very Deep and often to Cross almost killed the men, and more so as they were in utmost extremity for want of Provisions. this Day my Horse Expired & I was left on foot with a Hungry Belly which increased my Woe.-& indeed it was the case with almost every man in the Company. That night mounted Guard which is a very Troublesome Employment. It Rained Day & Night. No appearance of a level country though it was wishfully looked for.

Saturday 6th As we Encamped nigh the forks of the River we Did not move until Eleven oClock & then we only crossed the E. Fork & Encamped. The Cherrokees proposed to make Canoes to cary themselves Down the River which was Imediately put in Practice. Major Lewis set men to work to make a large canoe to Cary Down the Ammunition & the Small Remains of our Flour which was then almost Exhausted The men Murmured very much for want of Provisions & numbers Threatened to Return home. So that I was much afraid a mutiny would ensue. I spoke to the Major & let him know the General murmur of the Soldiers which very much concerned him & had no way to please them but to order a Cask of Butter to be Divided among them which was no more than a taste to Each man it Rained very hard that night which still added to our misfortune as we had no tents, & indeed hardly any other necessaries for such a Journey

Sunday 7th That morning Rained yet the men continued to work on the Canoes. It was agreed upon by the Officers that Capt Smith, Capt Breckinridge, Lt Morton, Lt Dunlap & myself with our Comps & part of Montgomery's Vollunteers 130 in number should Proceed Down the Creek 15 miles & no further in search of Hunting Ground, the Indians was against that, we marched at nine oClock & the Horsemen (for we took down almost all ye horses) was obliged to Leave the Creek Some Disstance for a Passage through the mountains which we found very Difficult, and about sunset we met with the foot men who were Encamped on the River about 6 miles below the forks. Our hunger & want Still Increased, as we could not get any Flesh Meat & had but one pound of flour alowed to each 46 men until the Major with the Remainder of the men Could overtake us. The mountains still seemed to be very high no appearance of a level country which greatly Discouraged our men. At our Encampment it was agreed upon by a Great number of the Soldiers to break off homeward next morning & my two Seargents told me their Intention & that they with severals Perhaps all of my men would Return with their companions. That they were fainting & weak with hunger and could not Travel the Mountains or wade the Rivers as they formerly had done, & that there was no Game in the mountains nor no appearance of a level Country, that their half pound of flesh per Day could not support them & that Small Quantity would soon be gone. I Proposed to kill horses to Eat which they Refused to Comply with. They said that might do if they were Returning to Support them home but it was not Diet Proper to sustain men on a long march against an Enemy. However I perswaded them to make a farther Tryal down the River the next Day which they agreed too with some Difficulty. It Rained hard that night.

Monday 8th We marched at three o Clock in the morning and proceded down the River about 3 miles where the Mountains closed so nigh the water that We Could not Pass. We took up a Branch and Passed a very high Mountain & going down another Branch we met part of the men who had been at the River and could not get Down any farther. Here 7 Guns were fired at 2 Elks but unfortunately they got off. We

Passed another very great mountain & came on the head of a Branch which we followed down some miles where we met with some of the Vollunteers who had killed two Elks, within one mile of the River. We Encamped at the River to which Place one Elk was brought & Divided to the small Joy of every man in Company, for by that Time hunger appeared in all our Faces & most of us were got weak & Feeble & had we not got that Relief I Doubt not but several of the men would have died with hunger. their Cries and Complaints were Pitiful & Shocking & more so as the Officers could not given them any help, for they were in equal want with the men. Our march was 7 miles.

Tuesday 9th. That morning the Vollunteers killed two Buffaloes & an Elk which give us a further Relief. However the men still Continued to Murmur. We did not move that Day as we were of oppinion that we were 15 miles from the Forks where the Remainder of the Men Lay. a Great number of our young men went out to hunt and View the Country. Some went down the River Seven or Eight miles & Returned that Night and Reported that they had Climbed a very great mount in order to take a View of the Country & that there seemed to be Several prodigious great Mountains before them so that the Country Behind them appeared level in Comparison to that we had to travel, that the River seemed to Bear westward & no possability of taking Horses Down the River and that they saw no game. This account very much disturbed the men. In short they agreed to a man to Return next morning. I called the Officers together & it was Concluded that Each Captain should try to advise his men to stay untill Majr Lewis would arrive with the Remainder of the men. (It Rained that night very heavy.) I was In Utmost Disorder & Confusion to think of the men Returning in Such a Manner-which would Infallibly Ruin the expedition.

Wednesday 10th. The men were Prepared to Return I told the men that If they should go before Major Lewis Came, that I would be blamed for it & my Character would suffer they agreed to Stay, as Did all the other Companies untill a letter Could be Sent to Majr. Lewis. Lt Morton was Imediately Dispatched with two men & a letter wherein I Set forth the Disorder & Confusion that was among us as also the Resolution the men were Come to & Requested him to come that Evening or next morning if Possable, for our meat was then done & then men had nothing to support them. In the Afternoon we had an account from the Camp in the forks by one Henry Lawless that the canoes would Set off that morning that a Horse had been killed to suport the men who were almost Perished with hunger and were very uneasy.

Thursday 11th. notwithstanding the Promises the men made the Day before of Staying untill Major would Come they were all in Readiness for a march homewards but after many arguments & Perswasions I Prevailed on them to Tarry that Day for the Majors Arrival as also for Andw Lyman who had been out 3 days making what Discoveries He could I Procured a little vension for their support that Day about 120Clock Two Indians came down in a Canoe who give us to understand that the Companies would be down that night. In the Afternoon Andrew Lyman & Wm Hall Returned & Reported that they had been fifteen miles down the River that they see a great Buffalo Road & fresh signs of Buffalos & Elks and see great numbers of Turkies & they were of Oppion that game was Plenty. they see an old Fort which they believed to be a hunting Fort built by the Indians, and they think the Main Mountain was not above two Miles below them but did not Choose to Venture themselves to make any further Discoveries as they Judged this

to be Sufficient to Encourage the man to Pursue their Journey. This account Pleased the Officers very much; But it Rather increased the muting among the Men for they looked upon the Report to be formed only to Draw them so much farther from home, & said were the game ever so plenty it was Impossible to Support 340 men by it as there was nothing Else to Depend upon & if they Proceeded any Further they must Inevitably Perish with hunger which they looked upon to be more Inglorious than to Return & be yet servicable to their Country when properly Provided for. These & many other weighty Arguments they made use of but thro the whole they laid great part of our misfortunes on the Co-m-es for not Providing properly for such a Number of Men as we had not above 15 Days Provisions when we Left Fort Frederick to support us on a Journey of near 300 Miles as we suppose Mr. Morton arrived and Informed me that he had Delivered my Letter to ye Major who could hardly believe the Contents & said he had often seen the like mutiny among soldiers & it might Easily be settled. 8 of Capt Smith's men went off & Bledsher & Gredin wth 9m

Fryday 12th It Rained very much all night. in the morning I sent Mr Paul to meet the Major & hasten him down The soldiers being all Ready to march up ye Creek 9 or 10 of my Company had their Bundles on their Backs & was about to march. after spending some time Reasoning with them about going I was Obliged to Disarm them & take their Blankets by force They had not been Disarmed above half an hour untill 5 of them went off Privately & left their Guns. I soon Missed them & sent Mr Robinson & one other man after them who met them at some Distance & Brought them back to the Camp. Capt Wodson arived & with some of his Company & Informed us that his Canoe overset & Lost his Tents with Everything Valluable in her. That Major Lewis's canoe was sunk in the River & that ye Major Capt Overton Lt Gun & one other man had to swim for their Lives & that several things of Vallue was Lost Particularly five or Six fine Guns. Major Lewis Lt McNeal & Mr Chew arrived who Informed us of their trying Shipwreck which had Detained the Major so long, that he had Left Capt Hog with his Company to bring Down the Canoes & Baggage for which horses must be sent, & he told me he had seen Bledsher & nine other men going off & they Informed him it was with their Officers Consent & that the Officers would have gone with them if they were not afraid of their Comrs Colby Chew brought in a little. Bear & took it to my Tent wher the Majr Lodged that night by which I had a good Supper & Breakfast which was a Rarity.

Saturday morning ye 13th Major Lewis give Orders to each Capt to Call his Company Together Imediately which was done & the Major told the Soldiers that he was Informed of their Design to go home & that he was much surprised at it, that he hoped they would alter their Intentions of Desertion & mutiny & would pursue the Journey. he Likewise Set forth the Ill Consequenses that would Certainly attend Such Conduct & that they would be well supported when they got in to the hunting ground which he was apprehensive must be very nigh & horses would support them for sometime notwithstanding all that could be said they appeard obstinately bent to go home for if they went forward they must Perish or Eat horses neither of which They were willing to do. Then the major stepped of [f] some Distance & Desired all that was willing to Serve their Country Share & his Fate to go with him all the Officers and some private men not above 20 or 30 Joined him. Upon which Mountgomeries Vollunteers marched off & was Imediately followed by my Company & Smiths. 4 Private men & my Lts staid with

me. Capt Woodson kept his Company together all Day under a pretence of marching Down the Country some other way which was only to Draw one Days Provisions for them, (for we had killed a Buffalo) Major Lewis Spoke to Old Antocity who appeared much Grieved to see the men Desert in such a manner & said he was willing to proceed but some of the warriors & their young men was yet behind & he was Doubtful of them but he would send off a messenger to them & bring them Down, (which he did) That the White man could not suffer hunger like the Indians who would not Complain of hunger. Capt Pearis & Col. Stewart Came to the Camp this morning & Informed us that one of Capt Breckinridges Men was Drowned the Evening before attempting to Cross the River for some meal. Indeed hunger & want was so much Increased that any man in the Camp would have Ventured his life for a Supper. A Small Quantity of wet meal was brought in, I see about one pound given to 12 men & one of them bought a share which he give 2/ for, one Isaac Mayo offered 13 Day hire as a Packhorsman for 2lbs of Bears meat. So that it is Impossible to Express the abject Condition we were in both before & after the men Deserted us, except when a little fresh meat was brought in which would not last any Time nor had it any Strength to suport men, as the salt was all Lost Mr Paul was ordered off with a party of men to Capt Hog to bring the Bagage & on his way killed a Buffalo. Mr Dunlops Vollunteers went off in the afternoon An acct of ye Miles we marched each Day on our Journey to the Shawnese Towns

Thursday 4th. We marched four miles, and crossed the creek fourteen. times.

Friday 5th. We marched twelvemiles and crossed the creek twentyfour times. The creek is now in general about forty-five or fifty yards (wide.) Saturday, ye 6th. We proceeded to the fork of the creek, and crossed the North Fork, and took up camp, and turned our horses out among the reeds (cane), and concluded to stay all night. This is the sixth day that we have been at the allowance of half a pound of flour a man per day, and several of our men were much disgusted to see that they were pinched for want of provisions, and Capt. Hogg had corn plenty to feed his horses till he came to this place, and here they ate the last of it. This night one of the volunteers killed an elk, and the Indians took half of it from them, as they were just perished, which disgusted the volunteers very much.

We were now in a pitable conditon, our men looking on (one) another with tears in their eyes, and lamenting that they had ever entered into a soldier's life; and, indeed, our circumstances were very shocking, for in our camp were little else but cursing, swearing, confusion, and complaining, and among our officers much selfishness and ambition, which naturally produced division and contention, and a discouragement in all the thoughtful. For my part, I had been for several days satisfied that without a great alteration we should meet with nothing but confusion and disappointment, for I am certain it would have been dishonorable to God to have granted us success on such conduct, for that neglected thing, Religion, was hissed out of company with contempt as though it had carried a deadly infection with it.

Majr. Lewis till now hath in general behaved with sobriety and with prudence, but always seems somewhat on the reserve to the Virginia. Captains and companies; and I never can find that there has been one regular council since we marched; but from what we can gather, it is generally believed, that Capt. Hogg has the whole matter at his discretion. Whether Capt. Hogg had a right to command, I know not. this I know, that when Maj. Lewis would offer anything, he (Capt. Hogg) by an overforwardness would direct as he saw proper, and his sentiments generally were followed as a standing rule, and by this means the men were imposed on, for common soldiers were by him scarcely treated with humanity. The conduct and concord that was kept up among the Indians might shame us, for they were in general quite unanimous and brotherly.

This night, Maj. Lewis hath concluded to tarry here and make canoes, and Sabbath morning, the 7th, he came early to our tents, and ordered that all our axes, with some of the best of our axmen, should go immediately to making a canoe, for to carry the public stores, for our pack horses were now giving out of the small number left of them. We have had nothing but one half a pound of flour [per day] since Friday night, only a half pound of butter per man. Times being so hard, that our strength is now almost exhausted, and [we have] never been allowed to hunt but very little, and now we are not able, and if we were, this place is barren, so that there is little or nothing to be killed.

Notwithstanding the way was thought to be impassable wit horses, yet Capt. Smith, Breckenridge and Preston, with their whole companies and chief of both companies of volunteers set off to go down the Creek to seek for provision. Half of Capt. Woodson's, and part of Capt. Overton's company likewise; but we had not gone above two miles before we were obliged to turn up a small creek, a difficult, rocky and very bad way and forced to cross a steep and high mountain, and so fall on such or another creek, and make down to the large creek, and there were obliged to take up camp this night, about six miles below the Fork.