[r 3 Sept^y 1796 The President U S] [Incident d Secy. of State to be recorded] Philadelphia 3 July 1796. 9 o'clock P.M. Sir I have been about an hour since I was honoured with your private letter of the 1^st not by the return express. It arrived this evening. I had been looking very anxiously for above a week for Cap^t Lewis, a circumstance that contributed to increase the pleasure I felt on learning the success of his mission, and which led me at the same time to [undecipherable] you the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable: satisfaction] Cap^t Bruff marched one complete company of artillery and about 25 infantry. [These/There] [have] arrived at West Point since his departure as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] he camped with him [undecipherable] a company which [undecipherable] if you think proper may be ordered to [undecipherable] I think it was the 28 [undecipherable] that Bruff moved from [undecipherable: Sandusky]. I am uncertain. I will endeavour to send you by wednesdays mail some information respecting what [undecipherable] the vessels you have mentioned or Whether all or any of them may be expected and when. I was very much indisposed on Tuesday and part of yesterday, but I am pretty well to-day. I am &^c. The President of the U. S.