[Docket notation on exterior: L #350 [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] Shields &c] Extract of a letter from General Knox Secretary of the War Department to Isaac Craig dated 18^th [undecipherable] 1791 Sir "You are hereby appointed to take charge of all the Publications belonging to the United States which shall be deposited at Fort Pitt &c" From same to same date 15^th June 1792 I am persuaded that your conduct since you have been in office, will bear the strictest examination. I have often had the pleasure to approve it, and hope the pleasure will be often repeated. I am convinced your compensation is made ample for your services, and I shall endeavour that it shall be satisfactory to you, as far as my power extends. I conceive your present will be as "Deputy Quarter Master General." From same to same date 27 [undecipherable] 1792 I confide in your character [undecipherable] been the reason of my reposing confidence in you [undecipherable] From same to same date [undecipherable] 17^th Feb[ruary] 1792 "I have had an established confidence as well in your integrity as in your zeal to promote to the public service; nor have [I] any reason to change it" From same to same date 29^th November 1792 "I am anxious to know whether you will accept of the office of being Commissary General, as no time can be lost in that business. In case you accept you must also appoint a deputy for Fort Pitt and the Upper parts of the Ohio" From same to same date 2^nd Dec 1794 "I shall expect to hear from you on the subject of the Commissary post, by the return of the post on the [undecipherable] instant." letter from Henry Knox Secretary of the War Department date 6^th December 1794 — a Sir "I have heard nothing from you relatively to the idea suggested of the Commissary in[?] department. I am Sir your Most Ob[edient] Ser[van]t Henry Knox" Extract of a letter Isaac Craig to Henry Knox date 9^th Dec 1794 "Your very kind and liberal offer of principal commissary claims my most grateful acknowledgments &c" Then declines the appointment and proceeds as follows "I must beg leave to mention Major Abraham Kirkpatrick, as one well qualified to execute the duties &c" John Stagg to Isaac Craig date 18^th Dec[ember] 1794 "The Secretary of War has directed me to advise you that he sincerely regrets, that your domestic concerns prevents your acceptance of the appointment &c" The Secretary has directed me to inform you that he is fully sensible of Major Kirkpatrick's integrity and abilities, but that the Secretary of the Treasury, in case of your non-acceptance, had previously to the receipt of your letter fixed upon a gentleman whom he wished to fill said office" A letter from General Knox to Isaac Craig date [undecipherable] December 1794 is lost, it contained the appointment or rather notice of the appointment of Major Kirkpatrick as appears by Isaac Craig's letter to Gen[eral] Knox dated 27^th Dec[ember] 1794, which after acknowledging the receipt of a letter of the 20^th Dec[ember] 1794, proceeds to say "your attention to my recommendation of Major Kirkpatrick is very flattering to me indeed. Major Kirkpatrick will be "prepared to proceed down the river, the moment your instructions [undecipherable] to hand" Extract of a letter from Gen[eral] Knox to Isaac Craig dated 27^th Dec[ember] 1794 "I hope nothing will prevent Major Kirkpatrick's executing the duties of Commissary, according to your intimation. His instructions will not be ready until next post, when he will, I hope, be fully prepared to descend the river instantly upon the receipt of them" A letter from John Stagg to Isaac Craig date Jan[uary] 3^d 1795 "I have shown your letter of the letter of the 26^th Dec[ember] to General Knox. He resigned his appointment &c at the close of the Year; Colonel Pickering succeeds him" The foregoing are all true extracts from letters from Gen[eral] Knox to my deceased father Major Isaac Craig. Jan^y [undecipherable: probable reading 4^2d] 1828 — Neville B Craig