No 20. To Major Gen^l Knox Sec^y of War Pittsburgh 21 Sept 1792. Sir, I am honored by yours of the 11^th & 14^th instants with copies of letters from the President of the United States, Gen^l Wilkinson & M^r Belli, D.Q.M. G of the U.S. army which I will examine with due attention Enclosed are copies of a letter from Lieu^t Davidson of the First troop of Dragoons, requesting leave to resign, and the Gen^l Orders of the 15^th accepting his resignation, which I the more readily assented to from his character given me by Major Rudulph: the most prominent features were those of a fondness for ardent spirits — & frequent inebriation. I had also another motive viz to produce a conviction to some other officers that if their resignations were offered, they would be accepted — Perhaps you say that you will state to the President the recommendations of M^r Jones, M^r Dunn, & M^r Butler and wish to know who M^r Butler is — he is the eldest son of Col^o Wm. Butler, about the age of nineteen years, atheletic, modest, sober & fond of military life — he acts as a volunteer in Capt. Edw^d Butler's company & has enlisted ten or twelve good rifle men, he is a Genteel young fellow, but has had the misfortune to lose the sight of one eye by the small pox, notwithstanding this accident he is one of the best shot upon the ground and well adapted to the rifle service. should [strikethrough: open] happen in that corps, it is the place I would wish him in — M^r Dunn for a Cornet in the first troop, M^r Jones an Ensign in the first Sub legion — unless there are two vacancies in the Dragoons. Enclosed is a copy of orders to Lieu^t Taylor who commands the escort for the pay of the troops — Lieu^t Britt being on the spot will be appointed to examine the master of payrolls & to pay the troops on account: the pacs will be endorsed to him if paid on warrants signed by me, upon the D.M. General officiating as treasurer, until the arrival of the P.M. General, who has not been ordered up the river — probably his presence may not be necessary at all, under present circumstances especially if M^r Britt should be appointed D.P.M. pro. tem. agreeably to my request. I now enclose you a copy of my letter of the 10^th instant to the Quarter Master General, on the subject of forage — which I omitted by the last post being pressed for time. You mention supernumerary Officers for certain posts to rise in their respective Sub Legions — The principal, if not the only defect, in my humble opinion, in the organization of the Legion & Sub Legions, is that of too few commissioned officers in proportion to the non commissioned officers and privates, considering the service for which they are intended — perhaps a Captain Lieutenant with the pay of Lieutenant, would have a good effect as in that case the present Lieu^ts might receive Brevets of Captains — the Ensigns' Brevets that of Lieutenants & Ensigns appointed to each company — At first view it may appear a heavy additional expence, but in the end I am confident, it will be found both advantageous, and oeconomical — You will have a choice of fine young fellows of education, who may be sent forward to the Legion as a military school, whilst the recruiting officers are completing their respective corps — at all events the Majors ought to have Brevet Commissions of Lieu^t Colonels, so as not to be commanded by midlin Lieu^t Colonels. I pray you to give this business a serious consideration and honor me with the