[No 14.] Head Quarters Detroit 29^th September 1796 Sir I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19^th Ultimo with its enclosures which arrived [undecipherable] last even[undecipherable]. Enclosed is a copy of a letter from Major Burbeck the Commandant of Michilimackinac of the 16^th instant, with a duplicate report of the nature & state of the Works & buildings at that place — [undecipherable] Col^o Sargent who in the absence of the Governor administers the Government of the North western Territory — accompanied Major Burbeck to Michilimackinac upon public business — has diligently furnished me with the enclosed [C]opy of [undecipherable] Minutes & sketch of the Works at that place, which will give you a more full & perfect idea, of their Situation, nature & condition, than are detailed in the report signed by Major Burbeck. Permit me now Sir, [undecipherable: Specially?] to announce to you the complete Possession of all the posts on the American side of the line of Demarcation [undecipherable: agreed to by Treaty viz.] Michilimackinac — nae, Detroit, Miamis, Niagara & Oswego, inclusive, which have [now?] been surrendered up [to?] the Troops of the United States, by [their?] respective British Commandants, in the most [undecipherable] & accommodating manner, without any injury or damage other than what time has made. An event that must render [undecipherable] the highest pleasure & satisfaction to every [undecipherable] of Order & good Government, & [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] to the World. That the [measures?] [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] by that great & [undecipherable] the President of the United States, were founded in Wisdom, & that the best interests of [undecipherable] [were?] [undecipherable] by that [undecipherable] [fidelity?], [undecipherable] & Virtues, for which he is so universally & justly celebrated [undecipherable] & [even?] they in their [hearts?] must [avow?] [his?] [worth?]. The enclosed report of the Materials needed to repair the defenses of the Town Called [undecipherable] Detroit, will show you the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I have directed the [undecipherable] to make out an estimate, upon the most [undecipherable] of the Price [undecipherable] those Materials, can be obtained, enclosed is a copy of that estimate; those for the Fort, [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] Col^o Sargent, assures me that the ground [would?] not admit of [construction?] — in [the?] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] or front lines. I have [however?] been [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by a variety of circumstances [undecipherable] [among?] others, the large concerns of Indians — [undecipherable] [that?] it [is?] advisable [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from Detroit [to?] Michilimackinac — [about?] three hundred & twenty or thirty miles — yet it would depend upon the Winds whether the [voyage?] could be performed in the [undecipherable] of [two?] active weeks, or [undecipherable] the [Winds?] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Major Burbeck, [to?] perform the [voyage?] in [five?] weeks with every exertion [undecipherable] this place for Michilimackinac later than [undecipherable] in October, & it has [frequently?] been found that [vessels?] [leaving?] Detroit, as early in October, and even in the latter end of September, [undecipherable] back [by?] contrary winds, [undecipherable] upon the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] & Lake Huron, for three or four weeks, [compelled?] to return to Detroit, & there [undecipherable] the next [spring?] before they could perform the [voyage?]. Hence I have [deemed?] it [expedient?] from the advice of the most experienced Merchants & [traders?], [undecipherable] acquainted with [that?] Navigation to [undecipherable] the Detroit River, immediately [to?] Michilimackinac [undecipherable] with such further supplies for the use of the [Garrison?] of that place [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] We have plenty of [fat?] Cattle at this place [undecipherable] three hundred head, but it is too early in the season to [undecipherable] them down — [undecipherable] to [preserve?] the meat — & before the season for [killing?] [undecipherable] it would be too late [to?] [undecipherable] send [undecipherable] returns from Michilimackinac. The latest [that?] [undecipherable] on the [undecipherable] of November, [undecipherable] [part?] of the supplies for that [port?] where [in?] [possession?] of the British, [undecipherable] the preceding fall [undecipherable] [undecipherable] which [undecipherable] must be observed upon our [undecipherable] this fall, in order to be prepared for [that?] of 1797. But the Woolen Clothing or Uniform for that Garrison [undecipherable] [on?] this [season?] — however [undecipherable] There are fortunately on hand, nearly three Hundred Indian & damaged Blankets, with a sufficient number of [undecipherable], which must answer as a substitute for a [undecipherable] in place of Uniform or Woolen Clothing, [in?] [fact?] [undecipherable] [proper?] Clothing on the Spot, [such?] is the severity of the Winter of Michilimackinac [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] being placed in Latitudes 45° [undecipherable] North [undecipherable] [bleak?] winds, [undecipherable] & Lake Huron & Michigan. The returns of Public Stores [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [have?] not all [been?] [received?] — A letter to the [Honorable?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from Port Washington, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [surrender?] of the [Garrison?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to your Orders [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [James?] [Wilkinson?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Ja^s Wilkinson] [undecipherable: Brig^d Gen^l] [administrative notations in bottom right corner, undecipherable]