Baynton & Wharton Traders 2.

MORGAN TO BAYNTON AND WHARTON

The same Party of Indians a very few days after attackd six Virginia Men Who were hunting with six Horses on One of the
Branches of Green River — They killd One Man named…… took one Joseph Blankenship Prisoner With all the Horses.
The other four Men made their Escape Which Blankenship also did
after they had crossed the Ohio A particular Relation of his Story
you have inclosed N° 2^ I have cloathd him & furnish.d
him with a Gun & Ammunition to carry him home. This fellow met
with Copes Cannoe the same Morning that he made his Escape &
came in her to the Cherokee Fort from whence he set out with him &
Galloway for this Place He seperated from Cope on Thursday the
14th Instant after being five Days from the Fort in which Time they
had expended all their Powder & Balls & were without Provisions.

On Saturday Evening following being the 16th Instant Blankenship
arrived. On Sunday Morning I sent out Simon Girty with three
other good Woodsmen to seek for Cope & his Partner. As they did not
return that Day, L* Ancram my Chickasaw Indian & myself went out
on Monday Morning. About 9 Miles off we fired several Guns &
were answerd by Girty Who the Evening before had found Cope
& Galloway strolling up & down the Woods they knew not Where.
As the Road to return on that Side the River Was very bad & round
about, We made a Raft for our Guns & the Letters & swam the
Kaskaskia at the Mouth & arrived here at two OClock Which Cope
desired me to be very particular in mentioning to........

I cannot say but I was much vex'd to hear him say & before L*
Ancram that he was ordered by you to take no Letters from any
Officers or any Persons Whatever on Pain of forfeiting his Wages.
A Continuance of such Orders in future may do Us more Injury than
all the Letters Which can be sent here. Nay We have already suffer'd
in the Esteem of the Army as they have always been acquainted with
our Orders as well as We ourselves. They declare We have no
Right to do it & that We make Ourselves liable to have our Letters
stop'd Without a Pass from the Commanding Officer at Fort Pitt.
How this is I cannot say. But I do assure you I would rather not
have rec^ these Letters by Cope than they should have come off in so
private a Manner. Cap^ Forbes Who is much our Friend, advises Us
to avoid the like in future.