Letter from Ensign Campbell Smith
Document 1794The Secretary of War has directed Stagg to transmit to Hodgdon the enclosed letter from Ensign Campbell Smith at Lancaster and dated April 23rd.
No human transcription currently available for this document.
This transcription was generated by machine using Anthropic's Claude Code (model sonnet 4.6). It may contain errors or inaccuracies. Please verify against the document image. Learn more about our generative AI methodology.
[Endorsed on outer wrapper: War Offi[ce] 1794 — enclos: a letter from Campbell Smith]
[Stamp: Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24 [year]. R.P.O. 401310.]
War Department, April 25. 1794.
Sir.
I am directed, by the Secretary of War, to trans=mit, for your information, the enclosed copy of a letter re=ceived from Ensign Campbell Smith, dated at Lancaster the 23 instant.
Respectfully Yours —
[undecipherable]
Samuel Hodgdon Esqr.
[Endorsed on inner wrapper: [Letter] from [Campbell] Smith to the Secretary of War 23 [April] 1794]
[Stamp: Received from State Dep't. Nov. 21. R.P.O. [undecipherable]]
Lancaster April 23 1794.
Dear Sir
I have the pleasure to inform you that we arrived here yesterday morning without having sustained loss or damage to my charge.
Our Cavalry and their furniture ha[ve] turned out to be of the [undecipherable] kind; one horse I was obliged to discharge before I left the City, being so crippled by a sore back, that he was unable to bear the rider without great torment, he was replaced by another very little better whom I shall be obliged to leave here, and take one from Colonel Slough. — this latter deficiency I would have supplied with the horse granted to Collins, but he is so miserably jaded with the journey thus far, that I am afraid to risk him; consequently shall leave him with Mr Slough. —— Our horse furniture was if possible worse calculated for the trip, than the horses themselves, scarce a mile but something broke, and we have been obliged to tarry here till this time, partly to refit and partly to avoid the rain which fell all day yesterday.
Collins's horse which he left here, we find lame and not well adapted for travelling; however he has agreed to venture on him, and if he fails to exchange him on the way, and I am not a little apprehensive that the horse furnished for my own riding may fail, if the weather continues so warm as has been.
I have thought proper to advise you of these circumstances, that others in a like situation may be guarded against similar impositions, and am with respect.
your most obedient Servant
(signed) Campbell Smith
We leave here two horses and one Saddle and Bridle
C.S.
The Secretary of War.
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Description
The Secretary of War has directed Stagg to transmit to Hodgdon the enclosed letter from Ensign Campbell Smith at Lancaster and dated April 23rd.
Date
04/25/1794
Author
Recipient
Sent from
War Department
Document number
1794042580102
Page start
3
Note
Enclosure: letter from Campbell Smith to Henry Knox, 04/23/1794.
Notable persons
John Stagg
Campbell Smith
Samuel Hodgdon
Ensign Campbell Smith
Secretary of War
Collins
cavalry
Colonel Slough
Notable locations
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
Notable items
horses
arrival
catchpenny kind
furniture
crippled horse


