Contemporary Copy of Letter

Instructions on the Change From the Use of Scouts to a Battalion

Henry Knox, relates to the Governor Randolph, the government's change from using scouts to protect the frontiers against Indian hostilities to raising an additional battalion of troops. Authorizes Virginia's governor to call upon the scouts if he deems the matter urgent.

1790

06

10

War Office

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

Henry Knox

Beverley Randolph

George Washington

scouts

Indians

Indian Nation

troops

governor

non commissioned officers

War Office

Virginia

Ohio River

Russell County

Kentucky

Wythe County

Washington County

frontier

territory

Indian incursions

Act of Congress

protection

defense

Indian relations

1790061000001

1

3

(No. 11)
[Letter from the Secretary of War to the Governor of Virginia
War Office, 10th June 1790.
Sir.
The same scouts which were allowed the counties of Kentucky, and the other counties lying to the northward thereof on or near the Ohio, were extended to Russell Country on the 29th of April last.
Although the Pref[ss]ident of the United States is convinced of the inefficacy of defenf[ss]ive mea[ss]ures agains[ss]t the predatory incur[ss]ions of small parties of indians, yet he was con[ss]trained, from the complaints of the people of the frontiers, to permit the Scout to be called out in the manner heretofore allowed by Virginia, as a temporary mea[ss]ure,until Some other arrangement should be adopted by the legi[ss]lature.
The re[ss]ult of the deliberations of Congre[ss]s on the information submitted to them relative to the frontiers has been an to rai[ss] an additional battalion to the troops
troops before in service, making in the whole twelve hundred and sixteen noncommissioned and privates; and a general authority to the Pre[ss]ident of the United States, to call forth the militia when nece[ss]sary for the protection of the frontiers, upon the pay establish in the said Act, which I have the honor to enclo[ss]. And I have the honor to inform your Excellency that the Pre[ss]ident of the United States, has directed that about ninety noncommissioned officers and privates be rai[ss]ed in Kentucky, and the frontier of Virginia.

Under the circum[ss]tances the Pre[ss]ident of the United States finds him[ss]elf re[ss]trained from ordering out any more Scouts upon a pay higher than the Acts of Congre[ss]s authorize, and he will shortly be obliged to conform the pay of the Scouts to the pay fixed by Congre[ss]s for militia. Until a general arrangement shall take place on this subject, he is unwilling to take any mea[ss]ures re[ss]precting the counties of W[indecipherable] and Wa[ss]hington which shuld seem to place them on an inferior footing to the other other frontier counties.

But
But if your Excellency should judge the ca[ss]e to be really urgent with respect to the said counties of Wythe and Wa[ss]hinton, and you will pledge to direct a small party of militia for each not exceeding a lieutenant and fifteen non-commissioned offers and privates which shall be con[ss]dered as in the service of the United States from the time you shall so them or which I shall be obliged to your Excellency to be informed.


His Excellency

The Governor of Virginia