To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 July 1793
From Henry Knox
War department July 17th 1793
Sir,
I have the honor to submit to you a letter from Major General Wayne of the 27th May last.1
The Secretary of the Treasury and myself have conceived it essential to the œconomical administration of the public interests as connected with this department that an Agent therefrom should be sent both to Georgia and to the South western territory for the objects specified in the instructions to Captain Constant Freeman who has agreed to perform this business in Georgia—Colonel David Henley has also agreed to perform the duties in the South western territory—The propriety of the measure, the men, and the instructions are submitted for your approbation or otherwise.2 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Your most obedt Servant
H. Knox
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. In his letter to Knox, written from “Hobsons Choice Near Fort Washington” on 27 May 1793, Wayne wrote that “due attention shall be paid to your orders respecting the Arms Ammunition & stores for the Chickasaws … as soon as the keel boats return to this place … they shall be forwarded to the Chickasaw bluffs, under a proper guard….” Wayne continued his letter with a report on his efforts to prepare for the expected military campaign against the Indians of the Northwest Territory, writing that “I really feel my situation awkward, unpleasant & embarrassing!—to make efficient arrangements for an active Campaign, will involve a heavy debt upon the Nation.” He later observed: “There is not a single partical of the stores, or Articles demanded for the present Campaign yet arrived! those furnished from the Magazines at this place for the Chickasaws, I trust will be immediately replaced” (Knoff, Wayne, 241–43). For GW’s receipt of Wayne’s letter on this date and a summary of its contents and enclosures, see , 202.
2. Although Capt. Constant Freeman, Jr., and Col. David Henley both served as agents for the War Department, in Georgia and the Southwest Territory, respectively, no written record of GW’s approval has been found. Knox’s instructions to Freeman have not been identified, but on 19 July he wrote Tobias Lear “to request the papers of the President relatively to the Agent to be sent to Georgia, as it is probable the vessel may sail tomorrow” (DLC:GW).