_30th._ After nearly three months’ preparation for this expedition, we commenced our march in great splendor; our elegant equipage cast a brilliant lustre on the surrounding objects as it passed! our clothes and blankets looked as if they had never been acquainted with water, but intimately with dirt, smoke, and soot; in fact, we have become acquainted with one much despised in Kentucky, under whose government we are obliged to live, whose name is “_Poverty_.” We marched six miles and encamped near Col. Wells’s regiment, which marched yesterday; the sick were left at No. Third, with a company from each regiment as a guard. _January 10._ We arrived at Hull’s road at the Rapids, fifty miles from Fort Defiance, and encamped on a very high and suitable piece of ground. The second day after we left No. Third, the snow melted and the ground thawed, which operated much against our march. We marched two miles, which tried the strength and activity of our noble steeds. The General, who remained behind at No. Third, more properly styled _Fort Starvation_, thinking probably to take the advantage of the weather (this moderate thaw had opened the river in a ripple opposite to No. Third), had several pirogues loaded with his baggage, and manned immediately. After travelling three or four hundred yards they found that they were blockaded with ice; they landed and guarded the plunder, until arrangements could be made for its transportation by land. The weather took a change the second of January. It commenced snowing, and continued two days and nights: after it ceased, it was from twenty to twenty-four inches deep. During this time we remained stationary. On the third the army resumed its march, wading through a deep snow. We had to stop early in the afternoon to prepare our encampment; to rake the snow away, make fires, and pitch our tents, was no trifling task; and after this we had to get bark or bushes to lie on; the linn, in this case, was of great service to us. Many of the horses gave out, and sleds broke down; consequently, the plunder had to be pulled or carried by the men. I have seen six Kentuckians substituted instead of a horse, pulling their plunder, drudging along through the snow, and keeping pace with the foremost. In marching to this place we came through some good land, particularly the river bottoms, which are very rich. Wolftown, which is about half way between Fort Defiance and the Rapids, is a handsome situation. This has formerly been an Indian town. We reached Roche De Baut the 9th, four miles above Hull’s road, a place where some French had formerly lived. Early next morning (as cold a morning as the Kentuckians ever experienced) a detached party of six hundred and seventy-six men marched in front of the baggage, and went on four miles below the foot of the Rapids, in order to examine if it were true, as said by some passengers from the right wing of the army, that there were six hundred Indians encamped and picketed in, six miles