No. 1.
Translation of a letter from Thomas Power to Don Thomas
Portell, Commandant of New Madrid, dated
NEW MADRID, June 26, 1797.
Having received verbal instructions from Mr. James Wilkinson,
the American General, to take charge of the money, which, by
a letter, he received from the Secretary of the Government,
Don Andres Armesto, under date of 7th or 8th of March last,
of which I was bearer, he has advice, is deposited in this
post, and being informed by the official letter which you have
received on this business from the Governor General of the
Province, of which you will be pleased to furnish me a copy,
that said money is not to be delivered without an express order
from the said Mr. Wilkinson, I find myself forced to relate
circumstantially some particulars to smooth and remove the
difficulty which the want of a written order on the part of the
aforesaid General Wilkinson presents. Although this relation
may appear an abuse of the confidence with which the Governor
General of the Province and the Governor of Natchez, and
particularly General Wilkinson, have honored me, I am persuaded
that the urgency of the case which offers will serve me as an
excuse and justification.
You are not ignorant of the fact, that Don Manuel Gayoso
de Lemos being here in the month of September, of the
year last past, he intrusted to me some despatches of the
greatest importance for General Wilkinson, which I carried
to Cincinnati, and I returned with the answers in the month
of November. By order of the said Don Manuel Gayoso, I made
immediately another journey to the Ohio, and I ascended it to
Red Bank in search of Sebastian, who came with me to the mouth
of the Ohio, where we met with the Governor of Natchez. At the
end of December, I accompanied this gentleman to Natchez, and I
went thence to New Orleans.
The principal object of my going down was to take charge, by
order of General Wilkinson, of the money which you have now in
deposit for him, which is shown by the letters which he wrote
to the governors of this province and of Natchez; but, at my
arrival, the money had been already sent off in one of His
Majesty’s galleys, for this place, which I learned from the
Baron de Carondelet, the Intendant, and Don Andres de Armesto.
I repeatedly treated on this business with the two last of
these persons, urging forcibly the necessity of sending sugar,
coffee, and powder, to New Madrid, to form a cargo to take to
Kentucky with Wilkinson’s money, hiding, by this means, the
true intention of the voyage, and giving it the appearance
of a commercial speculation. All this Wilkinson had before
represented as indispensable for many reasons, particularly in
order to avoid a misfortune similar to that which had already
occurred. At last the Secretary told me that the barge in
which Mr. Aaron Gregg, the American officer, was to go up, was
destined for this service, and that as for the crew, he would
permit me to choose among the Creoles, residents in this post,
those who might appear to me most worthy of confidence, so that
I left New Orleans with the belief that at my return to this
post I should find every thing disposed conformable to what I
have just related. On arrival at Greenville, informed General
Wilkinson of the steps which had no doubt had been taken, from
whence has resulted, that he, like myself, was impressed with
the belief that all the measures for executing this service
with success had been taken. I cannot communicate all the
motives why Wilkinson has not given me an order in writing;
but one of them was, that he did not know the sum of money
which you had to deliver to his order, the Governors not having
written a word to him on the subject, the Secretary only saying
that his money was deposited in New Madrid, without expressing
the sum. In the letters in cipher, from General Wilkinson for
the governors, which are here enclosed, he tells them that he
has sent me to bring the aforesaid money, informing you that
the No. 1 is for the Governor General of the Province, and the
No. 2 for Don Manuel Gayoso. I will add that General Wilkinson,
when I represented to him that on presenting myself without
his order in writing, some difficulty might arise, authorized
me, if the case required it, to write an order that you should
deliver his money, specifying the sum there might be, signing
it in his name, and giving you a receipt therefor. I cannot
omit that the commission of General Wilkinson was so sudden,
so urgent, that it was extended even to limiting my return to
my destination by the first of August, of which I advise you
that you may endeavor not to delay the service. I believe that
the Governor General is not ignorant of the embarrassments of
General Wilkinson, nor can he be ignorant that, for a long time
past, he has been expecting this money, the delay of which
has been the cause of much trouble to him, involving him in
great difficulties; and I can assure you, confidently, that he
will be very much disgusted with any delays in the expedition,
which might be productive of serious injury. As for the mode
of carrying the money, it is evident that to take it openly
would be too scandalous a thing, if I were not to say that it
would be madness. The unhappy result of the expedition of the
unfortunate Henry Owen ought to serve as a beacon in order
not to lose ourselves on the same rock, and to make us take
another course less dangerous. I would wish you to put a bag of
one thousand dollars in a barrel of coffee or sugar, so that
although the difference of the respective gravity, between
silver, sugar, and coffee be very great, the quantity being
so small, it will not be easily known. It will likewise be
prudent to carry some barrels without money in order to sell
them before arriving at Cincinnati, if it should so happen that
any one should offer to buy these goods, because not to sell
them when it might be done to advantage would excite suspicion;
and to complete the disguise it would be well to take a certain
quantity of powder and rum. If these dispositions should appear
defective, I beg you to make such changes as may be to your
mind. God preserve you many years.
No. 2.
Translation of a letter from Don Thomas Portell to Mr. Thomas
Power, dated
NEW MADRID, June 29, 1796.
Having well considered the contents of your letter of this
day, I mention that I agree in every thing to the whole of
the reflections you place before me; although at first sight
it appears that I ought to wait the decision of the Governor
General, as he prescribes to me in his official letter of the
20th of January of the present year, and of which I enclose you
a copy, which you request of me. The circumstances which you
expose are such, that they leave me nothing more to do than to
tell you to forward me a memorandum of the number of pounds
of coffee, sugar, barrels in which to fill the powder and rum
you desire for your expedition, because, as soon as I receive
it, I will get it ready as you desire, informing you that for
the merchandise you must sign me an acknowledgment of having
received it, and for the money a receipt as attorney of General
Wilkinson.
In order that the barge may be ready, and as you may want it,
I have written an official letter to the Lieutenant-colonel
Vincente Folch, that he may send it as soon as possible,
because as nothing was said to me of what you have now
mentioned respecting it, Mr. Francis Langlois asked it of me
for an affair of service, and took it loaded with corn to the
Fort of San Fernando, and it has not been returned, although
I have required it, thinking it might be wanted here; Don
Vincente Folch having answered me, that if I had not orders to
keep it, there were none to return it.
The two letters in cipher remain in my hands, which I shall
forward by the first safe opportunity, with the distinction
you point out, No. 1 to the Governor General, and No. 2 to the
Governor of Natchez.
As for packing the money and arranging the barrels, as soon as
they are ready, between you and myself, all this may be done
without any one else acquiring a knowledge of it. God preserve
you many years.
No. 3.
Instructions from Gen. Wilkinson to Thomas Power.
To proceed to Galliopolis: to make application and propositions
to the leading characters there to induce them to move to
New Madrid, with all the French of that settlement; to urge
this point in such measure as to attract the attention of the
public officers there, whose report to the Executive will
immediately follow, and will account for his frequent missions
to that place: to return as rapidly as possible; to load with
flour and proceed without a moment’s delay to New Orleans; in
the route to see Newman, and to enter on the subject of his
desertion; to inform him of the facts which have transpired,
and the opinions prevalent; to urge his return, as the request
of all his friends; to assure him of safety, and of such reward
as he may demand; also that being pardoned for the imputed
offence, no further process can lie against him for the same;
that the oath which he was suborned to take, being made while
in duress, is in itself a nullity, and cannot be offered in
crimation of him; it will be necessary that he should take down
his examination, founded on the interrogations furnished him;
and if they prove material to the crimination of Wane and his
associates, then he must embark N----n under a fictitious name
at New Orleans for Philadelphia; and having arrived there, must
lodge him in some retired place, and call upon me, under cover
of the night, for further advice. You will hear of me at ----.
If N----n cannot be prevailed upon to return under dispositions
favorable to my views, then let his declaration on oath be
circumstantially taken to all the points enumerated in the
interrogations, in the presence of Dr. Flowers, Colonel Bruin,
Daniel Clark, or any three or four of the most notorious, and
of the most respectable Americans of the Natchez district. Let
these gentlemen certify to two copies, and to the original,
and let them be transmitted to me through different channels.
P. to take charge of the original. Mr. P. must take with him
credentials from the Government of Louisiana, acquitting him of
any political connection or agency injurious or hostile to the
interests of the United States. He must carry to Philadelphia
testimonials of his family and character, addressed to as many
of the native respectable merchants of that city as possible:
these may be readily procured from New Orleans and the Havana.
It is indispensable that P. should meet me in Philadelphia; for
the rest let him rely on my friendship and address. To collect
from Bradford every information respecting the Pittsburg
insurrection, which may be employed, should it be found
necessary, to disgrace certain persons: to bear no paper about
him which carries my name upon it.
No. 4.
Employ the six hundred and forty dollars, _avec le cargaison_,
to pay expenses and lay in a cargo of best flour _pour la
ville_, where it will help to reimburse. In making your
settlement, take care to secure me the six hundred and forty
dollars advanced, and bring them with you. I have urged
peremptorily the necessity of your presence at the metropolis.
Bring me N----n, if, upon examination, you find his presence of
more consequence than his deposition, when taken as directed.
I believe he was caused to desert by O’Hara: probe him to that
point. You are to bring me papers, but my name is not to be
written or spoken. You must do the needful below to detect and
expose past treachery or indiscretion, and to prevent either
in future. I have referred particularly on this head. I shall
expect you impatiently. Should I continue where I am I shall
wish you near me. If I cross the water, you are to accompany:
bring every credential of family and fortune to repulse the
insinuations of ----. Trust something to my address, and put
faith in my honor and affections to the grave.
No. 5.