corps; if it will not materially derange its establishment as already made by the Commander in Chief.1

Resolved, That Captain Bentalon be considered as retiring from service under the resolutions of the 3d and 21 of October, 1780, and entitled to the emoluments arising therefrom; That the Board of War draw a warrant, in favour of Captain Bentalon, on the paymaster general, for three months' pay on account.

The report of the committee on the letter from E. Forman was taken up; and Thereupon,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office in the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Ezekiel Forman, for one hundred and twenty fifty thousand dollars on account.2

The report of the committee, to whom were referred the report of the Board of Treasury, and the memorial of John Patton and others, iron masters, was taken up; and it being therein recommended,

The Committee to whom were referred the report of the Board of Treasury and the memorial of John Patton and others Iron Masters report,

That, having considered the special nature of the contract made by the Board of War for shot and shells, they are of opinion, payment ought immediately to be made; and as it does not appear that this can be done, except by drawing bills of Exchange on the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Versailles, the Committee have come to the following resolution,

That bills of exchange be drawn, under the direction of the Board of Treasury, on the minister plenipotentiary of the United States, at the Court of Versailles, at six months' sight, for fifty-five thousand three hundred and thirty

1 This report, in the writing of Alexander McDougall, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 299. It was postponed, as the indorsement shows. 2 This report, in the writing of John Sullivan, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 307.

three dollars and one-third of a dollar, at four shillings and six pence the dollar, to be paid to the Board of War, to enable them to fulfil their contract for shot and shells.1 On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Thomas] Burke,

A report from the Board of War, of 13, with an estimate of materials wanted in the department of commissary of military stores: and

A report, of the 15, from the said Board on the western department: also

A report, of the 16, respecting the pay of captain lieutenants of artillery, were read.

SIR,

WAR OFFICE March 15 1781

The Board have been honored with a reference from Congress, of a letter from Col. Brodhead of the 18th Feby last, on the subject of the Indian Affairs in the Western Department and from the general Direction that we are "to report a state of the Western Department"

1 This report, in the writing of Meriwether Smith, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 26, folio 253.

it should seem that Congress meant we should also comprehend the Military Affairs of that Department. We have the honor to enclose the last return we have had of the state and numbers of the troops whereby the military strength will appear. The supplies of all kinds are extremely deficient and especially in the article of provisions, the garrison of Fort Pitt and its dependencies having been subsisted for twelve months past in the most scanty and precarious manner, and the distress is now so great that we should not be surprised to hear of the Posts being abandoned and the frontiers of this and those of the neighboring States protected by the western troops, consequentially exposed to the ravages of the Enemy. At the instance of the Board a supply of Money was put into the hands of Col. Blaine, a considerable time ago, to enable him to have purchased about one hundred head of Cattle; but from our latest accounts few or none have been purchased and we wait for Col. Blaine's arrival in Philadelphia to promote a proper Enquiry into the causes of this failure. Col. Brodhead appears to have taken every measure to gain supplies and among other expedients he was reduced to the necessity of sending a party into the Indian country to kill Buffaloes for the garrison; what success this scheme has been attended with we are not informed and it tends more to evidence their distress than to hold out hopes of any material supply for the Troops. We wish this description of wants could only be applied to the provision department as every other is nearly in the same situation. These causes if the strength of the Army would otherwise have admitted of it, have prevented the Commanding Officer from carrying on any offensive operations, save the sending out small parties as scouts, which he has done from time to time with various success. The Garrisons now consist of parts of two Regiments one of the Pennsilvania and the other of the Virginia line, a small detachment of Artillery and some independent companies. Fort Pitt as we understand is in a very ruinous and defenceless situation and Fort McIntosh about twenty five miles distant, tho' a well constructed Fort, could not for want of supplies resist a serious attack. The detail of the Military Affairs of this Department and a State of other business therein will best appear from Col. Brodhead's letters and those of this Board, which have been from time to time laid before Congress. Before we quit this part of the subject we beg leave to mention that it seems to us best that either the Virginia or Pennsilvania Detachments of the Regiments of those

State lines should be ordered to join the Army and an entire Regiment stationed at Fort Pitt, as disjointed corps are not only prejudicial to Discipline but are otherwise inconvenient.

The Enemy Indians to the Westward consisting of tribes of different nations, were at first not more than three hundred, the Delaware and Shawanose Nations being much divided. But these hostile savages have now a considerable accession of strength from the junction of the Northern Tribes, and unless some measures are fallen upon to support the friends of the United States among these savages and to supply those who are inclined to be neuter the nature of Indians and their necessities will compell the whole of them to join the British Interest.

It is certainly expedient that there should be some person invested with authority to act as an agent for Indian Affairs and that means should be put in his hands to support the friendly savages, to divide those who are hostile and if any of them will wage war with the rest it would be politic to enable them to do it. As there is no very extensive Business in this way to transact it seems to us proper that the Commanding Officer should be invested with the powers of an agent; but the present state of the finances appears to forbid any measures being taken for supplies to the Indians to any great amount, and until we are in a condition better to support them it should seem that it will not be prudent to give large promises, a failure in which will only tend to exasperate instead of conciliating their affections.

The Delaware Council at Cohocking have always appeared friendly to our Interests. Their number of fighting men amounts probably to one hundred. Many of them were at Philadelphia in 1778 and received presents from Congress. Several of their children are now educating at Princeton Colledge at the expence of the United States. On the 4th of January last Congress agreed to a visit from some of these Indians as proposed by Col. Brodhead. This visit will be very expensive and probably dangerous to the Indians, as the country through which they pass has much enmity against all Indians and cannot be persuaded to make distinctions. We were obliged for these reasons to send a strong escort with the Indians who came on a former visit to Congress both on their coming and returning. We therefore submit to Congress whether it would not be best to send some presents to Fort Pitt and supercede thereby the necessity of their coming to Philadelphia. As to building a Fort at Cohocking

and sending thereto three hundred men we conceive it impracticable, for by the former part of this letter it will appear that we are not in a condition to support even the Garrisons we already have in that Country. Upon the foregoing State of the Affairs of the Western Department we submit the following resolutions

That the Executive of the State of Pennsylvania, be earnestly requested to lay up at Fort Pitt in part of their Quota of provisions an immediate supply of provisions for six months for a complete regiment, consisting of six hundred and twelve rank and file properly officered.

That the Commanding Officer in the Western district be directed so far as he has the means in his power to put the Fortifications at Pittsburg in good order.

That the said Commanding Officer for the time being act as Agent for Indian Affairs in that District and that the Board of War give him the necessary instructions on this subject.

That the sum of Dollars in Bills of Exchange be delivered to the Paymaster of the Board of War to enable the said Board to purchase a quantity of Indian goods to be, sent to the Commanding Officer of the Western Army to be distributed agreeable to the instruction of the said Board among such of the faithful savages of the Western Nations as shall be deemed proper objects of the Bounty of the United States.

That the expediency of the Cooshocking Indians making a visit to Congress agreeable to the Resolution of the 4th of January last be referred to the Board of War to take order, that resolution notwithstanding

That the Commander in Chief take order respecting the Troops of which the Western Army is or shall be composed so that entire corps be drawn together as much as circumstances will permit.

That Col. Brodhead be informed that it is inexpedient to comply with the request of the Delaware Indians as contained in the letter of Wm Penn and the Councillors of Cooshocking dated the 13th of January last.1

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 303. It was read on this day, as the indorsement indicates. It is further indorsed: "August 234, 1781, not to be acted upon."