[Letter from C. H. Simeon Holt / Arm^rs Rep^rs / dated May 17^th 1794 / Rec^d June 5^th 1794] Samuel Hodgdon esquire Philadelphia Newtown Virginia May 17^th 1794 Sir An Opportunity now presents to send a letter to the Post Office at Richmond which I embrace I do being the first which has offered this month; the roads at this season [undecipherable] are such that [undecipherable] may not — I rec^d yours and M^r Blairs enclosing my amounts & Vouchers to the Office — [undecipherable] I they are sufficiently formal & explicit; yet should they not in the new way satisfy, to me any the form in which you may send to have them stated is plain and I shall shortly comply with their directions; our wish is to the give our selves satisfaction on the business. The sundry articles which you and forwarded to Germantown are safely arrived at this place except a deficiency of three days prior. M^r LaMonier has also arrived and set on to work. Two Black smiths and four other hands from his Country have lately been added to the Armory. The business would go on with life and spirit in future if all the hands were as attentive and laborious as they should be, which how really sorry to say is not the case. M^r Perkins and myself have agreed to discharge the most indifferent of them as soon as others can be had to supply their places — I flatter on a short time to have the Stills for Grinding Bayonets — [undecipherable] at work — The Armourers all the time are chiefly employed in cleaning and fitting for immediate service about twelve hundred Muskets which I have returned as cleaned and fit for service upon a critical inspection [undecipherable] the Stocks to many of them unfit for use and the whole are becoming rusty — as there out & learn it may be natural for you to suppose that [undecipherable] will attend [undecipherable] to the business all this Year as I [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] I am well convinced that the Publick Interest has been thereby neglected, yet I am free to acknowledge that on every account it is most prudent for me to be on the Spot, and therefore I determined some time ago to move with [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] have been erected for the reception of my family. Our workers have been employed by us for some time back in building their houses and [undecipherable] forward the business with all possible expedition — the [undecipherable] time I beg you to be assured that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] faithfully attended to every part of the business committed to my care & management. I have the honor to be Sir your most Obedient humble Servant W^m S. Holt Samuel Hodgdon esq^r