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OSL PAUL D. BUTLER TO MEIGS

Delaware Ohio, August 24th. 1812

Dear Sir,

The late news from the Northern Army you must have been already appri- sed[?]. The Garrison at Sandusky in consequence of its defenceless situ- ation from a deficiency in men is evacuated, and the frontier on left exposed to the hostile incursions of the Indians, and the Inhabitants are flying in every direction. all the Inhabitants have left Lower Sandusky and the Indians at the Upper Town have waited for protection and the means of subsistance till their patience is exhausted and they are determined to move into the settlements the Crane has requested me to furnish him with waggons and teames to remove their families, I have engaged to do it, and have furnished them with nine head of beeves and sixteen barrels of flour and further engaged to furnish them as far as their necessities may re- quire -- the Indians were almost in a state of starvation, and considered the neglect of the Government in affording them the means of subsistence and protection as a determination to sacrifice them to the hostile Indians - under these circumstances I have engaged to furnish them with the means of subsistance for which I shall expect to be furnished with the means of procuring them, the sacrifice of public property at the Garrison will be great unless we have some seasonable relief from the interior to assist us in moving it. I made the best disposition of it I could being aban- doned by the five troops which I had, which could not exceed half a dozen able to do duty, and expecting to be attacked by the Indians every moment there is a quantity of provisions remaining at the Garrison, which might be moved with timely relief, it will be impossible to raise many troops in this quarter, it being quite a frontier settlement, and the inhabitants are all afloat[?] Mr Smith the bearer of this will be able to furnish you with every particular relative to what has been done and what is our pre- sent prospect in this quarter,

Yours respectfully -

Paul De Butler --
Comt at Sandusky

His Excelly Return J Meigs
Gov State Ohio