Supplies for Expedition
Item
Type
Document Signed
Title
Supplies for Expedition
Description
Lists supplies provided for Gen. Harmar's expedition west. The supplies and staff were secured on very short notice on credit. They were underbid for rations, and hope that they will not be cut out of any further business.
short description
Supplies for Expedition
year created
1790
month created
10
day created
14
author
sent from location
Baltimore
recipient
in collection
in publication
note
"other copies" are different documents from 17900101440001.
Authors are Elliot and Williams.
Authors are Elliot and Williams.
author note
Elliot & Williams.
recipient note
Henry Knox
notable person/group
Henry Knox
Elliot
Williams
Elliot & Williams
General Josiah Harmar
Army
Savages
horse master general
horse masters
drivers
Quartermaster's Department
notable location
Baltimore
frontier
territory
Western Country
notable item/thing
supplies
orders
expedition
rations
flour
meat
pack horses
artillery horses
saddles
bags
articles
credit
lower rates
document number
1790101440001
page start
1
number of pages
2
transcription
Elliot & Williams
to General Knox
To be continued Quarter Masters
Baltimore 14th October 1790
Sir
In consequence of orders received from General Harmar dated the 15th July which we engaged to comply with by the 1st day of October -- We have finished and equipped for the use of the army in the intended expedition against the Savages, 180,000 rations of flour, 260,000 rations of meat, 868 pack horses and artillery horses, equipped the with Saddles, Bags, &c and one horse master General, 18 horse masters, 130 Drovers, with many other articles of considerable amount before the 18th of Sept. All of which could not have been done upon so short a notice as we received, if we had not employed all our funds and pledged our credit, to the extent, to the people of the Western Country, where the supplies were principally obtained.
The expedition, we trust, cannot fail from any default of ours, for we have forwarded supplies in greater quantities than were required of us, and even more than our most sanguine expectations at the commencement of the business encouraged us to promise.
Having so considerable an interest involved in the enterprise, for we repeat it, until all our resources were employed the necessary supplies could not be provided; and having other business ^matters^ of [march?] movement, to us, to settle in the Western Country. We have the greater occasion to regret that the business of supplying rations for the Troops of the United States is taken out of our hands, by means of proposals to furnish the supplies at lower rates than we thought knew we could afford ^them^. We however, hope that to this disappointment there will not be added the loss which we must inevitably sustain if obliged to close our business in the q.masters department at an inconvenient time - We propose, Sir, to be continued in that service, and having ^now^ that only to engage our future attention we can with the greater confidence assure you of its being performed with the greateststrict punctuality, and to the entire satisfaction of the public, the Army, and yourself
We are, Sir, most respectfully, Yr. most obdt hble Servts
Genl Knox
No:
Govr: St Clair to the Secry of War.
Fort Washington, 9th Octoer 1790
"On the 23d ultimo I arrived at this place and found every thing in a better state of preparation that I had flattered myself with owing to the prudent care and attention of general Hammar and the indefatigable application of captain Ferguson - The militia that had been ordered from Kentuckey appeared on the day appointed, all except one hundred and forty, who have since come forward, and marched to join the army - Major Hyllis with the troops from the Falls got up on the 22d and major Doughty with part of the garrison of Fort Hammar arrived on the 25th. From the failure on the part of Pennsylvania, the corps would have been rather too weak, and general Harmar was of opinion with me that it would be proper to ask for a reinforcement from Kentuckey, and in Virtue of the powers granted to me by the President, I immediately called for five hundred from the counties of Fayette & Woodford, which were the nearest and also the next populous, and
Were required of us: and even more than our moft fanguine expectati-ones at the commencement of the businefs encouraged us to promife".
Extracted from letters and papers on file in the War office of the United States.
War Office, 7th: Decem: 1790
HKnox
Secy of War
to General Knox
To be continued Quarter Masters
Baltimore 14th October 1790
Sir
In consequence of orders received from General Harmar dated the 15th July which we engaged to comply with by the 1st day of October -- We have finished and equipped for the use of the army in the intended expedition against the Savages, 180,000 rations of flour, 260,000 rations of meat, 868 pack horses and artillery horses, equipped the with Saddles, Bags, &c and one horse master General, 18 horse masters, 130 Drovers, with many other articles of considerable amount before the 18th of Sept. All of which could not have been done upon so short a notice as we received, if we had not employed all our funds and pledged our credit, to the extent, to the people of the Western Country, where the supplies were principally obtained.
The expedition, we trust, cannot fail from any default of ours, for we have forwarded supplies in greater quantities than were required of us, and even more than our most sanguine expectations at the commencement of the business encouraged us to promise.
Having so considerable an interest involved in the enterprise, for we repeat it, until all our resources were employed the necessary supplies could not be provided; and having other business ^matters^ of [march?] movement, to us, to settle in the Western Country. We have the greater occasion to regret that the business of supplying rations for the Troops of the United States is taken out of our hands, by means of proposals to furnish the supplies at lower rates than we thought knew we could afford ^them^. We however, hope that to this disappointment there will not be added the loss which we must inevitably sustain if obliged to close our business in the q.masters department at an inconvenient time - We propose, Sir, to be continued in that service, and having ^now^ that only to engage our future attention we can with the greater confidence assure you of its being performed with the greateststrict punctuality, and to the entire satisfaction of the public, the Army, and yourself
We are, Sir, most respectfully, Yr. most obdt hble Servts
Genl Knox
No:
Govr: St Clair to the Secry of War.
Fort Washington, 9th Octoer 1790
"On the 23d ultimo I arrived at this place and found every thing in a better state of preparation that I had flattered myself with owing to the prudent care and attention of general Hammar and the indefatigable application of captain Ferguson - The militia that had been ordered from Kentuckey appeared on the day appointed, all except one hundred and forty, who have since come forward, and marched to join the army - Major Hyllis with the troops from the Falls got up on the 22d and major Doughty with part of the garrison of Fort Hammar arrived on the 25th. From the failure on the part of Pennsylvania, the corps would have been rather too weak, and general Harmar was of opinion with me that it would be proper to ask for a reinforcement from Kentuckey, and in Virtue of the powers granted to me by the President, I immediately called for five hundred from the counties of Fayette & Woodford, which were the nearest and also the next populous, and
Were required of us: and even more than our moft fanguine expectati-ones at the commencement of the businefs encouraged us to promife".
Extracted from letters and papers on file in the War office of the United States.
War Office, 7th: Decem: 1790
HKnox
Secy of War
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (5 pages) | THJ14 (5 pages) | Collection: General Otho Williams Papers, MS# 908. | B:6, #604 |
| [view document] (0 pages) | NLA11 (0 pages) | Collection: First Congress: Reports and Communications Submitted to the House of Representatives by the Secretary of War [1A-D2] (RG 233) {reference microfilm} | P: 102-103 |
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Publication: American State Papers | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Elliot & Williams | Baltimore | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Henry Knox | [unknown] | [n/a] |