[Archival notation: Missing Page/s. Some or all of the pages of this file are wholly or in part missing, and we have not been able to locate a more complete copy of the document.] [Archival notation: Illegible Text. Some or all of the pages of this file are wholly or in part illegible. We have not been able either to locate a better copy of the document, or to enhance its legibility electronically.] [XXXI - 95] [imperfect=] Cincinnati May the 17^th 1792 Duplicata Col. Winthrop Sargent Private my Dear Sir I am extremely gratified by your kind private letter of the 21^st [undecipherable] — to merit and [undecipherable: possess] Approbation and affections has been among my [undecipherable: first] and most ardent wishes since I have had the Honour of being known to you — I am indeed I assure you anxiously desirous of [undecipherable] for the [undecipherable] in this Country but I have red the most [underline: undecipherable] Proofs that the important duties to which your [undecipherable] has appointed me can not [undecipherable] Honour and Fidelity be discharged [undecipherable] without [undecipherable] Rank in the Army — I made the Experiment last Campaign and though [undecipherable] to the Troops under the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] the Confidence and [undecipherable] of the commanding General yet I had infinite Mortifications and Discouragements to [underline: undecipherable: combat]. It should be my Ambition [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] the mere Limits of mere [undecipherable] — and [undecipherable] to the world that I [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] and Friendship of the Secretary at War — In this arduous [undecipherable] it would be my Province to come forward under the Direction of the commanding General [undecipherable] to correct Abuses that have [undecipherable] the Force of [underline: undecipherable: long Habit], and [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] a new System of Discipline, or to [undecipherable] thereto, in order to render our Army [undecipherable] against the Enemy they [undecipherable] have to fight — most Innovations you must be sensible my dear Sir are received in Disgust, and when [undecipherable] by an Officer without Rank the Consequences are [undecipherable] — the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] upon his [undecipherable] will dare to murmur and [undecipherable] and the Contagion of his Example [undecipherable] among the [undecipherable] must tend to prostrate Subordination and Discipline and produce the [undecipherable] of frequent Courts and sometimes perhaps as Appears to the [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] immediately be [undecipherable] into extreme [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] and though a man might in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] himself by such measures and a [undecipherable] Conduct [undecipherable] the Respect of an Army yet the [undecipherable] is [undecipherable], would require more than one Campaign to [undecipherable] it, and in the mean while the Public Interests might suffer — These Difficulties, would all I presume be obviated by [undecipherable] Rank upon [undecipherable] that you will pardon I trust the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Considerations in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to you and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to me — it was not [undecipherable] after a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of Inclination and Propriety and by the [undecipherable] of an Officer of Distinction in this Country, who is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] opinion that all important Appointments to [undecipherable] be endowed with Rank — It would have afforded me infinite Satisfaction to have conferred with you upon the Subject before I had made my determination, and might [underline: undecipherable] have proved highly [undecipherable] [undecipherable], I have unbounded Confidence in you [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and pride myself in [undecipherable: constantly] believing in your Friendship — I am ambitious my Dear Sir, and I repeat it, that all my Conduct should stand fair to you — I know there were the Odium when [undecipherable] Character proved the Levy Officers and I know it has not been [undecipherable] to them — my manner of doing Duty was to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable: ex]pectation of my General (though not [undecipherable] my Embarrass[undecipherable]) [undecipherable] would not contain half the [undecipherable] of the Abuses, negligence, military [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and misconduct of the Army both [undecipherable] I was [undecipherable] to leave [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the Army [undecipherable] to the Depot and [undecipherable] the Army Troops I enjoyed not a single [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and under all [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] no Instances where Temper [undecipherable] the way, but [undecipherable] myself in your Approbation I drop the Subject — I [undecipherable] my Dear Sir that we shall have [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is not in command [undecipherable] the Army — I wish it most fervently from a [undecipherable] Regard to the public Interests as well as most [undecipherable] of Friendship, and it appears to me that his very misfortunes ought to have been [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Reasons why he should have been continued, but [undecipherable] national Decision I [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Arrives [undecipherable] from your Letter, [undecipherable] every moment expected, And I hope an adequate Force for important Operations may be soon assembled as I presume not upon the [undecipherable] Overtures — The [undecipherable] I am [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] be [undecipherable] I think [undecipherable]