[No 48 From [undecipherable] General [undecipherable] Sec^y of war] War department March 30 1793 Sir I have received your public and private letters of the 22 instant. The President has left this for Mount Vernon and will not return until the 25^th April. I will transmit your request relative to the provisional Ensigns with the army and I hope he will gratify your requests — The quarter Master Gen^t has not made by this post a requisition for shoes. Those re-quested by the Commanding Officer of Artillery Shall be furnished excepting [strikethrough: what] that he calls "battle powder" which is an absurdity for rifle or other fine powder will take fire more quickly than any glazed powder whatever. I presume that you will consider what is called the Spies or Scouts an essential part of the protection of the Frontiers. Indeed the more they are permitted the more satisfied will the People be. I pray, therefore to direct the measure immediately — [undecipherable] Having been and, being unwell I can not enlarge at present but I hope to write more fully by Major Mills next week. I am Sir with great esteem your humble servant [signature] Major General Wayne