War Office 250p^e 1794 - enclosed a letter from [Luis?] Smith

Samuel Hodgdon Esq -

War Department War Department, April 25^th . 1794.

Sir.

I am directed, by the Secretary of War, to transmit, for your information, the enclosed copy of a letter received from Ensign Campbell Smith, dated at Jan after the 23. imptant.

Respectfully Yours–

J Stagg [undecipherable]

Samuel Hodgeton Esq. A letter from Luis Smith to the Secretary of War 23 April 1794

28 [in circle]

1794 Lancaster April 23 1794.

Dear Sir

I have the pleasure to inform you that we arrived here yesterday morning with out having sustained loss or damage to my charge.

Our Cavalry and their furniture have turned out to be of the ^ ^most catchpenny 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 M^r 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 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.