We time, and it is yet dangerous times, and except we get some assistance from you, we cannot work and guard too through the winter. guarded as well as we could, by scouting as often as we could. But now time is the scarcest thing with us, if we try to make crops; so we sincerely hope you will take us into consideration, as your suffering constituents. N. B. There is something yet that you may not consider; that is, there are four companies around the Okefenokee swamp, and they are so far east of us, that they are no guard to this part; for they are on the east and southeast end of the swamp; so there are some few men at Fort Gilmer on the west, or else we are alone, in fact; so, with the exception of a few of Captain Jernigan's men, there is no company within sixty miles, so we consider that we are utterly in danger. EXECUTIVE Department, (Ga.) Milledgeville, March 16, 1841. SIR: Owing to the extraordinary freshets in our rivers, we had no account until yesterday of the organization of the new Cabinet under President Harrison. I avail myself of the earliest occasion to ask your attention to a communication made by me to the Secretary at War a few days since, transmitting an extract of a letter from Captain North, and requesting the Department to have a nilitary force stationed at Fort North, for the protection of the people in that neighborhood, who are greatly exposed to depredations from the Indians. You will confer a favor by giving this subject your earliest consideration. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN BELL, Secretary of War. CHARLES J. McDONALD. WAR DEPARTMENT, March 25, 1841. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 9th and 16th instant, in relation to the exposed condition of the inhabitants of Ware county, and requesting that a further militia force may be called out and stationed at Fort North, for their protection. The Department is without the means to authorize it to comply with this application, Congress having made no appropriation for the payment of militia. Nor would this measure be justified by the present state of affairs in Florida; intelligence just received from there authorizes the hope that the negotiations now going on with the Indians, for their emigration, will prove entirely successful. Instructions have, however, been given to the proper officers in Florida, to provide such additional protection as may be necessary for the section referred to, by means of the regular troops, or, if advisable, by putting the four companies of Georgia militia, or a portion of them, in better position for this purpose. Should the negotiations with the Indians unfortunately fail, the most effectual measures in the power of the Department will be adopted for the protection and security of the country. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, His Excellency C.. J. McDONALD, JOHN BELL. Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville, Georgia. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, · Milledgeville, March 29, 1841. SIR: I have lately addressed two letters to the War Department, asking the protection of a part of Georgia exposed to the incursions of the Seminole Indians, which must have been received since you were placed at its head. I have received no reply to either. I see it announced, I suppose upon authority, and much to my surprise, in the National Intelligencer of the 24th instant, that you have despatched instructions to discharge the brigade of Florida militia under General Read, authorized to be called into the service of the United States during the past summer. Attached to this brigade are four companies of mounted men, from Georgia, intended to guard the spacious Georgia swamps, heretofore occupied by the Indians when pressed in Florida, and in the neighborhood of which they have destroyed many lives and much property. This service is of such a nature that it can be performed by mounted men alone. I must ask you if it is your intention to supply the place of these troops by others, or is this section of country to be left unprotected by the Government? An immediate answer is requested. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN BELL, Secretary of War. CHARLES J. McDONALD. WAR DEPARTMENT, April 5, 1841. SIR: I have just had the honor of receiving your communication of the 29th ultimo. My letter of the 25th ultimo will have advised you that the Georgia. militia were not included in the order for the discharge of General Read's command of Florida militia, and that instructions were given to the proper officer in Florida to provide any additional protection necessary for the section of Georgia exposed to the inroads of the Indians from below. Intelligence just received from Florida shows that the commanding general is discharging the militia under General Read only, as he is able to provide, by the regular troops, for the defence of the section occupied by them. Under these circumstances, and in view of the hoped for success of the negotiations with the Indians in Florida, there is, in the opinion of the Department, no just ground for apprehending that the citizens of Georgia will be again troubled by them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN BELL. His Excellency CHARLES J. McDONALD, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, (GA.,) Milledgeville, April 27, 1841. SIR: In August last the Seminole Indians invaded the territory of this State, and destroyed many lives and much property in the counties of Ware and Camden. A military force was promptly assembled, to repel. the invaders and protect the country. As soon as intelligence of these outrages reached this Department, General Nelson was despatched to the scene of their perpetration, with instructions to raise a sufficient force of mounted men for the effectual protection of the Georgia frontier. He performed this duty, and under these orders mustered into the service of the State, for thirty days, four companies. After the expiration of this service, they were mustered into the serviee of the United States, in which service they have ever since remained. Until recently, I had supposed that these men had been paid for their services, and also that the supplies furnished them had been paid for. I refer you to the letter of your predecessor of the 30th of October, of last year, on this subject, a copy of which is herewith forwarded, to show that this service has been recognised by the Government. These men have left their families, and many of them are dependent on their pay for their support. I enclose you extracts from letters of two of the captains in command, showing the pressing necessity for immediate payment. The service of a part of these companies, if not all, commenced in August last. I hope that you will adopt immediate measures for their payment. Those who serve their country so laboriously, and at the sacrifice of every comfort, should be promptly paid the very. small amount allowed by the law. I have received your letter in reply to mine of the 29th uljimo, and am gratified to find that you intend to keep these companies in service for the protection of this part of the country. I fear your anticipations of the speedy termination of the Florida war will be disappointed. These Indians are a faithless and treacherous people, and their professions need not be relied on. They speak of peace when their purpose is plunder and murder; and I must reiterate my apprehension that they are yet to make a hostile demonstration within the limits of this State. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN BELL, Secretary of War. CHARLES J. McDONALD. [Enclosed in Governor McDonald's foregoing letter of April 27.] Extract of a letter from Captain Jernigan to Governor McDonald. I will be glad if you can give me some information respecting the payment of my company while in the service of the State, as we have not been paid off yet, and we have been such a length of time in the service that we greatly stand in need of many necessaries. If you can expedite the payment, you will much oblige your obedient servant. [Enclosed in the foregoing letter of Governor McDonald.] Extract of a letter from Captain Sweat to Governor McDonald. I must respectfully ask your excellency to urge the immediate payment of the troops which have been in the State's service; also, those in the United States service. All those who furnished supplies for the companies are anxiously waiting for the pay of the supplies furnished. All those men in the service are becoming much distressed, having left all other pursuits, for a term of six months, to raise money; and, by hardness of the times, have become much embarrassed, and their property must be sacrificed unless their pay can be had to relieve them. [Enclosed in the foregoing letter of Governor McDonald.] WAR DEPARTMENT, October 30, 1840. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's letter of the 21st instant, apprizing the Department that General Nelson had retained in the service of the State of Georgia four companies of mounted men, and asking that they should be mustered into that of the United States as such. Orders have been given to that effect, and likewise to pay for the supplies furnished those troops while employed by your excellency for the protection of the Georgia frontier. The four companies of mounted men will be placed under the command of Brigadier General Leigh Read, of Florida. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, To the GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA. J. R. POINSETT. WAR DEPARTMENT, May 7, 1341. SIR: I have had the honor to receive your excellency's letter of the 27th ultimo, asking that measures be taken to pay the militia called out last August for the protection of Ware and Camden counties, Georgia; aud, in reply, I beg leave to refer to the accompanying report of the Paymaster General, stating the reasons that have prevented and still prevent the settlement of these claims, and the measures to be taken to place the Department in funds for the accomplishment of that object. I shall not fail to lay the subject before Congress at its next session. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN BELL. To the GOVERNOR OF GEOrgia. [Report referred to in the preceding letter of the Secretary of War to the Governor of Georgia, of May 7, 1841.] PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, May 5, 1841. SIR: I have the honor herewith to return the letter of his excellency the Governor of Georgia, dated 27th ultimo, on the subject of paying certain militia of that State, referred to me for a report. An estimate was submitted to Congress at the commencement of the last session, in which the sum of $29,416 08 was included, for the payment of these troops for their service in 1840. They were also included in the militia estimate for 1841; but, no appropriation having been made, the Department has not had the means of paying them. An estimate will be submitted to you, to be laid before Congress at the approaching session, and if an appropriotion is made, no time will be lost in settling their claims. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN BELL, Secretary of War. N. TOWSON, P. M. G. From the Governor of Georgia to the Secretary of War. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Milledgeville, May 7, 1841. SIR: I have the honor to enclose to you the copy of a letter received by me to-day, from Captain E. D. Tracy, in command of one of the companies of mounted volunteers from Georgia, in the service of the United States. You will see the just cause that these men, who have abandoned their usual occupation, by which their families were sustained, for the defence of their country, have to complain of the Government for the unreasonable delay of their payment. If the Government cannot conveniently pay from existing appropriations for the entire service, it certainly can pay for such a portion of it as will enable the soldier to provide some comforts for his destitute family. The expression in the letter of Captain Tracy, that the four companies of volunteers "are anxiously waiting the arrival of an officer to muster them out of the service," grew out of a communication made by myself to one of the captains in command, an extract from which I enclose. I have corrected the impression this letter was likely to make, and I have no doubt these companies are willing to continue in the service as long as the frontier shall require protection; and, as they are better acquainted with the country than new recruits can possibly be, I hope they will be retained. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN BELL. CHARLES J. McDONALD. [Enclosed in the foregoing letter of Governor McDonald, of May 7.] · TA Copy of a letter from Captain E. D. Tracy, of Georgia volunteers. TRADER'S HILL, April 26, 1841. B SIR: Two companies U. S. dragoons arrived on the 21st, and have taken post, the one at Moniac, the other here. The four companies of volunteers are anxiously waiting the arrival of an officer to muster them out of service. It is currently reported and believed, that no paymaster will be here to pay off the troops, until a certain investigating committee shall have carried us through their ordeal-some three or six months hence. If |