Contemporary Copy of Letter

Authorization of Militia Use in Washington County, Pennsylvania

Letter acknowledges receiving a letter from inhabitants of Washington County, Pennsylvania, regarding recent Indian hostilities and authorizes the Lieutenant of Washington County to call up scouts if they feel the threat sufficient.

1790

04

13

War Office

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Bound in volume entitled "Defensive Protection of the Frontier."

Lieutenant of Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Henry Knox

Alexander Addison, Thomas Mifflin

James Ross

Thomas Ryerson

Henry Taylor

War Office

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Virginia

1790041300301

1

2

No. 8 War Office 13th April 1790.
To the Lieutenant of Washington county in Pennsylvania.
Sir.
A copy of a letter signed by Alexander Addison, James Ross, Thomas Ryerson, and Henry Taylor, four inhabitants of Washington county and dated the 25th of January last, has been transmitted by his Excellency Thomas Mifflin, Esquire, to the President of the United States, and by him laid before the Congress, together with other papers of the same nature.
From this letter it appears that the inhabitants of the said county are exposed to the incursions of indians, in like manner to the inhabitants of the counties of Virginia lying along the
the upper parts of the Ohio.
The President of the United States having been induced, on the application of some of the said counties, to direct me to empower the lieutenants of said counties, to employ certain patroles termed Scouts, for the protection thereof, and as it is his desire, that the protection should be extended to all the exposed frontiers, he has directed me to transmit you a discretionary power, in the like manner as has been transmitted to the counties of Virginia.
I do therefore Sir, in the name of the President of the United States, authorize you, if in your Judgement, the appearances of danger are such as to require the measure, to call forth the Scouts herein mentioned, and under the regulations described.