Sirs

A few days after my last to you,¹ Our Agent fitted out a large Batteau with the remainder of the States Goods to follow those already sent² and which we are informed are safe arrived at the Illinois, and will stay there untill either my Party or some other comes for them—but the loading and destination of those Goods were immediately after her departure known to the Tories, who sent off dispatches to Manchac then strong with British Troops and to Fort Natchez³ to intercept and cut her off, upon this Intelligence we sent off an Express who luckily reached her before she got to the Natchez and brought her back; Immediately applied to the G—⁴ here for permission to leave this and to endeavour to force my way up the River, this he absolutely refused alledging that should I be repulsed, he could not protect me and as the Enemy were well posted well armed and Three times my Number of Men and those well disciplin'd, upon a Counsill of the Agent Captⁿ Pickles⁵ and Officers here it was determined a thing impracticable to go up the River untill reinforced both with Men and Provisions, However altho we have been at a great expence to the States and have not as yet been able to fulfill our mission, We have distressed the Enemy very considerable and obliged them to erect Forts at Manchac and the Natchez which will be of great utility to the States in a future day as this Country of course must fall to Us, they have drawn down their Shipping and Troops from Jamaica to Pensacola and are putting that place in a state of Defence as they expect our People upon them momently, John Stewart and Harry Stewart⁶ the Superintendant and Comm^ys. have endeavoured to raise the Choctaws, Creeks and Chickesaws, against the States by giving them great presents but the Creeks decline and the other from the best intelligence wish to be quiet altho there is with their Commissaries in the River about 1,000 of them at different place, say Chickesaw Bluffs Fort Natchez & Manchac, I am informed by good authority that the presents given and expences the Government of Pensacola and Stewarts Gang have been at since my arrival has cost the Government £120 to £130,000 St^g and the presents issued last Year to Indians alone amounted to £120,000 St^g

The Sylph Sloop Captⁿ Ferguson⁷ of 12 Guns is at Manchac to prevent my passage up[;] she came here accompanyd with a 16 Gun Sloop with Arms, Ammunition &c and as God would have it sunk about 3 Leagues below this Town having Run upon a Stump however they saved some trifles out of her⁸—I have just received intelligence that Captⁿ OHara⁹ is arrived at Aux Arc and that he has forwarded Your Dispatches if so I shall receive them in a few Days and in consequence shall sett off through the Spanish Govern^t. or by Sea immediately, should I go up the River or not its necessary for you to send a supply of Men and Provision and the Officer to have Orders to take the Goods from the Illinois, but in that as in every other Transaction I shall consult G— G—z[.]¹⁰ We have intelligence from the Intendant Gen^l of Hispaniola¹¹ that France has declared our Independance and that France, Spain, Portugal &c &c &c have enter'd into a Treaty of Commerce with Us for Thirty Years, if so, there will be inevitable a War with France should that be the case, from every thing I have seen of the Ohio and the Mississippi by establishing a few Posts, you'll have a sure Trade, the produce of Fort Pitt and the back Country will sell here very high, and Goods may be got in return A post of about 500 Men at the Falls of the Ohio, 250 Men at Aux Arc or Chickesaw Bluffs¹² about 700 Men at the Natchez and 300 Men at Manchac, this number of Men will secure to the States this River and part of the Province of West Florida and put it out of the power of Stewart and all his savage Gang to interrupt our Trade or take the Country, should there by a Spanish Warr Pensacola must fall however if the Men can be spared it would be worth while for the State to take it as they would find the benefit of it hereafter, but further particulars I refer You to the Agent and am Gentlemen [&c]