[Secretary at War Letter [strikethrough: filed June 4. 91] 1790 Dec 20^th] War department, 20^th Decem.^r 1790. Sir I had the honor, on the 6.^th of Septem.^r last, of addressing to your excellency's protection a packet to William Blount Esq.^r governor of the territory of the United States, ceded by the State of North Carolina — A duplicate of which I enclosed to your excellency, to be forwarded to governor Blount in my letter to you of the ninth of the same month. As it is to be apprehended that the said letters have miscarried, I have to request you would be so obliging as to inform me by whom and by what route you sent the said packets, and whether they were addressed to Colonel Arthur Campbell. The honorable lieutenant Governor Wood informed me in a letter of the 21.^st of Septem.^r that, he had procured an express to take charge of them as far as Colonel Arthur Campbell's of Washington county, but fortunately heard that governor Blount has passed through this place on his way to Newyork; this determined him to withhold the dispatches until his return, and had left a card at the Inn where he lodged, to inform him that the dispatches were still in his possession." I have the honor to be with great respect Your excellency's most obedient & humble Servant, H Knox Secy of War His excellency the Governor of Virginia