sent, much fear to be felt relative to the Indians, although the
Cherokees, the Sioux, and some other powerful tribes openly declare
their hostile intentions as soon as an opportunity offers for carrying
them into execution. That opportunity will not offer unless America is
plunged into war with France or this country, and then I am pretty
confident that there will be a general rising of the Indians; when,
whether they act in concert or not, they will give the Americans more
occupation than will be agreeable. The American Government have not
been insensible to the danger to which they are exposed from this
quarter, and, in 1837, the reports of military men were sent into
Congress as to the best plan of protecting their frontier. Whether
those reports are intended to be acted upon I know not; but if so, the
present regular army of the United States will not be sufficient for the
purpose, the lowest estimation for the garrisons of the proposed forts
being 7,000 rank and file, while at present their rank and file on the
army-list only amounts to 5,600.

The American forts opposed to the Indians are, at present:--

Fort Gratiot, River St Clare.

Mackinaw Island Fort.

Fort Brady, St Marie, Lake Superior.

Fort Howard, Green Bay.

Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin.

Fort Crawford. Prairie des Chiens.

Fort Snelling, St Peters.

Fort Leavenworth, Missouri.

Fort Madison, Des Moines River.

Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.

_Advanced Ports_.

Fort Towson, Red River.

Fort Gibson, Arkansas and Grand Junction River.

Fort Adams, Baton Rouge.

There are one or two outposts also on the Arkansas River. If all these
forts were properly garrisoned, they would take every disposable musket
in the regular army of the United States; whilst at present they have,
in consequence of the protracted Florida war, scarcely sufficient men to
do the duty.

In the report of the acting quarter-master general, the following
garrisons are proposed for the western frontier:--

+=========================================+========+
YFort Snelling Y300 men.Y
+-----------------------------------------+--------+
YFort Crawford Y 300Y
+-----------------------------------------+--------+
YUpper forks of the Des Moines Y 400Y
+-----------------------------------------+--------+
YFort Leavenworth Y 1,200Y
+--------------------------------------