Letter Signed

Report Regarding Suspected Traitors

Wayne relates to McHenry the movements of Thomas Powers and Victor de Collot, two enemy agents operating in the Northwest Territory, and tells of his conversation with Colonel William St. Clair.

1796

07

08

Fort Washington

Private.

James McHenry

Anthony Wayne

Thomas Powers

Victor Collot

James Wilkinson

Newman

Spaniards

Captain Zebulon Pike Sr.

Captain Thomas Pasteur

Colonel William St. Clair

Governor St. Clair

inhabitants of Illinois

Spanish Officer

Captain Taylor

Fort Washington

Greenville

Lexington

Mississippi

Fort Knox

Kaskaskia

Illinois

rapids of the Miamis

Massaca

complaint

insult to the Spanish flag

letters

printed Acts of Congress

Treaty with Spain

traitor

spies

militia

anxious for a small fort

machinations

"...I trust the nefarious machinations by the enemies of our country shall be fully discovered, and the prime movers receive the punishment due to their demerits."

1796070853501

1

4

(Private)
No 5
[Marginalia] 7-8-1796 [/Marginalia]
Head Quarters
Fort Washington 18th July 1796
Sir
I arrived at this place on the 5th Instant & found that the man Powers had been with G Wilkinson A Greenville for several days, but returned & descended the Ohio about the 20th ultimo for the rapids, where he probably would be delayed a week or more,he shewed certain instructions from General Wilkinson to put a suit of interrogatories, to a certain Newman, & if he answer'd them to satisfaction, he would reward him Powers with One Thousand Dollars, either for them or the person of Nwman, Powers had a number of callers to Wilkinson & gave out that his object in visiting Greenville was to obtain materials for writing a history of their country: &ca
On or about the 29th ultimo De Collot &ca came across by land & from Lexington to this place, he immediately waited upon Mr Commandant, and inquired where he would find G- W- and he was informed that he had marched from Greenville some days since for the rapids of the Miami, & that it was uncertain where he then was: De Collot, appeared greatly disappointed & said that he wanted much to have an interview with
with that great & popular General, if he had a certainty of overtaking him he would follow, that he had a great number of letters for him, which he wished to present with his own hands, but must be the present content himself by enclosing them, & requests them to be forwarded by an immediate & safe express & that he De Collot would proceed to the rapids of this where he should have occasion to wait a week or ten days; a very large packet was placed in the hands of said Commandant by DeCollot early next morning addressed to G - W - with reiterated injunctions of dispatch & safety.
De Collot immediately descended the river & was met on this side the rapids, by a Colo St. Clair (who has been appointed to a Command in the Militia and Prothonotary of the Illinois Country by Govr St. Clair) they had a few moments conversation DeCollot said that he should wait at the rapids several days, in order to see the Country & to transact some business of consequence after which he probably would accompany St Clair to New Illinois;
Not knowing the character of St Clair & from some other circumstances, I did not think it prudent to make any confidential communications to him respecting De Collot:
St Clair said he waited upon me in behalf of the inhabitants of the Kaskaskias or Illinois who were anxious for a small post in that Quarter that the troops would be supported by the produce of that country to a certainty, & on more moderate terms, than at this place; that a post at that place would have a happy effect & give energy to [New laws?] & respectability for Government that the Spaniards in that Quarter were imposing improper ideas into the minds of the people & impressing them with the apathy & imbecility of the United States.
I requested him to give me a particular statement in writing upon the subject matter upon which he was speaking which he promised to do as soon as he returned to that country. That he was now ready to descend the river, with a cargo of merchandise & that it was probable he would be accompanied by De Collot. That his intention was to land at Massaca & proceed on horseback to the Kaskaskias & to send his boat round by Mississippi, That he expected DeCollot would accompany him & that his boat would also go round to that place.
I then communicated to him the complaint made against Capt Pike for a supposed insult offered the Spanish flag, & that I was in the act of writing to the
that officer demanding of him a true state of facts relative to that subject. Mr. St Clair said he had heard of the complaint, & that Capt. Pike had only done his duty - that the insult was offered to him by the Spanish Officer in attempting to pass his post; I then requested him to be so obliging as to take charge of my letter to Pike & the printed Acts of Congress for carrying into effect the Treaty with Spain &Ca and to assure the Spaniards of the friendly disposition of this Government towards that Nation; that my dispatches would be ready in a half an hour, & embraced that opportunity to enclose in the packet a private note to Capt Pike a copy of which is now transmitted.
In addition to this I shall immediately give orders to Capt Pasteur the Commandant at Fort Knox: Similar to those forward by Capt Taylor to Capt Pike, so that I trust, the nefarious machinations of the enemies of our Country, will be fully discover'd & the prime movers receive the punishment due to their demerits; with those wishes and sentiments I have the honor to be Your most Obt Huml Sert
Anty Wayne
The Honble James McHenry Esqr Secy of War
[Right margin] No. 7 18 July 1796 Gen Wayne to Sec McHenry