Erie County, March 25^th 1791 Sir I Received your letter of the 2^d of March on the 22^d Inst. a few days before I Received yours. I received orders from the Government of Virginia to order out Fifty [undecipherable] under two Officers, which I had done as [undecipherable] came to hand, and which Number I [undecipherable] I Shall continue under [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]]. After consulting the Lieutenant of Washington County [undecipherable] came to the following determination to arrange the men in such a [undecipherable] as would best cover both Counties. I made a Contract with John M^c[undecipherable] for Supplying the men with Rations at Eight Cents p. Ration. The labour under [undecipherable] from divided [undecipherable] age for want of [undecipherable]. I have the honor to be, with Respect Sir your most Obt Serv^t David [undecipherable: probable reading Shepherd] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [The Hon Henry Knox Esq^r]