[Enclosure.] Major William Campbell to Major General Wayne. MIAMI RIVER, August 21, 1794. SIR: An army of the United States of America, said to be under your command, having taken post on the banks of the Miami for upwards of the last twenty-four hours, almost within the reach of the guns of this fort, being a post belonging to his Majesty the King of Great Britain, occupied by his Majesty's troops, and which I have the honor to command, it becomes my duty to inform myself, as speedily as possible, in what light I am to view your making such near approaches to this garrison. I have no hesitation, on my part, to say, that I know of no war existing between Great Britain and America. I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your most obedient and very humble servant, WILLIAM CAMPBELL, Major 24th regiment, commanding a British post on the banks of the Miami. To Major Gen. WAYNE, &c. [Enclosure.] Major General Wayne to Major William Campbell. CAMP, ON THE BANK of the MIAMI, August 21, 1794. SIR: I have received your letter of this date, requiring from me the motives which have moved the army under my command to the position they at present occupy, far within the acknowledged jursidiction of the United States of America. Without questioning the authority or the propriety, sir, of your interrogatory, I think I may, without breach of decorum, observe to you, that, were you entitled to an answer, the most full and satisfactory one was announced to you from the muzzles of my small arms, yesterday morning, in the action against the horde of savages in the vicinity of your post, which terminated gloriously to the American arms; but, had it continued until the Indians, &c. were driven under the influence of the post and guns you mention, they would not have much impeded the progress of the victorious army under my command, as no such post was established at the commencement of the present war between the Indians and the United States. I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your most obedient and very humble servant, ANTHONY WAYNE, Major General, and Commander in Chief of the Federal Army. To Major WIlliam Campbell, &c. [Enclosure.] Major William Campbell to Major General Wayne. FORT MIAMI, August 22d, 1794. SIR: Although your letter of yesterday's date fully authorizes me to any act of hostility against the army of the United States of America in this neighborhood, under your command, yet, still anxious to prevent that dreadful decision, which, perhaps, is not intended to be appealed to by either of our countries, I have forborne, for those two days past, to resent those insults you have offered to the British flag flying at this fort, by approaching it within pistol shot of my works, not only singly, but in numbers, with arms in their hands. Neither is it my wish to wage war with individuals; but, should you, after this, continue to approach my post in the threatening manner you are at this moment doing, my indispensable duty to my King and country, and the honor of my profession, will oblige me to have recourse to those measures, which thousands of either nation may hereafter have cause to regret, and which, I solemnly appeal to God, I have used my utmost endeavors to arrest. I have the honor to be, sir, with much respect, your most obedient and very humble servant, WILLIAM Campbell, Major 24th regiment, commanding at fort Miami. Major General WAYNE, &c. &c. (No other notice was taken of this letter than what is expressed in the following letter. The fort and works were, however, re connoitred in every direction, at some points possibly within pistol shot. It was found to be a regular strong work, the front covered by a wide river, with four guns mounted in that face. The rear, which was most susceptible of approach, had two regular bastions, furnished with eight pieces of artillery, the whole surrounded by a wide deep ditch, with horizontal pickets projecting from the burn of the parapet over the ditch. From the bottom of the ditch to the top of the parapet, was about twenty feet perpendicular. The works were also surrounded by an abbatis, and furnished with a strong garrison.) [Enclosure.] Major General Wayne to Major William Campbell. SIR: In your letter of the 21st instant, you declare, "I have no hesitation, on my part, to say, that I know of no war existing between Great Britain and America." I, on my part, declare the same, and that the only cause I have to entertain a contrary idea at present, is the hostile act you are now in commission of, i. e. by recently taking post far within the well known- and acknowledged limits of the United States, and erecting a fortification in the heart of the settlements of the Indian tribes now at war with the United States. This, sir, appears to be an act of the highest aggression, and destructive to the peace and interest of the Union. Hence, it becomes my duty to desire, and I do hereby desire and demand, in the name of the President of the United States, that you immediately desist from any further act of hostility or aggression, by forbearing to fortify, and by withdrawing the troops, artillery, and stores, under your orders and direction, forthwith, and removing to the nearest post occupied by his Britannic Majesty's troops at the peace of 1783, and which you will be permitted to do unmolested by the troops under my command. I am, with very great respect, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, ANTHONY WAYNE. Major CAMPBELL, &c. [Enclosure.] No. 5. Major William Campbell to Major General Wayne. FORT MIAMI, 22d August, 1794. SIR: I have this moment the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date; in answer to which I have only to say, that, being placed here in the command of a British post, and acting in a military capacity only, I cannot enter into any discussion, either on the right or impropriety of my occupying my present position. Those are matters that I conceive will be best left to the ambassadors of our different nations. Having said this much, permit me to inform you, that I certainly will not abandon this post at the summons of any power whatever, until I receive orders to that purpose from those I have the honor to serve under, or the fortune of war should oblige me. I must still adhere, sir, to the purport of my letter this morning, to desire that your army, or individuals belonging to it, will not approach within reach of my cannon, without expecting the consequences attending it. Although I have said, in the former part of my letter, that my situation here is totally military, yet, let me add, sir, that I am much deceived, if his Majesty, the King of Great Britain, had not a post on this river, at and prior to the period you mention. I have the honor to be, sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient and very humble servant, WILLIAM Campbell, Major 24th regiment, commanding at fort Miami. To Major General WAYNE, &c. (The only notice taken of this letter, was, by immediately setting fire to, and destroying, every thing within view of the fort, and even under the muzzles of the guns. Had Mr. Campbell carried his threats into execution, it is more than probable he would have experienced a storm.) SIR: EXHIBIT 103. James McHenry to the Secretary of State. War Department 17th April, 1799. It has been represented to me, as will appear by the enclosed extracts, from two Letters, to my address, "that Colonel McKee a British Officer, had told the Shawanese Nation of Indians, in a Speech he sent to them; that it would be necessary for them, to get all the Indians of this country together, and to take into consideration, such a part of the Treaty of Greenville, as was disagreeable to them; and that it was determined by the Nation, that such proceedings would be for the good of the Nation." Any interference, by Mr. McKee, with Indians, within our territory, especially an interference, to induce them, to attempt alterations in a Treaty, or having a tendency in any manner, to disturb the harmony, existing between the said Indians, and the United States; appears to me to be highly improper, and reprehensible— I therefore submit it, to your consideration, whether it is not expedient, that such a representation, be made to the British Minister, as may prevent like practices, in future, upon the Indians within our territory by any person, holding a commission from, or acting in any capacity under the British Government I have the honor to be Sir, with great respect, your obedient humble servant The Secretary of State. JAMES MCHENRY. |