[Docket: 5^th. October 1792. / to Gen. Knox — / [undecipherable] / N^o 23] Pittsburgh 5^th Oct^r 1792 Sir I have the honor to acknowledge your of the 28^th Ultimo with the enclosures & will pay due attention to those matters you have recommended. That which respects [strikethrough: obtaining] the Ascertaining the Probable force of the confederate enemy we may, eventually, have to contend with, [this] in a great measure been anticipated & [undecipherable] every [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] interesting intelligence [undecipherable] many weeks since — I shall continue to reiterate those [undecipherable], by every means in my power, so as to reduce it to as great a certainty as circumstances will possibly admit of, from a conviction of the Policy as well as the necessity of the measure. Enclosed is the Monthly return for Sept [undecipherable] the Detachments belonging to The Legion & Sub Legions of [undecipherable], together with a Copy of Cap^t Porter's report of the defects of three of the [undecipherable], which appears to be of a bad composition, but they will speak for themselves — [undecipherable] — As I have directed that they [are] to be sent to Philadelphia by a return Waggon, we have discover'd some other defects, which will be remedied without much expence or difficulty. I hope we shall now be able to go on with the [Muster?] & inspection of the troops — but we will be under the Necessity of discharging many of the men — who never were — nor never will be fit for service, They are at present a nuisance to the Legion & [undecipherable] expence to the Publick The following vacancies have taken place in the Legion VIZ Lieut Wm Davidson of the 1^st Troop & 1^st Sub Legion on the 18^th Sep^r; Lieut Sam^t Cochran of the [undecipherable] Sub Legion of Infantry on the 25^th of the same month. Ensign John [undecipherable] of the 1^st Sub Legion on the 4^th Instant. Those Gentlemen could well be spared without any Possible injury to the service. But an Other resignation has this day finally taken place which I wished to prevent, [i.e.] Captain John [undecipherable: Stake?] of 2^d Troop of Dragoons of the 2^d Sub Legion, enclosed are copies of his letter & my Answer on the Subject There are two Other Gentlemen in Arrest — who probably will be compelled to leave the Service. One by Major Bidinger — The Other by Major Rudulph upon charges of every Criminal Nature — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] their condition [undecipherable] — Neither Davidson, Cochran or [undecipherable], have [undecipherable] vouchers or means to settle their accounts — altho Ordered [undecipherable] M^r Jones & M^r Dunn, [undecipherable] have undergone a [satisfactory?] Probation, [& will] be mentioned as Cornets in General Orders by permission of the President of the US — as there will be [undecipherable] vacancies in the Dragoons — Lieu^t Major Rudulph is very anxious for [a?] Dav^d Torry to fill [undecipherable] he appears to be a very genteel [sober] and active [Man?] [undecipherable] exact Disciplinarian [undecipherable] Dragoon [Service?] [undecipherable] Officer [+] There is also a M^r McLane acting as a Volunteer, [&] ready upon all Occasions [who is] an excellent Clerk & strongly recommended to me by letters from a Number of the Most respectable Characters in York County — he is a native of that [Place?] & has the appearance & manners of a gentleman I will make the Necessary enquiries concerning Jos. Richardson & you may rest Assured I will carefully guard against [undecipherable] improper appointments or recommendations — we shall have [undecipherable] purge the Legion of [undecipherable] Characters who [undecipherable] to be Officers — [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] [undecipherable]; I have the Honor to be with true Esteem Your most Ob^t Hum^b & Hum^d Serv^t Ant^y Wayne The Honble Major Gen^l Knox Sec^y of War