Fort Washington May 22^d 1797 Dear Sir Accept my thanks for your kind attentions communicated by your [undecipherable] of the 5^th Inst. which [undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] to reciprocate — [strikethrough: undecipherable] There [are?] about 600 [men?] at this place & the Mo. of the big Miamie, forming [two?] Detachments, [destined?] to Knoxville & West Florida whose operations are [impeded?] by the Absence of the Pay[master?] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable: transfer?] of the [undecipherable] American [I?] hear nothing at the long since [ordered?] from Detroit to this place — At this critical stage of the Season, delays may prove fatal to the views of Government, I shall therefore, if nothing of Mr. Swan Tomorrow, &c [from?] your Directions, & make [bad?] [Be?] the pay master of his Regiment, & [have?] responsible to you, by [displace?] [or?] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [We?] are now [able?] to [strikethrough: undecipherable] plant of [undecipherable] tis [taken?] [strikethrough: undecipherable] Root where it [were?] not [pruned?] — a little patience, more charity, &c [bitterness?], and we shall [I?] at be as People — [there?] always [be?] happy hear from you, whenever [Bo?] [in?] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [limit?] — as [Sam?] with [dant?] [signed?] regard & respect [left margin:] P.S. the [secret?] [proving?] / [Post?] & [vouchers?] went by / the last Mail — / [Lt?] [Simmons?] Esq: Dear Sir — Your Oblig'd [devoted?] Servant [undecipherable: John Kingson?] my respects to you [undecipherable: G. Smith?]