Papers of the War Department · Report on St. Clair's Expedition

Report on St. Clair's Expedition

Item

Type

Draft Document

Title

Report on St. Clair's Expedition

Description

Report from the House of Representatives on Arthur St. Clair's expedition. Discusses training and discipline of recruits; desertions of militia; retreat of St. Clair's force; Indians and Indian warfare; recruiting service.

short description

Rpt, St. Clair's expedition.

year created

1792

month created

day created

author

House of Representatives

recipient

Unknown Recipient

in collection

Henry Knox Papers. [microfilm]

in image

AKK04

author note

House of Representatives

notable person/group

Wilson

Matthew Earnest

Israel Ludlow

Barton

Hodgdon

Capt. Mumford

Colonel Darke

Capt. Slough

Capt. Powers

Capt. Cribbs

Capt. Guthrie

Capt. Armstrong

Capt. Kirkwood

Captain Snowden

Major Gaither

Capt. Phelon

Capt. Sparks

Capt. Butler

Capt. Brock

Capt. Vanswearingen

Capt. Pike

General Neville

Major Ferguson

John Kean

General Butler

William Duer

Walter Livingston

John Cochran

Theodosius Fowler

Major General St. Clair

Fitzsimmons

notable location

Virginia

Miami Village

Fort Jefferson

Fort Hamilton

Ludlow's Station

Kentucky

North Carolina

Baltimore, Maryland

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Fort Harmar

Fort Steuben

Fort Knox

Philadelphia

Lexington

Fort Washington

Fort Pitt

United States

notable item/thing

militia appear to have been composed principally of substitutes and totally ungovernable and regardless of military duty or subordination

consequence of the extreme deficiencies and derangements of the business of those departments

person sent forward by the quarter master being totally incompetent for the business

wilderness where vegetables are not to be had

duties of the soldier uncommonly hard

rations allowed by law, if completely supplied, are not sufficient

discontent and desertion among the soldiers

appropriated for the use of the war department

treasury has always been in readiness to make the requisite advances upon the request of the secretary ar war

accounts not having been yet settled

foregoinig statement of facts

failure of the late expedition

delay in furnishing the materials

passing the act for the protection of the frontiers

complete and discipline an army for such an expedition

summer-months

delays consequent upon the gross and various mismanagements and neglects in the quarter-master's and contractor's departments

lateness of the season

green forage having been previously destryed by the frost

sufficiency of subsistence for the horses necessary for the army could not be procured

want of discipline and experience in the troops

failure of the late expedition can in no respect be imputed to his conduct

strong testimonies of his coolness and intrepidity

want of sufficient time to complete the report in minuteness

want of necessary evidence

modes of enlisting levies

orders to the recruiting officers appear not to have been sufficiently explicit

terms of inlistment were to commence at the time of inlistment or at the arrival at a place of rendezvous

signing some acknowledgement of satisfaction forms a voucher for settlement to the contractor

officer is refused payment for these due bills at the pay office, all casualties by which these evidence of debt become lost or destroyed are the gain of the contractor and the loss of the officer

debts to the officers

privates of the levies received but three dollars pay each

time of their respective enlistments to the time of their respective discharges

discharged without further pay or settlement

notes of discharge

notes were sold for rifling considerations

real sums due on the notes were various

one gallon of whiskey

monies for the pay of the levies

regular paymaster to the army

difficulties of transmitting monies to the army at so great a distance

far advanced on the wilderness as not to admit of the practicability of discharging the levies

total defeat of the army not having been previously counted upon

cloathing for the levies appears to have been of a very inferior quality

[clothing]

coats

hats

shoes

better cloathing was furnished them upon their enlisting in the regular service

Virginia battalion

terms of the contract had an election of drawing the whole of the rations to which their rank entitled them or of receiving the contract price of them in cash

officer was directed to receive a certificate from the contractor's agent called a due bill

complete rations

protested by the contractor and paid at the treasury

persons employed by the agents of the contractor to drive the horses appear to have been totally unacquainted with that business and from the want of bells, hoppies and other necessaries of that kind as well as from other gross mismanagement many of the horses were lost and other rendered unfit for service

pack-horses sufficient to transport the necessary quantity of flour from for washington for the use of the army on their march

retarded the execution of the expedition

transportation for the supplies

in this condition of the contract there was a total failure which compelled the commander in chief to direct between six and seven hundred horses to be purchased

witness examined by the committee

conversed with a chief at Niagara who was in the action

engaged in hunting at the time of the action

men having lost all regard ato discilpline or controul

precautions appear to have been taken for the safety and comfort of the wounded

competent evidence before them to ascertain the numer of the enemy in action

various conjectures to the number

convoy of provisions which was expected and which was supposed in danger from the deserted militia

half an hour before sunrise a general attack commenced

nearly the shole army was surronded by the enemy

several charges were made by part of the army which caused the enemy to give way

attack was unexpected the troops having been just dismissed from the morning parade

commenced upon the militia who were in advance of the army and who fled throught the main army without firing a gun

circumstance through the troops into some disorder which it appears they never completely recovered during the action

fire of the army was constant but not well directed

state of discipline

manner of the suddenness of the attack

commander in chief appears to have been cool and deliberate in the whole action and the officers in general active and intrepid

order of march appears to be judicious and the ground for action well chosen

retreat was disorderly in the extreme

season was so far advanced that sufficient green forage for the horses could not be procured

horses were totally lost and others rendered unfit for service

appointment and delays of the quarter master

delinquincies of the quarter master

desertions of militia

no sufficient causes have appeared to the committee to justify this delay and his presence with the army appears to have been essentially necessary previously to that time

duties of the commander in chief were much increasedin consequence of the absence of the quarter master general

continued expectation of his arrival

express orders by letter to repair to camp without delay

receipt of this letter is acknowledged but the orders contained therein were neither answered nor obeyed

military stores furnished by that department were so deficient from mismanagement or neglect that many things essential to the movement of the army were either wholly made or repaired at Fort Washington

tools for the artificers

quarter master particularly informed the commander in chief that two complete travelling forges were sent forward and upon examination of them both were found to be without an anvil

stand of arms

discharged the various duties which devolved to him with ability activity and zeal

most rigid attention to discipline was found incompetent

fit for duty

price of rations

inducements of the commander in chief to this movement appear to have been to furnish green forage for the horses and beef cattle of the army, to instruct the soldiery in field exercise and other necessary discipline, and to deprive them of the means of intoxication which were plentifully supplied

used to an excessive degree by the soldiery

Kentucky militia

army consisting of about two thousand non-commissioned officers and privates

quarter-master general

order from the department at war to protect the frontiers with the troops under his command

temporary want of supplies of provisions and other necessaries

want of the necessary boats for their transportation which were not in readiness as soon as the troops

acted with ability, activity and zeal in his command

delays of the troops there cannot be imputed to his want of judgement or his want of exertion

considerable difficulties and delays in going down the river from the low state of the water

officers and privates

obliged to supply them on credit

county furnished provisions in abundance at a cheap rate when money was had for the purchase

howitz

reported in favour of the quality of the powder

dollars advanced

repeated complaints were made of fatal mismanagement and neglects in the quarter master and stores department particularly as to tents, knapsacks, camp kettles, cartridge boxes, pack saddles

articles were deficient in quantity and bad in quality

amounted to more than double the price

found upon examination to be unfit for use

arms sent forward appear not to have been examined

rendered repairs absolute necessary

added to the delay of the troops

great proportion of the powder supplied for the use of the army was not of good quality

experiment

no monies for purchasing supplies were furnished

place of rendezvous for enlisted soldiers

agent for the contractor was actively engaged in furnishing supplies for the troops

appointed second in command

immediately proceeded to make the necessary arrangements for the recruiting service

1st United States Regiment

time of the arrival of the general

garrison there consisted of seventy five non-commissioned officers and privates fit for duty

copy of which transfer was lodged in the office of the Secretary of the Treasury

letter from the Secretary at War

correspondence

Secretary at War

[Secretary of War]

supplying the troops with provisions

act making provision for the defence of the frontiers received the signature of the president of the United States

appointed commander in chief of the army destined for the expedition

due execution of the contract

contract was wholly transferred

Secretary of the Treasury

bond in the penalty of one hundred thousand dollars

proceeded to examine all the papers furnished by the Treasury and War department

sundry papers and accounts furnished by the Treasury and War Departments

explanations of the same by the heads of those departments in person

testimony of witnesses upon oath

written remarks

facts established by the whole evidence

result of their enquiries, the committee had agreed to the following report

contract for the supplies of the army on the route from Fort Pitt

House of Representatives of the United States

committee appointed to enquire into the causes of the failure of the late expedition

notable idea/issue

Defeat of St. Clair

notable phrase