[FREE] [Postmark: BOSTON JAN. 5] [Address: The Hon^ble Major General H. Knox Secretary at War Philadelphia] [Docketing: John [undecipherable] / Bruce] [Archival notation: 492,c th XXVII-104] Bruce Boston 5 Jan^y 1791 Dear Sir Having upon all Occasion found you my friend, and especially [^as] when I had the pleasure of Seeing you last you were So Obliging as to assure me of your kind attention to any Subject of mind on which I might find it Necessary to address you, with the freedom & confidence which your friendship inspires I fully relying on your Sincere disposition to do every thing in your power to Serve me I now beg leave to renew my request of your advice & assistance in directing me to or procuring for me Some appointment under the general Government, which I might be capable of filling to the publick advantage & with reputation to my Self. As you have before you the full View of the Several Departments in government & of the offices yet to be filled you can best advise me, not only what may be desireable, but what I might be likely to Obtain. I would however Suggest whether on the new arrangement of the Militia, by putting it upon one uniform establishment thro' the States Some Such appointment, as commissary or Quartermaster, Purveyor or agent for Supplies of Stores, provisions & Clothing for the Militia in Service, & for forts & garrisons, or Vessels with the Superintending & furnishing light houses, or Something else, which you can determine better than [I] may not be Obtained, which with what little I have been able to Save from the great Variety of Losses & Injuries which has come to me [hitherto] from the public & from Individuals, may in all [enable] me to Support my family with out going further than [is] hardly — [undecipherable] If no Such office as are aforementioned can be Obtained [probably] in the Multiplicity of public Business committed to General Lincoln I might by your recommendation come in for Something in the Supplies of Vessels Light house forts &c as the most have Some person to transact Some of his concerns or to make purchases The matter, however I only Suggest — you have my wishes and wants fully before you, & I Should ever esteem my Self highly indebted to you for any measures which you may dictate or propose to [undecipherable] — also to advise whether it would be eligible and if So in what manner I may Successfully address any other & what persons on the Subject With Sincere Esteem & affection I Subscribe my Self Dear Sir Your friend & very humb^le S^t Stephen Bruce [Address: The Hon Major Gen^l Knox Secretary at War]