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Sir:

I have the pleasure of informing your Excellency of my arrival at this place on the 16th of last month, with what troops was in my power to collect and bring forward, monthly returns of which I enclose your Excellency under this cover.

Let public Clamour or private prejudice say what they please, Confident I am that I have discharged the trust reposed in me with as much precision and punctuality as my abilities would admit, and Sensible I am that the reports which your Excellency received respecting my delays Eastward of the Mountains did not proceed from any person who wish myself, the service I am in, or the State which I was endeavouring to serve, any good will; however, be that as it will, conscious I am, that I have done my duty to the utmost of my power and can assure your Excellency that few men would have ever attempted to march the men I did from Holston, without a more ample supply than I was furnished with, as your Excellency will see by a return of Commissary & Qr. Masters transmitted to you by Mr. Markland, who left me with no other supply than what is contained in said return and not one Shilling of money, quite contrary to orders,

to perform a March of near four hundred miles and that cheerfully, thro’ a wilderness and in a strange State where no supplies could be had either on public or private Credit. This was my situation when I arrived at Kentucky, was therefore obliged to furlough my men in order that they might work for a sufficiency of provisions to carry them to Nashville, which they did, and returned chiefly agreeable to my orders; after those and numbers of other disagreeable circumstances, which I think too tedious to trouble your Excellency with, I got here safe and occupied such post as have been assigned to me by the former Field officers of Davidson County. I do assure your Excellency that the men are so bare for want of every necessary of Cloathing, that unless they are supplied soon they will be entirely unable to perform any kind of duty & they murmur much that they have not got, or any prospect to get, what was promised them when they entered the Service, and are fearful of ever receiving them. Inclosed I send your Excellency a list of killed and wounded of the Inhabitants since my arrival here, the Indians have been very favourable to my men as yet, altho’ I expect to be visited by them hourly. I am with every sentiment of respect,

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