[98] Joseph Carleton Esq^r Sec^y in the War Office Philadelphia Aug. 27, 1784 Sir, Your letter of yesterday I received. The answers you inclined to my questions are not so definite as I could have wished. The sending of garrisons to Niagara & Detroit — much more to Michilimackinac this year, appears to me utterly impracticable, because the troops are not but raised, and the means of water transportation are totally unprovided. I supposed the return of Col. Hill from Canada would have rendered it certain, whether the frontier posts would or would not be evacuated. Yet the answer to my 4^th question imports that it remains a contingency, but that if they are once fixed the destination of the troops will be to garrison the same. I must therefore further inquire — 1. Whether, upon this contingency, any provision, particularly of boats, is to be made, for the transportation of troops & stores, to any posts or places, except Pitt, Cuyahoga & Presque Stanwia? — If the answer be in the affirmative — I must then ask — 2. What numbers of troops — what cannon & military stores — and what quantities of provisions will be ordered to each post? As the sixty thousand rations The Hon^ble Col. R. Morris Superintendent of Finance Sir, Philad^a August 31, 1784. There is a garrison at West Point for which a provision of wood must be made for the ensuing winter. Allowing for contingencies, this will require about forty cord p^r month. My assistant there has contracted for the delivery of two hundred cords on the opposite side of the river, from whence it will be brought over by the garrison, at two dollars p^er cord — amounting to - - - 400 Dollars The pay of that assistant — a cooper repairing & trimming powder casks @ 61.72 a waggoner, labourers & Cooper For West Point 461.72