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MEIGS TO WORTHINGTON

Marietta Apl 5. 1811 [1812?]

Dear Sir,

Yours of the 26th ulto announcing the Expectation that I should receive orders to raise 1200 men and march them to Detroit I recd. when at Athens, when I had met Gen. Manary to make arrangements for the Ranger Companies. I immed- iately returned to Ma. expecting to receive there the orders alluded to - but none arrived -- however I received on the 3d instant your Letter of the 28th Ulto on the subject of 1200 Volunteers: and at the same Time a letter from the Secy of War of the same date -- wishing me to raise the 1200 Men -- Volunteers under the Act of Feby 6th 1812 -- referring me to his Letter of the 26th ulto which I have not recd. The non reception of that Letter of the 26th. I can account for in no other way than this. The Eastern and Western mails at the latter End of the last month have been both robbed -- supposd to have been robbed by the mail carriers whose time of carriage expired the last of March. A large Collection of Fragments of Letters &c &c were brought here by a Traveller collected on the road from Marietta. to Clarksburgh - I yesterday examined the Fragments -- & found them a mixed multitude of torn Letters- Merchants Bills Certificates from Receivers of Public Monies -- &c &c. Among the Fragments were several Letters in which could be discerned your Frank - & some your signature - & some signed John Johnston of Pique -- others ment- ioning my name. I understand that beyond Clarksburgh it has been ascertained that some Fragments -- ascertain that Money was contained in some of the Letters destroyd. It is not improbable that the Secretarys Letter of the 26th ulto may have been destroyed as well as others -- I wish therefore for a Duplicate of his Letter of the 26th. I am satisfied that the raising of Men by volunteers is the best -- I shall proceed to give orders for that Purpose. and very shortly go to Zanesville -- Lancaster Chilicothe - & Cincinnati -- to urge the formation of the Volunteers. I shall do all that can be done -- The information I ha ve had from Gov Harrison -- the verbal Menaces of the Indians on our frontiers -- their mysterious Conduct - the alarms of the In- habitants, many families having removed across the Ohio, (leaving still a frontier) have determined me to order out the rangers -- Manary's Compy. rendezvous at Urbana on the 16th -- Penys at Dayton on the 20th -- at which Places I expect to be whatever may be thought of my orders at Washington - I am satisfied I have done right -- my own opinions being fortified by those of respectable Judgement and information. I wish you to make these Explanations to the Sey - as I do not wish to trouble him (in these pressing times) with too many Details. I shall have to draw on the Secy of War for Monies - as the Rangers have to purchase their own arms - & find themselves -- they must have some little money -besides I must see them furnished with ammunition- concerning which the Law -- and the Secretary's orders or Instructions are both silent. I wish you to direct your future Letters to Chilicothe for me.

If the Expedition is to go on actually I wish an Order for arms - and ammuniti n from the Arsenal at Newport Ky -- If a Company of Cavalry are ordered also an order for Pistols & Sabres, there be any at Newport. altho I think a Company at Cincinnati are ready furnished - I wish to know where is to be the place of rendezvous -- & when & at what Time Colo Kingsburg may be at Cincinnati. By the 3d Secn of the Volunteer Act - the President is authorized to organize the volunteer Companies into Battalions squadrons Regiments &c -

If the President waits for notices of the Companies to tender & accept