[The document is heavily damaged and largely illegible. Page 1 of the file is an archival placeholder noting the illegibility. Page 2 is the outer wrapper leaf of the letter, severely damaged with only faint traces of handwriting visible in the upper right quadrant, undecipherable. Pages 3–5 contain the letter text, transcribed below to the extent legible.] Dear Sir [undecipherable] January 1. 1793 [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the receipt of [your?] return of [undecipherable] man — [undecipherable] it a little [undecipherable] that [there?] [was?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the Gentlemen [arrived?] in [undecipherable] for the [undecipherable] on their way to [undecipherable] [expected?] to [have?] the [amount?] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that [undecipherable], to — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [settlement?] has [undecipherable] their men [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] is now [here?] in [undecipherable] his and [undecipherable] a few days [undecipherable] able to [rehabilitate?] [them?], I am [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for [settlement?], and [have?] no [means?] drawn on any [account?], which [I?] am not [regularly?] [amount?] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [for?]. I shall endeavour to have [all?] [payments?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the [people?] employed in the [Department?] in future, determining the [Disputes?] of [Commissioner?] [amount?] to [undecipherable]. [See a former letter] to you I express a hope that I should not be obliged to wait for further supply of [undecipherable] — I shall nevertheless [present?] [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] of War for another advance, and in the [undecipherable] beg you to [send?] me [one?] Thousand Dollars in large Notes by the [first?] [undecipherable], this [exchange?] of opinion is principally owing to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Washington [runs?] greater than we [undecipherable] not even [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for this Country [I?] am well acquainted with the difficulties arising from those of the different [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [frequently?] [must?] [come?] together. The [undecipherable] of the Secretary of War of [3?]^d of August on this subject sufficiently explains the [Departments?] are [to?] [be?] kept, and I shall [at all?] to have the [undecipherable] War Department thus subdivided into [Entries?] to be [as?] [well?] [undecipherable] as [possible?], the [undecipherable] to the necessity of [such?] a reform made [so much?] [more?] [earnest?], and [tend?] to the cause of accuracy in every respect. [I would?] [endeavour?] to be very particular with all this point as it is not possible to effect it only if the proper [distinctions?] are made to the [items?] of [Purchasing?], [receiving?], the issuing and making the [Articles?], and [undecipherable] for the different departments, and [separate?] Papers Being assured that you have the regulations for the distribution of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. I take the liberty, enclosing you an [abstract?] of the [rules?] which I have in my Office respecting the [undecipherable] and desire you to give me your Opinion [undecipherable] with such observations you may conceive necessary to carry them effect. We have no [news?] of consequence — and [are?] very comfortable at [Lemon-Ville?] — the [Commanding?] Chief has not [yet?] [undecipherable] the Legion yet on the Ground. I am [undecipherable] your Hum^ble Servant James O'Hara [undecipherable] [Sam?] Hodgdon Esq^r