To George Washington from Henry Knox, 11 December 1794
From Henry Knox
December 11th 1794.
Sir.
I have the pleasure to submit the enclosed dispatches just received from Governor Blount.1 I have the honor to be, Sir, Most respectfully, Your obedt Servt
H. Knox
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. In his journal of proceedings for this date, GW noted that the enclosed dispatches were “Return’d to be copied for Congress” (JPP, 323). When Knox submitted Blount’s dispatches and their enclosures to Congress on 19 Dec., the earliest were Blount’s letters to Knox of 24 Oct. and 3 and 10 Nov., at least some of which must have been enclosed here (ASP, Indian Affairs, 1:529– 42). The letter of 24 Oct. enclosed a report on the destruction of the Lower Cherokee towns of Nickajack and Running Water. The letter of 3 Nov. noted “pleasing prospects for peace” with the Lower Cherokees and discussed Blount’s efforts to stop “an intended invasion” of their towns by a “volunteer army.” It also discussed the appointment of Silas Dinsmoor as agent for the Cherokees and suggested an appointment of a Creek agent. The letter of 10 Nov. submitted more documents to demonstrate the “pleasing prospects” of peace, discussed defensive arrangements for the area around Knoxville and for the Mero District, reported on the delivery of goods sent to the Cherokees, and considered enlisting the aid of other Indian tribes in the “destruction of the Creeks.” Believing “that the prospects of peace with the Cherokees is such as may be relied upon,” Blount asked permission to visit Philadelphia.
(C) This document was produced at the request of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 18, 2019, to document the History, Anthropology, Culture, Religion, and Archaeology of The Chickamauga Nation.