Header img
Beyond Penn's Treaty

Joshua Sharpless diaries, Vol. 1 1798

Page out of 92

your hearts, & may you be blessed with a clear sky
smooth roads, & plentiful harvests to the end of your
days - I commend you to the case of the great spirit
&

am in heart your friend
Ja. Wilkinson
Commander in Chief of the Troops of the United
States.

After the rec’t of these letters, we took leave
of the General, who accompanied us in person thro’
the guards, & it may be proper to note that in our
conference he greatly insinuated a cautionary hint
respecting the private character of Cornplanter, that he was sufficiently
possessed of the Idea of distinct private property, &
pretty artful in adopting measures to his own interests.

About 9 OClock we left Pittsburgh crossed the
Allegany just opposite the town, & travelled, at
several stages about 33 Miles to James W Cowens
a poor house with earthen floor, on which we lodge’d
wraped in our blankets, this night, but could get nothing,
for our horses, neigher hay, grass nor grain nor even
an enclosure of any kind to secure them; we tied them
to stumps & c. & fed them with some oats we had with
us