War Department, December 4^th 1791 Sir I have received your Letter of the 8^th instant. I am sorry for the ice being in the river. The public service requires that the troops and the money should descend to Fort Washington immediately. If the ice shall render their descent impracticable from Fort Pitt, they must march to Wheeling, where you must provide Boats for their transportation, and also the transportation of the Woolen Overalls. I depend upon your making every exertion for this object, as well as for the march of the troops to Wheeling, or their descent afterwards. I am persuaded no local influence will prevent your exerting yourself in obedience to this order. Nothing but the clearest evidence of its utter impracticability will excuse a failure. I have now ordered, if the troops should not have left Fort Pitt, two Subalterns, two Serjeants, two Corporals and thirty Privates, to be left at Fort Pitt for the present, until more troops shall arrive. Major Burnham will, notwithstanding any former intimations, march from this City with about one hundred and twenty Recruits, in four or five days; he will probably remain at Fort Pitt and the upper parts of the Ohio for some time, as a protection. I request you immediately to procure materials for a Block House and Picketted Fort, to be erected in such a part of Pittsburg as shall be the best position to cover the Town as well as the Stores, which shall be forwarded from time to time. As you have been an [undecipherable] Officer during the late war, I request you to act as an Engineer on this occasion. I give you a Sketch of the works generally, which you must adapt to the nature of the ground. I would have the Block house and Work to hold about Two hundred men under cover, within the pallisadoes. I do not myself apprehend immediate dangers, but it will be best to guard against even contingent events. I request you to go to work instantly, and engage as many Carpenters and workmen as the object may require. The detachment, if left, must assist in the execution of the business; and the Officer commanding must consider this Letter, which you will shew him [undecipherable], as if given to himself. Make an estimate and let me know the expense of this work. I shall depend upon your arrangement with the Contractor, to have four months [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and flour deposited in the Garrison of Fort Franklin, for Seventy men. I am Sir, Your most Obedient hum^ble Serv^t H Knox Major Craig N.B. It is probable that some private property may be encroached upon by the position you may take. But an appraisement must be made according to law of the value of the ground — and the [undecipherable] transmitted to me.