[The Secretary of War] Pittsburgh, February 1^st 1793 I am favoured by the receipt of your [undecipherable] let[ter] [undecipherable] Ultimo with a letter from M^r Bell, dated Lexington December 11^th, several [undecipherable] communications that I have [undecipherable], [undecipherable: enduce] me to take the liberty of enclosing upon a draft of my answer to this letter which shall not be [undecipherable] until [undecipherable] appear very necessary. [undecipherable: adopt] I have [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] on reading a Paragraph from a letter of General [undecipherable: Wilkinson]'s relative to [undecipherable] of the 10^th September as follows [undecipherable], they have [undecipherable: mistaken] this order entirely. I sought and obtained [undecipherable] M^r Bell from our General letters for [undecipherable] carrying this order into effect. I [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Oracle, and this order with [undecipherable] equal to the most eminent relations, letters respecting the [undecipherable] very directed to General [undecipherable: Wilkinson]. I [undecipherable] by M^r Bell [undecipherable] all the means to purchase [undecipherable] 400 horses and [undecipherable] have been [undecipherable]. I should [undecipherable: suppose] of men [undecipherable] intended to [undecipherable] such a number of horses until it should [undecipherable] certain that we could [undecipherable: transport] & employ them to advantage which depended entirely on the [undecipherable] and as no [undecipherable] report that I [undecipherable] have been [undecipherable]. I [undecipherable: perceive] that the Paragraph [undecipherable] they entirely [undecipherable] and I [undecipherable] in addition to [undecipherable] examination of [undecipherable] for raising [undecipherable] pack horses to trouble you with the enclosed Copy of my [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of M^r [undecipherable] place of M^r Bell and their intention to raise whatever there [undecipherable] There is some information with M^r [undecipherable] among [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] forces and [undecipherable] great [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] attack while [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] letters number [undecipherable] [undecipherable] within a statement of provisions made in this Month for [undecipherable] general statement of an [undecipherable] warrant [undecipherable] acts and regularly made [undecipherable] a fine [undecipherable] needed to come to [undecipherable] on the [undecipherable] great [undecipherable] more late [undecipherable] your [undecipherable] the expenses of Fort Washington, All the [undecipherable] of an Additional number of Posts [undecipherable] also [undecipherable] and being [undecipherable] in affairs, they leave to [undecipherable] the Deputys of [undecipherable] recently. [undecipherable] I deem on that [undecipherable] of the department, the Treasurer [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] to the $10,000 value and may send an [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] I am with the [undecipherable: greatest] respect[undecipherable] Sir Your Most Ob^t Servant James [undecipherable]