Officer; I have cause to believe that the dispatch committed to the charge of [undecipherable] [undecipherable: OBanion?] at [undecipherable] on the [undecipherable] last of September, announcing [undecipherable] escape, and covering some papers of consequence, has been intercepted or lost, as I am informed of the men say arrived in Kentucky about the last of October, and yet my [undecipherable: family?] at Fort Washington has not [undecipherable] to hand on [undecipherable] it may be material for me to inform you that [the?] [undecipherable] was addressed to M^r James Morrison, the [undecipherable] in Lexington. Among other papers which accompanied it, was the proceedings of a General Court Martial on the case of Ensign [undecipherable] in the third Regiment, in which he was sentenced to be Cashiered. — The Presidential decision in this case is essential to the Public Service, as the man should be either dismissed or restored to duty. A sense of regard to the cloth impels me to add, that he has [been?] disgraced his profession, and is now little better than a vagabond. I have not heard of the party ordered to Saint Stephens, since it marched under the conduct of Ensign [undecipherable: McClary?], but I apprehend no difficulty except from the way and the water courses. Having adjusted with [undecipherable] to my satisfaction, the [undecipherable] proposal of the residue of the Garrison destined to that post, with [their?] baggage stores and provisions, it will be set in motion, under the [undecipherable] confidential Officer, so soon as the Public clothing received. [undecipherable] you have under cover the reports [Nº 140] reports of Cap^t Guion & D^r Pope, respecting the Works of Fort [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. I believe these reports are correct, and as the Ruins must be abandoned, or repaired at great Labour & Expense, I will from you to decide, on the authority, to authorize me to exercise my discretion on the occasion. The Correspondence with Governor Gayoso of which you have a copy under cover, presents a tissue of inconsistencies & involves doubts of his sincerity; his reply to [undecipherable] transmitted in vindication of the conduct ascribed to him by public rumour, which had continued to his Ear, serves but to perpetuate the suggestions heretofore offered to you, & evinces sympathies & attention, inconsistent with his profession, & I think irreconcileable to his Station. With this Document be made the means of extorting [Gov] Gov's application from the [undecipherable], I think it wanted to explain some obscurities, add just testimony to the mass of evidence we possess against that [undecipherable]; it now appears that M. Gayoso is desirous to continue the line of Demarcation, & in this [undecipherable] shape strong reasons for believing him sincere; to the commercial speculation, whatever may result, I shall pay vigilant attention, and in [aid?] of my enquiries I will repeat my request for authority, to [stop and?] examine all Boats descending the River from the United States, indeed this has become necessary to prevent [undecipherable] them. — St. Louis who has long languished at the verge of the grave, has recovered sufficient strength to take exercise, altho he continues extremely feeble; by the advice of his Physician, he descends the River to New Orleans [Nº 141] in quest of some position where he may enjoy a marine Atmosphere & the aliment taken from the Sea. This dispatch [undecipherable] will be conveyed to him, with directions to give it in charge to some American of known Honor, bound for one of our Atlantic ports, who will be instructed, in case of capture, to plunge it into the Ocean; The existing intercourse between New Orleans & our Sea Ports renders that by far the most prompt channel of [undecipherable] communication, & all letters delivered to our Vice Consul or Dan^l Clark j^r., will reach me six days afterwards — at present the Atlantic & European Intelligence by New Orleans, is six weeks later than that by the Ohio. It is two weeks since [undecipherable] by this route of Admiral [undecipherable] [undecipherable], & ten Days since I received the Dispatch, & answer of the [undecipherable] by the same channel. I have the Honor to enclose my return for the month; and am with great consideration on [undecipherable] respect N.B. you have under cover a [triplicate?] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] December & a public letter of the 10^th Instant. — [signature: undecipherable] The Hon^ble James McHenry, Secretary of War