date, and which may be detained by adverse winds still at the Mouth of this River. I also send duplicates of the several enclosures by express by land, conceiving it highly necessary that Your Excellency should be apprised of the information with all possible expedition. I have the honor to be, &c.

His Excellency, Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe.

Sir:

R. G. ENGLAND.

FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO ALEXANDER MCKEE.

DETROIT, August 15th, 1794, 10 o'Clock A.M.

I am to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th by express yesterday evening, and in time to forward it to His Excellency Lieut. Governor Simcoe by the Beaver Sloop that was then at the River Rouge, on her way to Fort Erie, immediately on receipt of your former letter I hired Mr. May's schooner the Swan, and sent her to you loaded with provisions, which I was obliged to send in Batteaux to her as far as Judge Powell's Farm, I also hired Mr. Askin's small schooner the Weazle, and loaded her with provisions, and indian corn, and dispatched her early in the morning of the 13th inst. From the winds that have since blown, I am apprehensive her passage will be tedious therefore propose to send the Dunmore with another cargo, the moment she is unloaded, as she has on board several stores for this Post. This will be done in the course of this day, and she shall sail immediately.

I trust that the provisions sent in the small schooners, and those I have sent in the Chippawa will answer all purposes till the Dunmore reaches you, Major Campbell will no doubt on your application give you any Part that is requisite from the Chippawa. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your very obedient and very humble servant, R. G. ENGLAND.

Colonel McKee, &c., &c.

Mr. McDougall goes off this moment to the River aux Raisins to send you some hundred bushells of indian-corn either to the Foot of the Rapids, or to Turtle Island, should he deliver them to you, give him a receipt for the number, if he delivers them at Turtle Island Commodore Grant is requested to give him a receipt, and to forward them immediately to you.-R.E.

Sir:

FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO ALEXANDER MCKEE.

DETROIT, August 15th, 10 o'Clock A.M.

Your Letter of yesterday which reached me by Express early this Morning with the several Inclosures appears to me of such serious Consequence that I propose sending Copies of them immediately by Land to His Excellency Lieut. Governor Simcoe, and also Copies to the Mouth of the River, with hopes of Overtaking the Beaver that sailed from the River Rouge late last night with my Dispatches as I before mentioned to you in my Letter of this Date.

I am still of Opinion that General Waynes Instructions do not authorize him to attack the British Posts notwithstanding his Gasconade to Miller, which he no doubt conceived would have much Effect on the Indians and Newman the Acting Quarter Master of Militia informed me on his Arrival here, that a Colonel O'Hara, who he calls Qur. Masr. General mentioned to him that General Wayne was to erect a Fort at the Foot of the Rapids in case he succeeded against the Indians, and remain there; This at best is but very vague Information, and of course leaves room for much Conjecture-In our present situation much depends on the Unanimity of the Indians and the Decision of their Council. By your Report their number is formidable and able if well inclined to Arrest the Progress of General Wayne's Army. As I before mentioned every Exertion on my part shall be made to Supply you with Provisions and the Dunmore shall sail this Evening or early tomorrow Morning.

I am of course very anxious to hear the Result of the Council you mentioned was sitting and shall immediately send it by Express to the Lieut. Governor.

Colonel McKee.

I am, &c.,
R. G. ENGLAND.

Dear Sir:

FROM WILLIAM CAMPBELL TO ALEXANDER MCKEE.

There is just now a party of 20 Canadians arrived from Detroit for Work, but have neither brought axes or camps. Capt. Stiell informs me that you have a number of camps, and will probably have the goodness to spare us a proportion, I therefore send the bearer to request you will send by him what number you can

I had the honor of receiving yours of the 27 June and have observed your remarks relative to our Indians and the full Equipments which was giving them but nevertheless I am happy to think that you are so well acquainted with Indians that they always require some thing on arriving at this Post which must be the case, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to hear of your favoring us with a Visit this Season & then you certainly can Judge best Yourself.

Some days before the arrival of the Felicity in course of conversation the Capt. told me that he was blamed by Colonel England for raising the Indians in the manner he did and fearfull you should find fault with me I take this Oppertunity of acquainting you that for my part, I did nothing more nor less than I was ordered

for which Lieut. Foster can certify who went with me and since that I am informed that some of the Inhabitants and Traders of this place has framed a Petition for another Interpreter. I do not know whether it is sent to Head Quarters or not perhaps saying this misunderstanding was owing to my Mallinterpreting or otherwise wishing to get the former in as he is a poor man and they can I believe make him do what they please particularly in regard of giving ("their commissioners or otherwise the Indians they give goods too, to trade for them") presents from the Indians store which I have Stoped as much as I could as they are no ways Serviceable to King and Country in that Employ.

Sir, Your, &c.,

G. LA MOTHE.

Sir:

FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO JACQUES BABY.

DETROIT, August 16th, 1794.

As it is expedient for His Majesty's Service that the Militia of this Country should be in readiness to March at the shortest notice, You will be pleased to give such orders to the Militia of the County of Kent as will insure their being prepared without loss of time to march either in the whole or by detachment as may be considered most necessary.

I have the honor to be, &c.

RICHARD ENGLAND. Senior Colonel of Militia.

The Honorable Jacques Baby, Lieutenant of County of Kent.

N.B. A similar letter sent to the Senior Officer of the Essex Militia.

Sir:

FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO LOUVIGNY DE MONTIGNY.

DETROIT, August 16th, 1794.

As it appears requisite for the protection of the British Fort, lately built on the River Miamis that it should be reinforced as expeditiously as possible and as the settlement on the River aux Raisins from its vicinity to the Fort, can most conveniently furnish an immediate supply of Men with Arms, I am to request you without loss of time to go there and procure such number of the Militia with proper officers as the settlement can afford, and then proceed to the Fort where you will receive the orders of Major Campbell, 24th Regiment, now commanding there.

If you should discover that the Army of the United States, propose to march to this part of the Country you will be pleased to return immediately from Fort Miamis to the River aux Raisins and direct an Inventory to be taken of the wheat and Indian Corn in store there, belonging to the Inhabitants and if possible have it removed here. If by your exertions this cannot be accomplished, direct it to be destroyed and also direct that all the cattle belonging to the settlement should be driven here where they will be purchased at a fair price for the use of the Garrison. The Honorable Mr. Baby, Lieutenant of the County of Kent, will furnish you

with such orders to the Senior Officer of Militia on the River aux Raisins as are necessary to procure the detachment from thence.

Relying on your influence in the settlement, and your zeal for His Majesty's Service, I beg to recommend these instructions to you in the execution of which you will be guided by discretion, and request that you will not lose any time in the performance of that part of them, that at present appears absolutely necessary. I am, Sir, &c.,

RICHARD ENGLAND, Lt. Col. Commanding

Louvigny Montigny, Esq., &c., &c.

My Lord:

FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER.

NAVY HALL, Aug. 16th, 1794.

I am to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch, (No. 14, July 11th, 1794), which arrived here by the Vessel which brought the Bishop of Quebec on the 9th of August.

I shall lose no time in sending Lieut. Sheaffe of the 5th Regiment and another Officer to the Sodus to make the Protest against that Establishment, and also, if he finds it expedient, to Oswego Falls and Hungry Bay.

By some papers which have lately fallen into my hands, I find that Mons. Des Jardins is the Agent of a French Company, now or lately residing at Paris.

I should not again have requested Your Lordship's opinions and direction on the state of affairs in this Country, had not the occupation of the Post, Your Lordship's Speech to the Indian Deputies from the several Nations, and the manner in which the Secretary for the United States commented on these transactions naturally altered the condition of affairs in this Country from what they were at the period when Your Lordship did me the Honor of sending your Letter No. 1. At present I hope the people of the States will not occupy Presqu'Isle nor build Naval Armaments, but should they and by such attempt either to victual Wayne's Army or to occupy a Post at Buffaloe Creek or its vicinity, if it be practicable, I shall do my best for the destruction of such an Armament, under my interpretation of Your Lordship's general orders "to repel force by force." I should not like to receive from Your Lordship an express direction to the contrary and find that I am mistaken in my Idea of Your Lordship's orders and actions.

"In respect to Your Lordship's wish to be acquainted with the extent of the combined Powers in Upper Canada, and what force I may be able to assemble for my own preservation and defence; also how far I may have it in my power not only to repel, but to retaliate any hostile attempts" I beg leave to observe that I have endeavoured from time to time to communicate to Your Lordship every view in which I contemplate the Military Advantages of this Province, its means of defence or power of offence, upon the Principle that at such a distance as I am from Your Lordship, I must of necessity be left to a greater latitude of action and with more discretion, than I can by any manner of means personally desire, or execute in my Station with much satisfaction. I therefore by the first communication, not only of Intelligence, which is my public duty, but of my comments, a duty I owe to myself and to Your Lordship, in this very peculiar and unpleasant situation, have endeavoured to lay before Your Lordship such materials as may enable you

to form an opinion on the powers of this Country with a certain degree of accuracy, and to give me orders for the execution of the King's Service.

Several of these communications and opinions have been transmitted to Your Lordship since the date of the despatch which is now before me.

The number of the Troops, the miserable state of the Fortresses, the want of Military Stores and Magazines and a proper Naval Arsenal I need not explain.

The Militia, unless exercised and in part called out, cannot be reckoned upon as an efficient strength. There is an universal appearance of loyalty among the British Inhabitants, but it does not become me to place any military reliance on such assistance unless it shall actually be proved; nor would it be wise to make this probation, but under the assemblage of a competent body of Troops.

The most provident attention must be paid that the first movement made by the King's Forces should be attended with success, whether to repel the Enemy, to retaliate any hostile attempts, or if any other considerations render it practicable, not only as a general Military Rule, but as peculiarly applicable to the local situation of their Country, to prevent any inroads into the Province.

In the combined Powers, I presume that Your Lordship includes the Indian Nations, altho' I am to observe that you have never expressed these people by name as a means of defence, in your communications to me.

The most important Possession in this Country is Niagara, considered with its most important Dependencies of York and Lake Erie, Long Point, Presqu'Isle. This Post I consider as the main Object of attack, and it must be secured by preventing all access to Lake Erie: this must be done by stopping the progress of Wayne's Army, now actually on its road to the Miamis River, and by preventing any occupation on the Coast of the Lake from Buffaloe Creek to the Miamis Bay. The Troops of the States must at the least be driven from Fort Recovery leading to the Miamis and Fort Franklin on the Alleghany.

If their advance can be prevented or suspended, I conceive that no time should be lost in the collection of every species of force that can be spared from both Provinces, and that the Three River Point and its communication with Oswego should be occupied, Fort Brewerton, the Onondago Salt Works, and the whole Genesee settlement destroyed.

The approaches by the Oneida Lake, and even Wood Creek ruined, and the Seneca, Cayuga, and other Lesser Lakes occupied with Gun Boats, &c., and the roads to the Susquehanna ruined or possessed, the incursions of the Indians or light Troops, should the Province be reinforced, may be pushed forward on all sides and with safety to the great Object, the covering by the Three River Point or Oswego, the Post at Niagara, and all access for the present to be by the Upper St. Lawrence.

This, My Lord, is the outline of what I think absolutely necessary, and possibly not impracticable: such an enterprise may be combined with great security.

I stated to the Duke of Richmond the necessity of heavy cannon and a light train before I left Europe.

I also stated other military particulars, and shall be most happy if the noncompliance with them be not fatal to the King's Interests.

But, My Lord, in the present juncture, if we are only to repel hostilities which will consist in the Enemies occupying favorable positions with Blockhouses, and it be, as I conceive, most necessary that we should not fail in our first enterprise, from which the whole War may derive its coloring-it will be of the utmost consequence to our operations that the Artillery should be of that weight and nature