but that neither he nor General Wayne can stir without an order from Congress, and that greater secrecy than was usual is now observed, among all the officers of the Army. It was however, a Camp Report that as soon as the corn was thought sufficiently high, the General was to send a Body of light Horse toward the Indian villages, to cut it down with their swords and destroy it. It was the general opinion in the camp, that a war with Great Britain was inevitable, but he has no knowledge of any war with the Spaniards, altho' he heard that General Clarke' had gone down the Ohio with a body of men to treat with the Spaniards but on what business he knew not. He says there were three officers recruiting for the french service in Kentucky this Spring, but it was put a stop to by Congress. That there is about six weeks provisions in the different Garrisons, as he heard the Commissary say. He says further that 17 Chickasaws lately joined their Army, that Wells and May two Spies, with 16 others dress and paint themselves like Indians and were out on a scout when he deserted. That they are paid 40 Dollars for every Indian Scalp, besides a Dollar each pr. day, and one thousand Dollars are offered for the scalp of Simon Girty.2 That he heard some time ago, it was the General's intention to fortify at the Glaize, and proceed from thence as far as he could towards Detroit. That they have lately brought their provisions by water, within twenty miles of Fort Greenville, but as the waters are now low he does not think they will be able to bring it so high; that all the parties of Troops that came from Fort Washington, convey what Provisions are ready. That the time of service of the 1st and 2nd Regt. is nearly expired, and they are determined not to reinlist. He further says the duty is extremely hard and the men are punished severely for slight offences. A. MCKEE, S.I.A. FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE TO JOSEPH CHEW. RAPIDS, 3d June, 1794. Dear Sir: Having wrote to you fully on the 30th of last Month I have only At Present to inclose the information of another Deserter and to Confirm the report of my last Vizt. that the Indians are Collecting in Considerable Force-As Soon as they all join at the Glaize Which will Probably be in about ten days or a fortnight, I shall take the first opportunity that offers (as indeed I always do whether my letters should be detained or not by the uncertain conveyances I am obliged to make use of) to send you an Account of their Numbers and of the Plans they may Propose 1 George Rogers Clark, 1752-1818, captured Kaskaskia in Illinois by surprise, 4 July, 1778 and retook Vincennes, 24 Feby., 1779; destroyed several Indian villages on the Big Miamis, 1782. For the past four years he had been living in retirement and had become a confirmed drunkard. He had offered his services to Genet, the French envoy in the United States, who sent agents to Kentucky with blank commissions to raise troops. One of these was André Michaux, the naturalist. Clark, styling himself "general of the legion of the French Republic," published on January 25, 1794, in The Centinel of the North West, a newspaper printed at Cincinnati, his proposals for raising troops, two thousand in number, promising each recruit one thousand acres of land, two thousand if he served a year, and three thousand if he served for two years, besides a full share of all lawful plunder. Michaux was instructed by Genet to raise a force to attack New Orleans and to send an address to the French Canadians to rise and throw off the British yoke. 2 An interpreter in the Indian department and formerly an officer in the Militia of Pennsylvania. before they set out.-General Wayne seems Perfectly in Active at Present and it seems Probable that the reason given by the deserter may be the true one. I am, &c. A. MCKEE. Joseph Chew Esqr. &c., &c. It appears this was wrote the 4th of June. Mr. Clark' arrived about two o'Clock this morning from the Glaize Which Place he left yesterday in the afternoon-Spies who had been to View General Wayne's Army were just returned & reported that a Large Reinforcement of Militia had joined him from Kentucky six days ago and that on their arrival at Fort Greenville there was a great deal of Firing in the Camp which appeared like rejoicing-that an Advanced Part of the army had taken Post some days ago twenty miles on this Side of Fort Recovery Where they have began to Intrench a Camp. The Chiefs of the Glaize on receiving this intelligence assembled and desired Mr. Clarke to Proceed immediately to this Place and acquaint their Father and Brethren the Hurons of it that they might hurry on the Lake Indians without delay to their assistance being determined to set off with all the force they could collect tomorrow to the fallen Timber the Place appointed for a General Meeting of their several Nations to oppose this Army. Joseph Chew Esqr. &c., &c. My Dear Sir: FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO J. G. SIMCOE. A. MCKEE. DETROIT, June 4th, 1794. Anxious that you should have the latest intelligence from the Miamis I have directed Captain Cowan who sailed yesterday morning in the Ottawa for Fort Erie to come to anchor in case he saw the Gun Boat in the River, to send me his Boat with whatever letters were on Board and to remain at Anchor till he heard from me and at twelve o'clock last night he sent up his Boat with letters. By what Captain Steel and Lieutenant Adye write there is reason to expect the immediate approach of General Wayne, but Colonel McKee only mentions the arrival of some Reinforcements to General Wayne, the particulars he no doubt mentions in a letter to you that I now forward. Should General Wayne advance as seems the general opinion, and Hostilities commence between the United States and Great Britain, you will no doubt recollect our State here, and send such orders as will save the melancholy remains of this Garrison from disgrace. I am, My dear Sir, &c. His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Simcoe, &c., &c. R. G. ENGLAND. Four deserters and prisoners from the Miamis are sent by this opportunity to Fort Erie with a letter to Captain Pratt requesting him to send them to you. As they are still on board the Gun Boat in the River, I don't know either of their names or description but have directed Captain Cowan to send a return of the particulars to you. R.G.E. 1 Thomas Alexander Clark, an Interpreter in the Indian department. 2 Near Fort Miamis, where the action subsequently was fought on 20 August, 1794. Sir: FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO ABBE DES JARDINS. June 4th. It was with some degree of surprise that I had the honor of receiving your letter. It would always give me pleasure to assist those who have been unfortunate in preferring the conscientious discharge of their duty to personal comfort or safety. I am sorry that in the present instance I cannot possibly be of service to the loyal sufferers of the French Nation. The answer of Lord Dorchester to a Speech lately delivered by the Seven Nations of Canada as the delegates from a principal part of the Indian American Confederacy cannot possibly in the town from whence you have dated your letter have escaped your notice. Of course you must have learned from that Answer that His Lordship was not inclined to consider the claims of the United States to any right of pre-emption from the Nations in that part where you intimate that you have purchased to be valid, inasmuch as the United States did not perform their part of the Treaty of Peace, on the fulfilment of which the validity of the Treaty necessarily depended. In this respect it would be impossible for me to send any aid or countenance to the Settlement which you have proposed, but, Sir, had not my Lord Dorchester so recently avowed his sentiments, my duty would not have permitted me to give any assistance to the forming of settlements in a Country which the Six Nations claim as their joint possession, which by no Treaty that I can find has ever been alienated, and which I have long had information has been offered at every market on lease or for sale, under what I know to be a false and flagitious pretence, that their lands had been ceded by the American Indians to the British Government. I have the honor to be, &c. (Draft unsigned). To E. Des Jardins, Albany. FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO R. G. ENGLAND AND A. McKEE. Colonels England and McKee. Sir: NAVY HALL, June 5th, 1794. Lord Dorchester's Speech to the Seven Nations of Canada having appeared in an Albany newspaper previously to my having received from His Lordship the official communication which he was pleased to make to me on that subject, I am to request that you will be so good as to inculcate to all Officers in your Department that it is absolutely necessary that they should not only preserve any official documents with which they may be entrusted from being made public, but that as far as in them lies that they should be particularly careful that no intelligence respecting Indian Affairs or those of the United States in your Quarter, should be made known either by writing or by conversation except to His Majesty's confidential Officers duly authorized to receive and forward the same. Col. McKee. I have the honor to be, &c. (Draft unsigned). EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM FORT FRANKLIN, DATED JUNE 12 (1794). I must once more inform you of our situation-this day arrived here an express from the Cornplanter, who brought a letter that Brant sent him, reprehending him for suffering the United States to build garrisons at Lake Erie; therefore, it is generally thought that we shall be attacked very shortly. We are very much surprised that the militia is not ordered to relieve us; for it is as much as our lives are worth to attempt coming down. If you have any influence with our leading men, do request them to send relief to our settlement. There has been two spies at Le Boeuf to see the situation of our troops, and the Cornplanter has requested our people not to clear out the old French road, and says that if we do not stop, we shall get too strong before we know what we are about, and other hints that we do not use the Six Nations well. For God's sake try to hurry the people of your quarter to turn out, as it is not safe for us to step out of doors. (Printed in the New York Daily Gazette, July 1, 1794.) FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO R. G. ENGLAND. Sir: I have duly received your letter of the 1st of June enclosing to me the address and resolutions of a number of the inhabitants of Detroit and its environs, relating to their being permitted to associate themselves into a Militia Company. I beg you to assure them of the great satisfaction with which I receive their sentiments of unalterable attachment to His Majesty and the British Constitution, but I am to observe to them that a provision for the service of all the King's Subjects in this Province in case it shall be necessary to call for their exertions, has been duly made by the Legislature, and is now the Law of the Land. I receive with due respect and sensibility their personal expressions in regard to me, and at all times shall do my best to promote their happiness and interest. In regard to yourself it was perfectly right that you gave no encouragement to any proposed arrangement that interfered with the Militia Law, but I must request that in future you will be so good as to express your strongest disapprobation if necessary, of all associations which contain in them such a democratic and unconstitutional principle as that of electing Officers in those instances where the appointment of such Officers is by the British Laws vested in the Executive Government, and more especially in a place of a military tendency. I am, &c. To Lieutenant Colonel England. NAVY HALL, June 14th/94. (Draft) REQUISITION FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE. I do recommend for the good of His Majesty's service that the following articles be immediately furnished for the use of the Indians and the Indian Department at this place. MONTREAL 17th July 1794. a True Copy, to Which I have Added the price of the Wampum amounting to one hundred & twenty pounds-CURRY. Dollars at 5/. JOSEPH CHEW, S.I.A. INDIAN MESSAGE FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE TO JOSEPH CHEW. GLAIZE 9th June 1794. At Grey Eyes Town, one of the Upper Villages of the Glaize there are 180 Chippewas & Pottawatamies, who last night heard cannon fired at the fallen Timber, and the Chickasaws came and spied them also last night. This morning one of each nation went up to see the place where the firing was, they sent to us also this morning, to tell us to gather what we could at the Glaize of the Shawanoes, the Mingoes, the Delawares, and Miamis as they said they imagined the Enemy were on their way against us. We immediately sent them back and told them that as soon as those that were sent to spy came back we would send down two of our own people to the Rapids, to let the Indians know what they had seen. Brothers & Uncles the Hurons: You have now heard the news, make haste & come on, and bring all the others along with you. What further news we have we shall let you know from day to day, and let every part as they arrive at the Rapids come forward. We are to collect immediately to know what we have to do, we may go on to the Upper Villages but we will expect you and all the others as soon as possible. A. MCKEE, S.I.A. Painted Tobacco. Dear Sir: FROM WILLIAM DOYLE TO JOSEPH CHEW. MICHILIMACKINAC, 9th June, 1794. I was favoured with your letter of the 18th of last month by Mr. Todd who delivered to me the Articles which you intrusted to his charge which believe me were Very Acceptable, particularly the Vermillion which is in great Demand. I think it proper to Acquaint you for the information of Sir John Johnson that I sent sixty Warriors of the Ottowa Nation and Twenty Five of the Chippawas upon the 29th Ulto to the Miamis having Received orders from Detroit to that Purpose, a Party Consisting of Twenty one belonging to the Grand Sable will set out to |