Contemporary Copy of Letter

Discusses Terms for Col. Harmar's Corps; Seeks Recruits

Discusses terms for Col. Harmar's corps, with desires to move them further down the Ohio, with a post near the Scioto. Explains the inability of the state of Pennsylvania to retain troops there, and the wishes of the President and Congress that the men reenlist. Request that Harmar maintain his men until the vote. Requests all recruits--a mix of artillery and infantry--to march to Fort McIntosh. No return from Connecticut. Jersey Legislature will not reassemble before September, but Harmar will proceed as ordered.

1785

07

18

War Office

In unbound journal marked "correspondence of General Josiah Harmar transcribed by the War Department 1812."

Richard Henry Lee

Henry Knox

Josiah Harmar

Congress

Pennsylvania Legislature

New Jersey Legislature

President

Council

Recruits

War Office

Ohio River

Scioto River

Fort McIntosh

Connecticut, New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Artillery

Infantry

Supplies

Treaty

Enlistments

Corps

Provisions

1785071800001

1

[in upper right corner in another hand: 47.]
War Office. July 18. 1785.
Sir,
I beg leave to state to your Excellency
and Congress, that the terms for which the
Corps under Lieut Colonel Harmar is engaged,
will expire generally in the course of next
month, and totally expiring in a very few instan-
-ces in September. It appears to be the
sense of Congress that Colonel Harmars Corps
should move further down the Ohio, and agre-
-ably thereto orders have been transmitted to
him from this Office for that purpose,
and that he should take post somewhere
near the mouth of the Scioto. This order
was conditioned to take place as soon
as he could be supplied with provisions,
which is now pretty certain cannot be until
the 1st of September, a period at which he
will have but few men.
The legislature of Pennsylvania,
not being to meet until the 23d August,
no effectual measures can be adopted by the
President and Council of that State to retain
the men or any part of them until that time,
although it is the wish of the President and
Council that the men should not be dis-
-banded until new orders are issued to re-
-inlist them, and they have given it as their
opinion to Colonel Harmar, to keep the men
together until the vote of the Legislature can
be taken, and they have informed me, if an
order for disbanding those Troops should be given,
many very considerable inconveniences will result
from the measure.
I have considered that Colonel
Harmars Corps could not from the short time
of service be employed on the Treaty and
[in upper right corner in another hand: 49]
I have ordered all the recruits of this state
(about 50 in number) to be in readiness to
march to Fort McIntosh by the 25th Instant.
This circumstance deranges exceedingly
the recruiting Business here and as a larg pro-
portion of the men have been engaged for the
Artillery, the company must be a mixture of
Artillery and Infantry.
No returns has been received of any men
being recruited in Connecticut.
The Legislature of Jersey will not as-
-semble before September and therefor there can
be no expeditions from that State.
If Congress upon considering this state-
-ment should be of opinion that it would be
probable that Colonel Harmar could retain a
sufficient number of his present Corps to answer
the purpose of the Indian Treaties I submit
to them the propriety of passing a resolve,
enabling him to retain them on the present estab-
-lishment, until the Treaties shall be accomp-
-lished.
An Officer of Colonel Harmars is here and
could immeidately be dispatched with the orders
of Congress.
I have the honor to be with the highest respect,
Your Excellencys,
Most Obed. Hble. Servt.
H. Knox.
His Excellency
The President of Congress.