Captain James Willing, Continental Army, to the Continental Marine Committee, April 14, 1778

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Gentlemen of the Comittee of Congress for the Navy Board New Orleans 14^th. Ap^l. 1778

Copy

Sirs

I have scarce time even to give you an imperfect sketch of my route to this place, for the particulars of which I must refer you to some future occasion by which I propose sending my Journal agreeable to the Instructions I had the honor to receive from You.¹ I left Fort Pitt with your Dispatches the 11^th. Jan^y. taking with me 24 Privates Two Serjeants and a M^r. M^cIntyre² whom I appointed to act as Lieu^t. until your Pleasures was known, whose prudent and courageous conduct since will recommend him to your Notice when Known beyond anything I can possibly advance.—

After making the best of my way I found on my arrival at the English Aux Arc opposite the River Arcansaw,³ The British Flag was hoisted in Defiance by the Indian Commissary whom I made Prisoner took his Goods, and notwithstanding the opposition I met with from several Chickasaws carried with me also sundry Traders

The Spanish Commandant Mons^r DeVilliert⁴ received me with uncommon Politeness and offer'd me every service or assistance in his Power against the Indians detached by Stewart against any Americans they might fall in with. from hence I pushed to the Walnut Hills where I was informed lay a Body of 60 Indians with some British Soldiers to attack Us— I took prisoners 50 Indians and four white Men the Indians namely Chactaws where sent to their Nation upon a promise of laying down the Hatchet and the white Men I carried along with me to the Natchez which I took possession off the 20^th. February[.] The Inhabitants all except the Magistrates taking an Oath of Neutrality a Copy of which I inclose,⁵ from hence I proceeded down the River taking all the British Property in my way to Manchac where Heny Stewart the Indian Com^y. narrowly escaped being my Prisoner by saving himself in his Shirt and crossing the Ibberville—⁶

To this place was detached Lieu^t. M^cIntyre with 12 Men whose Conduct has gained him immortal honor for it was owing to his success that we did not loose in a great Measure the honor and property we acquired. He took by a most resolute and well conducted Plan a large Ship belonging to London called the Rebecca mount^g 8 Dble fortified 3 Pounders 6 dble fortified 4 pounders 12 Swivells (and 10 Men on board) besides small Arms[.]⁷ I likewise took a Brig⁸ with a load of Lumber burnt a considerable quantity of Staves &c As I delivered the whole into the hands of the Agent⁹ I must refer you to his Letters at this time for particulars.— I am sorry to inform you that Yesterday I received an account from the Natchez that One Colonel Hutchins who had made his escape from this place had by his Storys & influence got a number of Men assembled to protect their Property pretending to apprehend Danger from the Americans, But as One M^r. Hiorn¹⁰ one of the Delegates is arrived and has in a great measure as I understand removed their prejudices and fears I apprehend no bad consequences, however I shall depart from here speedily to settle matters and from thence proceed to the Illinois where I shall endeavour to secure myself (perhaps take possession) of the Country until you send me the necessary succours to mount the Ohio, As we have good information the Enemy intend to interrupt and cut us off if possible I imagine I may be able to carry back with me about 150 Men owing to the junctions of the Two M^r. Harrisons & Eliot¹¹ who have enter'd with alacrity into the service as Lieutenants and who have since lost their Property for their noble and spirited behaviour. Captain Rumsey formerly an Officer and Engineer in the British Service has joined me at the particular recommendation of the Agent and approbation of Captain Will^m. Pickles— and as we have the strongest reason to conceive him a valuable acquisition to the States, We have conjointly signd assured and recommended him to be confirmed in the Rank of Captan of Engineers, He acts as Adjutant here and will be of considerable utility in forming my work that may be necessary upon the River or at the Illinois, he has already been out upon the Lakes in search of the Kings Sloop of War but she was returned to Pensacola—¹² However it has had this good Effect that most of the Inhabitants along the Coast as far as Mobile are bringing in their Cattle to this place by which means Pensacola will in some measure be Dis tressed- If it was not for four Frigates that are now in the River and seem to intimidate a little our Protector¹³ I proposed sending a Detachment to Mobile, at present I believe we must think of our Retreat Capt^n. Calvert has taken a Vessell belonging to a M' Ross the property of the Capture is as yet disputed¹⁴ But for the particulars I must again refer You to Your Commercial Agent and remain w^ththe greatest Respect [&c.]

Ja^s. Willing

Since writing the foregoing I am sorry to inform You that Lieu^ts. Rueben Harrison and Ellis with 20 Men of our Party were cut off at the Natchez who went up with an intent to pacify the minds of the People and remove their prejudices. Both Officers and five Men agreeable to the best information I have yet [got?] were kill'd on the Spot four wounded and the rest made Prisoners—¹⁵ I refer you to the Agents Letters for particulars & to Lieut. George who has charge of this— As the Enemy have posses'd themselves of all the passes on the River and there is Two Frigates now lying here I am incapable as yet of determining how to act; We want assistance both Men and Boats: I shall do myself the honor of writing You sirs in a few days in expectation of better News, as I hear Gen^l. Hand is on the Wabashe—¹⁶ The Ship Rebecca is put under protection of the Spanish Gov^r. and we are in all about 70 in Number

The party who cut off our Men as above consisted of about 300 Men backed by about as many Chactaws headed by one John MGillivray of Mobile and Alex^r. M^cIntosh of the Natchez¹⁷ I am—Sirs/Yours-&^c

J W—g

3^d. [May, 1778]

Copy, DNA, PCC, item 78, vol. 23, pp. 491–94 (M247, roll 104). Notation at the bottom of the last page: "Copy."

1. Willing's journal has not been found.

2. On 8 Mar. 1779, Congress not only confirmed Thomas McIntire's appointment as lieutenant, but promoted him to the rank of “captain in the army of the United States." JCC 13: 291–92.

3. At the site where the Arkansas River flowed into the Mississippi River were the posts of Aux Arc. On the east side of the Mississippi stood English Aux Arc; on the west side of the river stood the post of Spanish Aux Arc.

4. Don Baltasar de Villiers, commander of the post at Aux Arc or Spanish Arkansas.

5. For the text of the capitulation signed by the residents of the Natchez District, see Minutes of the Governor's Council of West Florida, 17 Mar, 1778. NDAR 11: 678–80.

6. On the escape of Henry Stuart, British Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Southern District, see NDAR 11:524,526. As seen there, Stuart took refuge inside the fort at Spanish Manchac.

7. On the capture of the Rebecca, John Cox, master, see NDAR 11: 490–92.

8. On the capture of the brig Neptune, see NDAR 11: 699. As seen there, the capture was credited to Thomas McIntire and Richard Harrison.

9. Oliver Pollock, Continental Commercial Agent.

10. William Hiorn, one of the delegates named by the residents of Natchez to treat with Willing, had accompanied Willing to New Orleans as surety that the residents would abide by the agreement. NDAR 11: 679, 682.

11. Richard and Reuben Harrison, James Eliot.

12. H.M. armed sloop West Florida, Lt. George Burdon, commander.

13. Only two Royal Navy vessels, H.M. ship-rigged sloop-of-war Sylph, Comdr. John Fergusson, com mander, and H.M. ship-rigged sloop of-war Hound, Comdr. Joseph Nunn, commander, were in the Mississippi River. As seen at Gálvez to Don Diego Josef Navarro, this date, below, the report that two additional British frigates were approaching the river was false. The “Protector" was Don Bernardo de Gálvez.

14. Capt. Joseph Calvert commanded the privateer schooner Reprisal. The prize was the schooner Dispatch, which was owned by David Ross & Co. Gálvez later ordered that it be restored to its owner, Robert Ross, because it was taken in Spanish-controlled territory.

15. There were conflicting claims concerning this engagement, but it appears that Anthony Hutchins laid a trap for the Americans at White Cliffs, some five leagues below Natchez. Lt. Reuben Harrison learned of the ambush from a resident and sent word via that resident that he had come to enforce the oath of allegiance and not to stir up trouble and therefore would approach Hutchins' position peaceably. Upon arriving at Hutchins' position, the Americans recognized the trap and ordered "friends of the United States to separate themselves." In the confusion that followed, one of Hutchins's more ardent disciples fired on the Americans, which precipitated a general exchange of gunfire. Hutchins's force of thirty men, who were less exposed, got the best of the exchange and the Americans, who had five killed including Harrison) and four wounded, were forced to surrender. "Deposition of William Ferguson, November 6, 1797," in Andrew Ellicott, The Journal of Andrew Ellicott. [Philadelphia: William Fry, 1814]; Hutchins to Lord George Germain, May 21, 1778, in Davies, Documents of the American Revolution, 15: 123–26.

16. Brig. Gen. Edward Hand, the commander at Fort Pitt, was not at the confluence of the Wabash and Mississippi rivers en route to reinforce Willing.

17. As seen in note 15, the force that captured the Americans at White Cliffs numbered only thirty men and was commanded by Anthony Hutchins. McGillivray and his subordinate, Capt. Alexander McIntosh, did not arrive at Natchez with reinforcements until 28 May, more than a month after the engagement. Farquhar Bethune to John Stuart, 16 June 1778, Davies, Documents of the American Revolution, 15: 145.

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Date

1778 April 14

Volume

Volume 12

Series

American Theatre from April 1, 1778 to May 31, 1778

Naval Documents of the American Revolution

Captain James Willing, Continental Army, to the Continental Marine Committee, April 14, 1778

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