War department 24^th March 1792 Sir I have Received your favord letter to the [undecipherable] of March and I cannot but be highly Satisfied at your zeal & desire, to Render [undecipherable] in order to favour so laudable and [undecipherable] Soldierly as the position on your part. I have agreeably to my letter to you of the 25^th of February directed Capt Bap on his Arrival at Venango, to permit you a party of forty [or] fifty non Commissioned, and private in order to form a partizan or Rangeing Corps — So there you will add as many Reputed Indians I will engage [undecipherable] from purely Voluntary Motives there must be neither persuasion or Compulsion on your part I have advanc'd forty Rifles to Fort Franklin, about thirty of which Capt Bap will deliver you, Reserving the other ten for present to some of the Indian principle — you may find it useful to Combine Musketry at your Rifle Men — I flatter Myself that you will mark your Convoy, and with judgement [undecipherable] & Vigilance, the Indians must be treeted with perfect humanity and attention, and never with Some idea of Rivality — I shall take care to Reply [undecipherable] fancies on this head — Cap Bap will Assign you a Subaltern Officer if then of them should Voluntarily Offer, I hope M^r Bond will be Reappointed, he Certainly is deserving of it, I am persuaded he will not be disappointed in his Expectation — Having made the Arrangement of a partizan [undecipherable] from Conviction of its Utility, as well as a [undecipherable] Regards to your Request, I flatter Myself it will be just & agreeable to you — I am Sir your Hum^t Serv^t Knox Sec^y of War — Lieut Jeffs —