War Department February 4^th 1799 [№ 154] [№ :] Lieutenant General Washington having declined agreeably to the condition upon which he accepted of his appointment, any command whatever of the Army of the United States until such time as his presence in the field shall be required for active rations, or his absence demanded by peculiar and urgent circumstances, it has been proper to make such arrangements respecting the distribution of the existing military authority, as shall most conduce to the good of the service, is best adapted to our present situation, and to the object to which our force may eventually be applied. Before entering into particulars upon the principal subject present contemplated, it will be useful to enumerate the stations of this Army of the United States, and the course taken to communicate with them. 1. There are on the lakes, viz, On Lake Ontario the Garrisons of Oswego and Niagara. On Lake Erie and Lake St Clair, the Garrisons of Presqu isle and Detroit. On Lake Huron at the entrance of the Straigt leading to Lake Michigan, the Garrison of Michilimackinac on the Miami River Fort Wayne. On the Ohio Fort Franklin, Fort Washington and Fort Massac. 2. There are on the Mississippi Garrisons at the Chickasaw Bluffs, Walnut Hills and Natchez or Loftus Heights. 3. There are several posts on the back frontier of the State of Georgia. 4. There are several posts on the Indian frontier of the State of Tennessee.