Call for Militia to Defend the Western Territory
Item
Type
Contemporary Copy of Letter
Title
Call for Militia to Defend the Western Territory
Description
The Secretary of War requests that the Governor of Virginia, [Beverley Randolph], and the President of Pennsylvania [Thomas Mifflin] provide 1000 and 500 militia, respectively, for the defense of the Western Territory against hostile Indian incursions.
year created
1789
month created
10
day created
05
author
in collection
in image
note
Bound in volume entitled "Defensive Protection of the Frontier."
notable person/group
Henry Knox
Beverley Randolph
Thomas Mifflin
notable location
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Western Territory
notable item/thing
militia
Indians
hostile incursions
intelligence
pay
document number
1789100500001
page start
1
number of pages
2
transcription
(No. 2)
Extract of a letter from the Secretary of,
war, to his Excellency the governor of Virginia,
and the same to the President of Pennsylvania
date War Office Office of the United States.
October 5. 1789
Sir
I am directed by the President of the United States to transmit to your Excellency
The enclosed extract of a law enacted by the
Congress, on the 29th day of September last. And
I am further directed Sir, to inform you that the
Stae of intelligence from the frontiers, has
tendered it expedient for the President of the
United States, to instruct provisionally the gov-
ernor of the Western Territory, to call forth the
militia of the nearest counties for the protection
of the frontier inhabitants from the hostile incur-
sions of the Indians, limiting the militia to be
so called forth, to the number of one thousand
from Virginia, and five hundred from Pennsylvania.
The said militia while in actual
services
services are to receive the same pay and
rations as the troops of the United States
provided that no charge for pay be admitted
as valid, unless the militia shall be mustered
by an officer of the said troops, to be ap-
pointed by the commanding officer thereof,
It is expected that the militia will
be armed and accoutered at their own ex-
pence, but to be furnished with ammunition
if necessary by the United States.
Your Excellency will make such
use of this information as you shall
Judge proper, in order to facilitate such
orders, as the governor of the Western
territory may find it necessary to issue.
Extract of a letter from the Secretary of,
war, to his Excellency the governor of Virginia,
and the same to the President of Pennsylvania
date War Office Office of the United States.
October 5. 1789
Sir
I am directed by the President of the United States to transmit to your Excellency
The enclosed extract of a law enacted by the
Congress, on the 29th day of September last. And
I am further directed Sir, to inform you that the
Stae of intelligence from the frontiers, has
tendered it expedient for the President of the
United States, to instruct provisionally the gov-
ernor of the Western Territory, to call forth the
militia of the nearest counties for the protection
of the frontier inhabitants from the hostile incur-
sions of the Indians, limiting the militia to be
so called forth, to the number of one thousand
from Virginia, and five hundred from Pennsylvania.
The said militia while in actual
services
services are to receive the same pay and
rations as the troops of the United States
provided that no charge for pay be admitted
as valid, unless the militia shall be mustered
by an officer of the said troops, to be ap-
pointed by the commanding officer thereof,
It is expected that the militia will
be armed and accoutered at their own ex-
pence, but to be furnished with ammunition
if necessary by the United States.
Your Excellency will make such
use of this information as you shall
Judge proper, in order to facilitate such
orders, as the governor of the Western
territory may find it necessary to issue.
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (2 pages) | IGA04 (2 pages) | Collection: Northwest Territory Collection, M367 | B: 1, F; 31 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Henry Knox | [unknown] | [n/a] |