[Pages 2-7 are severely damaged, with text visible only in the central portions of each page. The right and left margins are largely destroyed. The following transcription captures the legible fragments, with illegible and cut-off portions noted.] War department 6089 April [undecipherable] Sir. I have the honor [undecipherable] [Your Ex]cellency, in confidence, th[at] [undecipherable] of affairs upon the fr[ontier undecipherable] at, all the indian[s undecipherable] will in the co[undecipherable] from circumstances, not under the co[ntrol of] the general government, have proceeded fro[m] one stage to another, until it seems, but too probable that force only can decide the co[n]test. As it is to be apprehended [that] [th]e Six Nations may be brought to a[undecipherable] it has been conceived importa[nt] [the]m together particularly [undecipherable] [on]ly a period as possible[,] [t]he chain, and to[undecipherable] Aware of your [undecipherable] over Captain Joseph Brant[,] the view that you might in[undecipherable] arrang[e]ments to undertake th[e] w[undecipherable] Indians to pacifie m[undecipherable] that we will a general tre[aty] would be abundantly mo[re] the feelings and interes[ts] than to extenuate the [undecipherable] to see the inevitable [undecipherable] long continuance [undecipherable] [en]able to [undecipherable] And, it is also proper that you [should] understand, that a mortal enmity ex-ists between Brandt and the Complant[er,] In this situation of things[,] [your Ex]cellency [should] entertain the [undecipherable] [opi]nion [undecipherable] that Brandt might be[undecipherable] [w]ith good effect and consistently [undecipherable] [Comp]lanter's mission, and that [undecipherable] [ass]ist in the business[,] [undecipherable] that you would take [undecipherable] the pur[undecipherable] [H]e will be on t[he undecipherable] sho[u]ld consider the idea practicab[le,] give him such information, an[d] as would tend to success. [undecipherable] [C]olonel might repair t[o undecipherable] to make the further nece[ssary undecipherable] —Your Excellency could [undecipherable] to Brandt to meet [undecipherable] Colonel Pickering[']s p[undecipherable] [or] other as you sho[uld undecipherable] persuaded that nothing but a fixed con-viction of your Excellency's regard [for the] public welfare would have compelled me to trouble you on this occasion. a[nd] I want the liberty of requesting a[n] [ans]wer per immediately in answer to these suggestions. For if you should judge th[em] practicable, no a moment no time, sho[uld] [be los]t. I have the honor to [undecipherable] with [undecipherable]