DEPARTMENT of War,

23d December, 1826.

SIR: I have had the honor to receive your two letters of the 16th inst. In regard to all the details having reference to the survey, whether these relate to the selection of a surveyor or other matters connected with the execution of the trust confided to you, they are referred by the President to your agency and discretion. I have addressed a note to the Secretary of State, requesting the copies of the treaty of San Lorenzo el Real, of the 27th October, 1795, and the report of the Commissioners apointed under the third article of said treaty. The moment these are prepared and received they will be forwarded to you, directed to Milledgeville, in Georgia.

I have the honor, &c.

TO THOMAS M. RANDOLPH, Esq

JAMES BARBOUR.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Feb. 2d, 1827. SIR: I arrived here yesterday, in eighteen days from Richmond, which place I could not leave earlier than about noon of January 14th, from a variety of circumstances beyond my control. Indeed, the accounts of Indian disturbances on the line between Georgia and East Florida, by rendering it doubtful, for a short time, whether the Commissioners could proceed in their route, if arrived, seem to me fully to justify the short delay I made, in weather of almost unexampled severity as to cold, while suffering an indisposition infinitely the most serious for eleven years back.

I found lying at the post office here a packet for me containing, relative to the claim of Baley for Indian rations, several papers, to the subject of which I shall devote a very particular attention before I leave Georgia, and shall forward a report containing all the information I can obtain, and my opinion as soon as the duty of running the line will permit me. The important packet, containing the papers from the Department of State, mentioned in the communication from that over which you preside, dated December 23d, has yet not reached

me.

The report of the Commissioners appointed under the third article of the treaty of San Lorenzo el Real is a document without which these Commissioners cannot well proceed. Since I had the honor last to address the department, I have seen that treaty, and have procured a copy of A. Ellicott's journal, from which I have the first information that the two extremities of the line to be run have been geographically determined, and the eastern, which was not certainly indicated by the treaty, actually marked, so as to be readily and surely discoverable at this time. But I have no evidence that the report made jointly by the two Commissioners, which, by a provision in the treaty, was to make a part of it, and, of course, is now binding upon the United States and Georgia, does correspond fully with what is stated in the journal. Still I cannot entertain a doubt about that correspondence, as the journal was prepared for the press after the report had been received and acknowledged by the two Governments. Upon finding that the packet expected in consequence of the communication to me from the Department of War, of December 23d, had not

arrived, I immediately inquired of the Governor here whether the State or any individual possessed the report in question, and am informed that it cannot be procured here. On that occasion, I found that the journal of the United States' Commissioner, Ellicott, was here considered as sufficiently authentic, and that it was expected I should proceed, " in conjunction with the representative of the constituted authorities of Georgia," to run a straight line from the mound thrown up by the two Commissioners at the outlet of the waters of the Okefenoke swamp into the St. Mary's river, to the junction between the Chattahoochie and Flint branches of the Apalachicola river, which line was to constitute the permanent boundary between the State of Georgia and the Territory of Florida. The Commissioner for Georgia is at his residence in Darien, one hundred and seventy miles from this place. I shall set out for that place on Sunday or Monday next, my horses requiring that much rest before I can resume my journey, with certainty of the performance from them which is requisite. I have only to assure the department that there shall be no want of diligence or fidelity on my part upon the occasion; but I cannot omit to remark that the expense of the work must be greatly increased from the necessity of proceeding without money, there being only eighty dollars in my hands at present. If the report of the Commissioners in 1800 should not reach me in time, I shall be under the necessity of proceeding by Ellicott's journal, but shall be very exact in the application of the information it contains, as a very little deviation might leave on the Georgia side of the line some of the most valuable parts of the great Okefenoke swamp; in which, besides its capacity to undergo general draining, there are some of the most fertile lands of all the south, appearing like islands, or rather oases, in the marshy desert. Nothing requisite shall be neglected so as to allow of any disagreement between that terrestrial arc of a circle, which is already the geographical line, and the future boundary of jurisdiction, its constituent, which is now to be traced and marked. The eastern extremity is considered here to be in latitude 30° 34′ 48′′. I am not yet informed what means are contemplated by the Georgia party for correcting the compass line, so as to ensure its correspondence with the terrestrial arc; but I cannot hear of any astronomical instruments for the purpose being in their possession, nor does it seem to be expected here that any such means will be used. I do not pretend to be a practical astronomer, having never had it in my power to procure the necessary instruments to qualify myself; but I have a sufficient acquaintance with the theory of the science to enable me to detect all errors, and, of course, to guard against them. Nothing whatever, in the guise of advantage, or of the still greater temptation, relief, could induce me to undertake what I did not feel an entire consciousness of the capacity to perform. If I had escaped malicious insinuations, predictions, and constructions, I should have been surprised, in the actual state of our public morals. It shall be my care to ensure the falsity of that future malice which I must as certainly incur as I live.

Very respectfully,

Your most obedient humble servant,

The SECRETARY OF WAR.

THOS. M. RANDOLPH.

DARIEN, GEORGIA, Feb. 14, 1827. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that, after waiting at Milledgeville from Thursday 1st to Thursday 8th instant, in the hope of receiving a despatch containing the report of Andrew Ellicott and Don Estevan Minor, made to Government by the former in 1800, which still appears to me to be the only authentic document upon which the present Commissioners for running the same boundary line can proceed, with entire satisfaction to themselves, as the result of those operations, as far as it could then be obtained, is obligatory and final, I repaired to this place. Having now a strong belief that the packet, with its important enclosure, has some way miscarried, I have been engaged since Monday evening, the 12th instant, when I first saw Mr. Spalding, in making arrangements for proceeding immediately to the performance of our duty. A copy of the proceedings necessary before the actual commencement of the work, in the form in which they really took place between us, of questions, reasonings, and decisions, will be forwarded to your department by the next mail. The Georgia Commissioner, by a negociation with the bank of Darien, made upon Tuesday the 13th instant, has provided the funds requisite for commencement and it has been agreed that the work shall be performed at joint charge of the two Governments, by a single party under the control of the two Commissioners, acting in conjunction, with precisely equal powers. I had the good fortune to procure in Richmond the journal of Andrew Ellicott, which is completely in detail, and was prepared by him for the press after the report was made. I have no hesitation, under the actual circumstances, to consider as entirely authentic what he there says was the result of the joint operations of the two Commissioners, and the final agreement between them. I am already assured of the complete ostensibility of the mark which Ellicott says, in his journal, was made in presence of the two Commissioners, by their joint order, to designate the eastern extremity of the line. We have nothing, therefore, to do but to run it so that it shall coincide, as nearly as we can possibly make it, with the present geographical line, they are of a terrestrial great circle, never yet traced and marked. From all the accounts hitherto received by us, the Okefenoke Swamp is absolutely impenetrable by men bearing compass and chain, without first opening a vista and then making a footbridge. We expect to have to depend upon a traverse, as we are not authorized to proceed in that only complete but very expensive way. A competent surveyor could not be procured in Georgia for less than eight dollars a day, all expenses paid besides. I could have brought one from Virginia far superior to the best in this State for five dollars. Having, with much pains, satisfied myself of the thorough competency of the surveyor appointed by the authorities of Georgia, I have consented to accept of him, although he is not at all an astronomer, and must proceed by geometrical means alone, unconnected by any astronomical operation, which may answer sufficiently well on the present occasion. His demand was ten dollars per diem, but I cannot consent to give more than four dollars for his compensation from the United States. The men requisite will be engaged from one dollar a day to twenty dollars the month, with the exception of two of a superior order, whose services cannot be dispensed with. The whole provisions and other equipments must be procured in Savannah, and steps are already

taken for that purpose. Nothing whatever can be had in or near the country through which the line runs, to which we shall be confined at least three months. We could not make our preparations, even with a smaller sum than fifteen hundred dollars. Mr. Spalding has procured a larger accommodation, and there will be considerable saving from his success in that measure. We concur fully in the disposition and determination to use all possible economy, and, necessary to that, all the despatch possible consistent with accuracy.

I have the honor to be,

Your most obedient humble servant,

Hon. JAMES BARBOUR, Sec'y of War.

TH. M. RANDOLPH,

Commissioner, &c.

DARIEN, February 28, 1827.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you, that the party destined to run the line between the United States' Territory of East Florida and the State of Georgia, has left Darien, fully equipped and provided for that purpose at the expense of Georgia; one half of all charges incurred to be defrayed by the United States' Government, provided the moiety do not exceed the appropriation made by Congress on this occasion.

I have the honor to enclose a transcript of the proceedings of the two Commissioners forming a board for the purpose in question, and to beg your attention to it at your leisure.

My last communication from you is dated December 23, 1826.

I am, sir,

Your most obedient humble servant,
TH. M. RANDOLPH,

The Hon. JAMES BARBOUR, Sec'y of War.

Commissioner, &c.

Monday, February 12, 1827. Governor Randolph, Commissioner on the part of the United States, for establishing the boundary line between Georgia and Florida, arrived at Darien.

Mr. Spalding, the Commissioner on the part of the State of Georgia, waited upon him, when, after deliberation, the following preliminary points were settled, without doubt or contrariety of opinion. 1st. We will commence running the line of separation between Georgia and Florida at the head of the St. Mary's.

2d. There shall be but one surveyor employed.

3d. We will engage from fifteen to twenty men for our various operations, as we may find necessary in the progress of our undertaking.

4th. We shall provision them for the whole operation at this place. 5th. We will employ for the transport of our provisions, light

wagons.

6th. We will make our preparations at all points at the joint expense of the United States and the State of Georgia.

7th. It will be necessary to provide the sum of two thousand dollars for the procuring of provisions and equipments for the Commissioners and the gentlemen that accompanying them; for the surveyor and men under him.

8th. It will be necessary to provide the sum of five hundred dollars to meet the accidents to which every human operation is subject, without being reduced to the necessity of sending back for those aids after they have become necessary.

9th. Mr. Spalding, the Commissioner for Georgia, will draw upon his Excellency, Governor Troup, through the Bank of Darien. The Commissioner on the part of the United States engaging on the part of the United States, to refund a moiety of such advance to Georgia. The Commissioners then proceeded to nominate John Randolph, Esq. commissary and commandant of the party, with power to regulate and direct the police of the camp.

They nominated John G. Bell secretary and accomptant, and determined that these gentlemen should receive a compensation for their services.

When the Board adjourned.

Extract from the minutes.

J. G. BELL, Secretary to the Commissioners.

Answer to the first query, viz: Shall we commence running the line of separation between Georgia and Florida on the St. Mary's or at the Chattahoochie?

If the Okefenoke Swamp be penetrable at all, by a surveying party, which is not authorized to incur the expense of cutting a vista through it, commencement should be made at the eastern extremity of the boundary line; for the earlier, after this time of the year, the attempt is made, the less difficulty, risk, and labor will attend it, and the greater the probable accuracy of the operations to be performed.

The season will be too far advanced to allow of any such attempt, when the line has been first extended from the western extremity to the western margin of the Okefenoke. The time requisite to reach the mouth of Flint, 300 miles from Darien, along the zigzag course which must be pursued, there being no direct route thither, may perhaps be better employed in proceeding more slowly and more exactly in running the line from the eastern extremity at once. The saving of that time will give more leisure for the most difficult part of the work, of which a greater degree of accuracy will be the sure effect, and the healthier early season will render hurry unnecessary. The present is the exact time for such operations. Upon such ground as the swamp, the water will be sufficiently warm for wading, and the foliage greatly thinner now than later. Again, if the Okefenoke be absolutely impenetrable with compass and chain, and the intention to run the line through it be accordingly found altogether impracticable, the fact can be determined only by going there and making the experiment; in which case, very certainly it will be most advisable to make a traverse, and find thereby the point at which the line would have come out of the swamp, if it had been run through it, so as to give the power of proceeding westward at once. In that case, the random or guide line will probably diverge more from the true line than if it had begun at that end where no traverse is necessary. But,