[Joseph Carleton Esq Sec in the War Office] Philadelphia Aug 9^th 1784 Sir Your letter of sunday I received. The answers you inclosed 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 appear to me utterly impracticable, because the troops are not yet raised and the means of water transportation are totally unprovided. I supposed the return of [undecipherable] from Canada would have ascertained it also whether the frontier posts would or would not be evacuated, but the answer to my 4^th question imports that it remaining a contingency but that if they are evacuated the destina- tion of the troops will be to garrison the same. I ought therefore further enquire - 1. Whether, upon this contingency, any provision, particularly of boats, is to be made for the [undecipherable] flotation of troops & stores to any posts or places, except [those to?] Cuyahoga & [undecipherable: Nova?] [undecipherable]? If the answer in the affirmative, I must then ask - 2. What number of troops - what cannon & military stores - and what quantities of provisions will be ordered to each post? As the fifty thousand [undecipherable]