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OSL CHARLES WILLIAMS TO MEIGS

Mount Vernon August 29th. 1812

His Excellency Return J. Meigs Governor and Commander in Chief of Ohio --

Sir

At the request of A number of Citizens I have thought proper to Advise myself to you a nd inform you of Our Situation Our frontiers here are sadly Exposed to the savage Power they are flying in all quarters seeking pro- tection the Men from all quarters Are Voluntiering like men and Marching for their protection the Want of Arms Amunition Accoutrements and pro- visions are Great and We are at a loss to Know in w hat Manner to make pro- vision for them the best Way we can. tile troops from this County under the Command of Major Croitzer are now at Mansfield, the troops from Cosh- ochton consists of About One hundred men under my Command Are At this place And numbers from other quarters of the State are now on their march to this place -- Sir permit Me to offer my Ideas of how the frontiers on this part of the State Could be most advantageously protected to be secure to your Consideration. I have been all this part of the frontiers frequently and am well Acquainted with the situation My Ideas is that four Block houses Ought to be Erected at the End of Every 25 Miles from this place untill they Would Intersect the frontiers on the Western part of the State at Each place where Block houses are Erected there Should in my Oppinion be large quantities of provisions Deposited With a sufficiency of Men to protect it by which Our frontiers Would always be secure and an open Comunication for provisions Or men to be taken On to any quarter whatever w ithout some Provisions of this Kind it would undoubtedly be Leaving Our Women and Children to the Mercy of the savages should Any of the troops belonging to this quarter be Called off -- I am in a few Minutes to mount my horse to go to Mansfield to Counsil with Major Croitzer and Armstrong the Indian Cheif at Greentown We wish your Advice how to proceed With those Indians at Greentown and Sandusky it is Verry doubtful whether they Intend being hostile or not the Indians of Greentown have frequently been Called upon to Know their Intentions and no satisfaction Can be Ob- tained they say they are at the direction of the Wyandott Chief at Sandusky and there can be no satisfaction Obtained from him - I think it highly necessary that they should be made to Join Either for or Against us We will wait your direction on the subject which we hope will come without Delay -

I have the Honour to be Verry Respectfully Your Most Obt.

Charles Williams Col.

2nd. Regt. 4th. Brige. 8 Divin.

Ohio Militia