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JOHN MILLER TO WORTHINGTON

Chillicothe Dec 29th 1812

Dear Sir

I have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 9th Inst, and am glad to find that the several recommendations I made to you in a former letter with your approbation -- I am very anxious to have the appointments made, I think the good of the service requires it, and if they are not made previous to this reaching you, be so good as to mention the subject to the Secretary of War --

Permit me to make a few suggestions to you, on the subject of the regular army; whether they are of any importance, I leave it for you to judge -- how- ever they are such as have occurred to me -- Would it not be of importance to the U.S. to authorise, by law, the enlistment of the drafted Militia, or 6 Months voluntiers, when called into actual service? It is a fact well known, that regular troops are the only kind of troops that can be employed with effect in the present war, -- Every day's experience proves the fact - I therefore trust that every encouragement will be given, so that the regular Regiments may be filled in as short a time as possible -- When the Virginia troops lay at this place I am confident we could have enlisted 20 men per day, had we been authorised so to do --

I am very sorry that Congress did not pass the law authorising the en- listment of all white males above the age of 18 years - Its passage in my opinion was all important to the course in which we are engaged, for we find the militia will not cross the Canada line, nor indeed do any thing else that is of advantage to the country -- I presume you well recollect their conduct at St. Marys -- I feel satisfied in my mind that if war continues two years longer Congress will find it indispensibly necessary to authorise the enlist- ment of all over 18 years - Six recruits have been taken from me within a few days pas t, 3 of which wanted but 3 or 4 weeks of being of age -

Would it not be well, to authorise the soldiers, who have enlisted for 18 months, to extend their term of enlistment for 5 years, giving them credit, in the five years term, for what time they have served as 19 months men -- and allow them the bounty in land the same as if they had first enlisted for five years -- I know, that there are many soldiers who enlisted for 18 months, are now anxious to extend their term of enlistment to five years, so as to be entitled to the 160 acres of land -- I am also of the opinion, that it would be of great advantage, and promote the recruiting more than almost any thing else to authorise the recruiting officers to advance to recruits when first enlisted, the whole of the bounty 16 dollars, -- it appears to me from what I have seen that men who enlist, have more regard to the amt. paid in hard than any other consideration -- and the paying in hand the whble of the bounty cannot in my opinion be any disadvantage to the government, as the whole of the bounty has to be paid, agreeable to the present law, as soon as the recruit joins his regiment, which is generally the case in a month of two after enlisted.

There has been no business of importance transacted as yet in the Legis- lature of this state -- Doct. Monet has introduced into the house a resolu- tion, author-.sing the governor to take possession of all lands within this state, to which the Indian title is not extinguished -- I enclose you a copy -- but I do not believe the resolution will receve ten votes -- The members generally as well as the people think it smells too strong of the Massachu- setts and Connecticut policy.

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