winter Campaign is more practicable in these parts of America than at any other season, but I should hope that a siege would be totally impossible. I shall transmit to Your Lordship without delay, the exact plan of all the Works ordered to be constructed, so soon as it shall be possible for Lieut. Pilkington to determine upon the detail of the arrangement subject to local contingencies and circumstances. He is fully instructed in my general ideas of the mode of construction. I have the honor, &c. Lord Dorchester. J. G. SIMCOE. My Lord: FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER. NAVY HALL, April 29th, 1794. I take the earliest opportunity of forwarding to Your Lordship, a letter which I received from the Spanish Governor of Louisianna, together with my Answer. The Lieutenant Governor of that Province, Capt. Trudeau, who has been remarkably civil to our traders, forwarded the Message by a white man, a Shawanese well known to Colonel McKee. In a very polite letter which he writes to me, this Gentleman observes, "Le Gouverneur m'a donne connaissance du contenu, ce me fait presumer qu'il n'avait pas des notions bien parfait du local lorsqu'il a porté ses vues sur votre contenir?" The Shawanese was twenty days from St. Louis and expected to be only fourteen on his return. It was intimated to him that it would be easy for the Spanish if requisite to co-operate with us by their Gun Boats which they have on the Ohio, and by occupying the mouth of the Wabash to give a similar support to the intermediate Indians as our possessions at the mouth of the Miamis of the Lake affords. I must observe to Your Lordship that a few days previous to my arrival at the Miamis, a Speech had been sent by the Spanish Lieut. Governor to the neighbouring Nations, and which had been transmitted to Detroit, calling upon them for their assistance, and promising the most active support.-This Speech, it is believed has produced the most important effects, scarcely leaving a single Indian Nation without the determined Resolution of attacking the United States, in particular the Chicasaws, before the departure of the Shawanese had cut off ten of the Kaskaskias, suspected of being well affected to the United States. It was also intimated to the Shawanese that by the route of Chicago, it was extremely practicable for British troops to pass. I have always been of opinion that a Post at Chicago would be more eminently necessary to His Majesty's Interests in case of War, than that of Michilimackinac. I am confirmed in this belief by existing circumstances as represented by Colonel McKee At this place there are some people, refugees from Detroit, and a Black Chief who have constantly been in the pay of the United States, and by every possible means have endeavoured to alienate the Indians from the British Interests. Colonel McKee thinks it very necessary that an Agent should reside in that Quarter, as till of late has been usual. In my Answer to Mr. Trudeau, I enclosed to him Your Lordship's late Proclamation against the Jacobin Emissaries & observed to him that the French inhabitants of the Illinois and at Vincennes were eminently of this description. By the Account of the Shawanese the Spanish Government I take the earliest opp I received from the Spanish The Lieutenant Gover remarkably civil to our trade well known to Colonel Mck Gentleman observes, "Le me fait presumer qu'il n'a porté ses vues sur votre c The Shawanese was twe teen on his return. It was! if requisite to co-operate wit and by occupying the mout mediate Indians as our poss€ I must observe to Your the Miamis, a Speech had b bouring Nations, and which their assistance, and promisi has produced the most impo without the determined Res the Chicasaws, before the de kias, suspected of being well to the Shawanese that by th British troops to pass. I have always been of of necessary to His Majesty's I I am confirmed in this belief McKee-At this place there Chief who have constantly 1 possible means have endeavo Colonel McKee thinks it very as till of late has been usual. Your Lordship's late Proclar him that the French inhabit of this description. By the acts with great vigour in that part of the Country, and expressed his surprise at the very different language which was held by the British Canadians, in respect to the Subjects of the United States, to what was permitted at St. Louis. The Indians on the Wabash have quitted the lower parts of that River, and by their approximation to Detroit (should not Mr. Wayne advance), the benefits of their Trade will return into the accustomed channel. This movement has exceedingly alarmed the Settlers at Vincennes. It appears that the Chippewas, in consequence of some superstitious Circumstances have unanimously determined on War. I enclose to Your Lordship the Speech of the Six Nations at the Meeting of Buffaloe Creek-It is considered as the most respectable Assembly of those Nations which have met for some Six Years. General Wayne was by the last account at the picquetted Camp (or Polanque) at Grenville, covered by Redoubts a quarter of a Mile in its front; I transmit to Your Lordship such a Sketch of his Line of March as can be collected, and in some degree improved from Hutchin's Map. The last accounts from the Indians are, that General Wayne has sent a thousand men beyond the Ohio, as the Prisoners they took informed them, on the account of the War on the coast, they say they saw the Troops on their march; some event possibly may have happened that has changed his apparent resolutions, as Your Lordship will perceive by the Sketch that he had cut a road in a different direction from Sinclair's projected march, pointing not to the Miamis Towns, but to the navigable waters of the Glaize which has confirmed the Reports of the Indians now publicly mentioned in the American News Papers, that he had expressed himself, "That he hoped to drink with them of the waters of Lake Erie." It is given out that he is to march in May, and I presume some hundreds of the Indians are now set off to oppose him and strike at his Convoys. The Inhabitants of the Genesee are under great alarm. They have had Arms sent to them, and as I understand, five pieces of Cannon are now at the Forks of that River. By a letter just received from Albany, dated the 10th of April, It is said that a Packet has arrived from England at New York, that gives favorable expectations of the preservation of Peace. Whether this Event shall or shall not take place, it must be evident to Your Lordship that from the Effect which the late Transactions have had in respect to the Indians, there can be no Safety for this Province, and, of course, British America, should they be abandoned to themselves and not confirmed in their just Claims by the determined and avowed Mediation of Great Britain. I have the honor to be, &c. Lord Dorchester. J. G. SIMCOE. Sir: FROM ROBERT HAMILTON TO J. G. SIMCOE. Neither myself nor the enclosed paper on the subject of the Portage Road1 should at this moment intrude on your more interesting concerns, did not the season of the year require that the plan if approved of, should be carried into immediate execution. Your kind attention to this business when convenient, will therefore be a particular favor. 1 The road on the left bank of the Niagara river from Queenston to Chippawa. My Lord: I take 1 I received f remarkably me fait pre teen on his : necessary to I am confir McKee-At Chief who l possible meε Colonel Mcl as till of lat Your Lords him that th of this desc |