Scotts commission: on 13 Mch., during a congressional recess, TJ appointed John B. Scott of Virginia colonel and brevet commandant of the regular army troops and militia in the district around Cape Girardeau in Louisiana. Dearborn sent Scott his commission and instructions as to his duties on 19 Mch. The Senate took up Scott’s appointment in December 1805, but postponed discussion of it repeatedly. It was postponed indefinitely on 21 Apr. 1806. (Appendix I; Terr. Papers description begins Clarence E. Carter and John Porter Bloom, eds., The Territorial Papers of the United States, Washington, D.C., 1934-75, 28 vols. description ends , 13:105-6, 107-8; JEP description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States … to the Termination of the Nineteenth Congress, Washington, D.C., 1828, 3 vols. description ends , 2:8, 10, 19, 20-1, 35).

written to Mr. Dunbar: on 25 Mch., Dearborn wrote to William Dunbar at the “direction of the President of the United States” with instructions for an expedition up the Red River. Dearborn asked Dunbar to recruit “the most suitable persons,” including George Hunter. They would be assisted by a contingent of soldiers from Fort Adams. Dunbar was to see to the construction and outfitting of a boat and could draw on the War Department for a total of up to $5,000 for the expenses of the expedition. Dearborn cautioned him not to advance beyond “the first considerable ridge or high land” to avoid approaching too close to Spanish settlements around Santa Fe. Dunbar was to seek information in particular regarding the distance between the Red and Arkansas Rivers. Dearborn advised him that John Sibley, who had $3,000 in trade goods available, would likely be interested in making contact with Native American groups along the Red River and could assist Dunbar in obtaining guides. “It will be desirable to set out as early as possible,” Dearborn noted (FC in DNA: RG 107, MLS).

Robertson & Dinsmore: James Robertson of Tennessee and Silas Dinsmoor of New Hampshire, U.S. agents to the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, were appointed on 13 Mch. to negotiate land cessions with those nations. Dearborn sent the commissioners instructions on 20 Mch. In exchange for a sum covering debts to the Scottish mercantile trading firm Panton, Leslie, & Co., the Choctaw were to cede lands between the Mississippi and Big Black Rivers. In exchange for a lump sum and annual payments made to an important leader, the Chickasaw were to cede lands north of the Tennessee River between the Duck River and the Mississippi. Robertson and Dinsmoor concluded arrangements with the Chickasaw on 23 July and a treaty of limits was signed on 16 Nov. with the Choctaw, but in neither case were lands along the Mississippi included (Appendix I; ASP description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States, Washington, D.C., 1832-61, 38 vols. description ends , Indian Affairs, 1:697, 700, 749, 750; William S. Coker and Thomas D. Watson, Indian Traders of the Southeastern Spanish Borderlands [Pensacola, Fla., 1986], 255-8).

Mr. Davy: Dearborn wrote to William Davy on 19 Mch. to accept Davy’s offer to undertake “the Superintendence of the Public Trading Houses with the Indian Nations” and to sketch the terms of the position. He wrote again on 26 Mch. to confirm the appointment and to give more detailed instructions (Dearborn to Davy, 19 Mch., in DNA: RG 107, MLS; Dearborn to Davy, 26 Mch., in DNA: RG 75, LSIA).

late dispatches from Mr. Munroe & Genl. Armstrong: see Madison to TJ, 17 Mch.