P.S. 29 Pittsburgh 11^th Nov^r 1792 Sir It is certainly would not [undecipherable] [undecipherable] government [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of the interior to [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] obtained from an ideas [undecipherable] the President [undecipherable] some confidential [undecipherable] personal information from [undecipherable] contained [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on an early period in the [undecipherable] reason for forming this ideas was from [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of M^r Hammond in a select Company on the [undecipherable] Sep. at [undecipherable] [undecipherable] among [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] those the Tories were immediately [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on erecting a Fort on the [undecipherable] side of the river from Detroit + [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was [undecipherable] on his way to Mount Vernon; — this [undecipherable] of the Presidents [undecipherable] having — [undecipherable] out, [undecipherable] not [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the troops [undecipherable] between this place & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] were the Posts on the Lakes — or Detroit only to be surrendered to us, there would be no hesitation as to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the seat of the Hostile Indians — at the [undecipherable] of the Miami of the Lake & at Au Glaize — But Not out of the Question, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for a [undecipherable] of the Legion [undecipherable] established [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Washington, where [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] every advantage of time & circumstances, to [undecipherable: advance] the head of the Line & [undecipherable] towards the Miamis Villages — in case of a [undecipherable] winter — i.e. a [underline: hard-winter], that would admit of Sleds to transport the [undecipherable] &^ca — however I have already given Gen^l Wilkinson my ideas of the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] mode of transportation. In the interim I have made choice of an encampment on the bank of the river, [undecipherable] Creek on the [undecipherable] right [undecipherable] which forms a secure harbour for our boats [undecipherable] [undecipherable], provided we have [undecipherable] the river; in fact it is the only spot in which the boats could possibly be saved from inevitable [undecipherable], [undecipherable] a considerable distance [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] not [undecipherable] be served at Pittsburgh or in its vicinity, such an idea was never contemplated at this place. The construction of the Kentucky boats — being only calculated for the purpose of [undecipherable: descending] the river the same season they are built, & after landing the families [undecipherable] adrift; Those of the Army are broke up [undecipherable] for the use of the Fort [undecipherable] — & first this may be considered as the first [undecipherable] that has been made, to save or secure [undecipherable] of this kind of boat over Winter, in order to be used the next season — This we shall effect, but with a good deal of Labour & [undecipherable] in repairing them, however this [undecipherable] shall be done [undecipherable] in perfect readiness to Descend the Ohio at an early period in the Spring, by what time on at [undecipherable] the Legion will be completed; to its full [undecipherable: complement]. You mention, The [undecipherable: indispensable] necessity of having The [undecipherable] [undecipherable] General at [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in order to close the Accounts of the troops, he has not yet been ordered up, but it shall [undecipherable] be done in the interim — there can't be much difficulty in forming an Estimate of the sum of money immediately — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the troops up to the last of this month, [undecipherable] four months — all the Muster & Pay Rolls up to the last of [undecipherable] August, will be forwarded by the next post, [undecipherable] together with your knowledge of the Number of [undecipherable] below will enable [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] an estimate, [undecipherable] it will not be lost; at all events — we ought to [undecipherable] the troops, [undecipherable] will ensure discipline & subordination, but [undecipherable] much difficulty to introduce them into the Legion, let me [undecipherable] you to forward the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] let me now mention some resignations & Casualties that have taken place in the Infantry, as it's probable that the President will fill the Vacancies very shortly Viz. Lieu^t. [undecipherable] resigned the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] Ensign [undecipherable] D^t. the 6^th Oct. Capt. Ballard Smith, suspended by the [undecipherable] of a [undecipherable] Court Martial of which enclosed is a Copy — [undecipherable] will not this [undecipherable] deprive him of rank, altho' he may return to the Command of the Company, he [undecipherable] may, I have the best ground to believe that the Court Martial had a [undecipherable] that he would resign — [undecipherable] they meant only to let him down easy. He has deceived them [undecipherable] a very great reform takes place, he will not be fit of the Command of a Battalion, and perhaps there are not less than two Vacancies at this moment. [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] This day Ensign W^m T. Payne was [undecipherable: Cashiered] by the [undecipherable: sentence] of [undecipherable] Court Martial [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] one of your Candidates — M^r. W^m. [undecipherable] has been reduced to the ranks, & I am now under the necessity of discharging him, to screen him from [undecipherable] punishment, he is a vicious prowling Character — Nature never intended him for any thing, but the Anvil & he has accordingly hired himself, to M^r. Turnbull as a hammerman. There are [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] Characters — Not [undecipherable] I can venture to recommend Viz. [undecipherable] Lukins — a [undecipherable] Gentleman about 22 Years of age, Grandson to The Old [undecipherable] General of Penna M^r. McLean who I have before mentioned & a M^r. [undecipherable] a volunteer now on the Ground — recommended in the strongest terms, by Gen^l. Gates. An Detachment of [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Good Speed in preparing the materials for our Huts as you'll see by the Enclosed Letter from Cap^t. Faulkner — I am very apprehensive we shall suffer for want of flower; The Contractor is exceedingly alarmed, [undecipherable] and says that unless there is every [undecipherable] of rain, it will not be in his power to feed the troops; so that we are in no great danger of having too large a supply of Provision in advance — I have the honor to be with very sincere Esteem Your most Ob^t. Serv^t [undecipherable] [signature: Anthy Wayne] The Hon^ble Major Gen^l. H. Knox