N° 95 To the Hon[ora]ble Secretary at War, of the United States. —— [undecipherable: probable reading Springfield] [undecipherable] 7^th 1797 Dear Sir:— I was the last evening honored with the receipt of your favor of the 9^th [undecipherable] Major North. — As the State of Massachusetts has ordered a body of men to be kept up for four months from the 2[d?] Infantry, who will be stationed in the disaffected Counties, to watch the motions, & to counteract the Insurgents, the Magazine will in my opinion be quite safe, as no body of men can attack to a point unnoticed; therefore we need not now guard against an attack there, in force. — To prevent the Magazine of arms from being fired, & the foundation of the powder magazine from being sapped are the only objects which now claim your attention; to this service 40 men will be fully competent. — You may also be assured that while I retain any command in this part of the Country, the Security of the Magazine, [will be?] among the first objects of my attention. The Rebellion is so effectually giving way in every part, that little danger is to be apprehended from it. [signature]