Report from General Wilkinson
Item
Type
Draft Letter
Title
Report from General Wilkinson
Description
Letter, informs re motives to occupy post; discusses foreign encroachment on national boundary; discusses foreign affairs; mentions robbery in territory; alludes to Indian hostility & aggression; mentions White encroachment; describes frontier and pioneer life; mentions Baton Rouge. Likely, though not confirmed recipient is Hamilton.
short description
Ltr, inf re motives to occupy post.
year created
1799
month created
04
day created
15
author
recipient
in collection
note
Cannot confirm author or recipient from image
notable person/group
James Wilkinson
Alexander Hamilton
Gayoso
Captain Dembar
Duff
Lieutenant Hyde
notable location
Loftus's Heights
Great Britain
Texas
St. Assee
St. Andero
Batton Rouge
New Orleans
Paris
Pensacola
Georgia
Nashville
Mobile River
Fort Massac
Mississippi
Cincinnati on the Ohio
notable item/thing
support his own immediate government
soliciting a voluntary loan
jurisdiction
use of the crown under the pretext that it is to support
preservation of due responsibility
extensive chain of posts
provide for the security of the public property & the progression of the public service within the sphere of my authority
guard the health of the troops against the ravages of this climate on the margin of the river
arrival of your mandate
allow me discretion as the route
unquestionable authority
expectation interests not less my inclinations than my duty
arrangements indispensable
relied on him for the plan, elevation and section of the ground to be occupied
discovered his measurements & calculations to be erroneous
engaged in correcting his errors
ample information
accurate section of the site
high water mark to the summit of the hill which commands the circumjacent country
summons
enlarge on the advantages this circumstance might afford
events compel us to attack
save the hazard of being beaten in detail
fortifying at this point to cover the country to give confidence to the inhabitants
demonstration of the power & decision of the government
submit the case to you
further trespass on your time
excuse to condemn my judgement
discredit my motives anterior to the death of Captain Dembar, the senior officer of Engineers
barrier interposed by an energetic movement
gain possession of the country
transmittal of the intelligence
this position properly fortified will enable us to replace superior force
succour may be drawn from the upper country
offence become necessary to carry a coup
capital
direct route into the Mexican provinces
heavy artillery
portable magazines of an invading army must move by water
voyage from New Orleans to the center of the population of the Territory
people of this territory
too often changed masters to foster any fixed principles of policy
cherish any personal attachments to government
soured by various causes
position to control as well as protect appeared to me political
Spaniards are subordinate to the French
regular military of Louisiana is insufficient to defend the government for an hour against a general rising of the inhabitants who have been all armed, are almost exclusively french & as frantic in their politics as the fish women of Paris
expressed some doubt in the policy and expediency of taking post at the place
motives which governed my conduct in the instance
distance of this territory
proximity to foreign power
exposed it more to dangers of invasion than any other part of the union
render the conquest more easy and the recovery more difficult
preserve a communication with the southern indians
greatly facilitate intrigues & the arts of corruption among our wide extended western settlements
lawless ruffian
coondense my small force
take post here & fortify
only spot on the Mississippi below the Ohio which is safe from the wash of the current
commands the pass of the river at all seasons
site is uncommonly strong
natural form of the ground is highly susceptible of defensive works on economical terms
position is approximate to the national boundary
lower extremity of the territorial settlements
insidious enemy
meditating a strike at this territory could masque his preparations behind batton rouge
trespassing on the Indian lands
remains a matter of doubt whether this party was purely savage
testimony enclosed relative to a late robbery commited on the trace leading from this territory to Nashville
orders you will find copied within
daily occurences have to evince the necessity of a cordon of posts to extend from this point
national boundary
settlements of Georgia
foreign machinations to lay the savages at our feet
presented to you by the ordinary mail
endeavour to make up returns from the several departments
service in this quarter
referring you for information to my communications
report the sailing of the detachment destined to the Mobile river
1st Regiment
seat of governemt
adjust his public accounts
send forward the letter with the return of the troops stationed at Fort Massac & on the Mississippi
consequence of an order received from the Minister of War
honor to begin my correspondence
accustomed to the frankness of a soldier
expression of my feelings on the occasion
satisfaction I feel at finding myself under the orders of a gentleman able to instruct me in all things
prompt & zealous
pressing forward for the national glory & for personal fame
document number
1799041537401
page start
1
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (13 pages) | EAD09 (13 pages) | Collection: James Wilkinson Papers | [unknown] |
| [view document] (12 pages) | BOM02 (12 pages) | Collection: James Wilkinson Papers | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | James Wilkinson | [unknown] | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Alexander Hamilton | [unknown] | Possible recipient but not confirmed |