[Extracts. of a letter written by Major Freeman to the Sec^y of War. 4^th April 1798.] [(4)] [(56)] Extracts from a letter written by Major C. Freeman to the Secretary of War. New Orleans, 4^th April 1798. "Capt. Beamegard, has arrived in this city — Governor Gayoso sent for me this morning to hear a complaint which he and others made to him in the name of M^r Natali, the Spanish Officer who Succeeded Major Guion, he Natali, It seems that Some difficulty had arisen between him and Capt. Guion relatively to the surrender of the works. The Governor was greatly irritated, and had determined to transmit an account of this transaction to the Spanish minister in Philadelphia, order him to make it known before the P. U. S. I have however prevailed upon him to suspend this until he can be fully informed upon the Subject and give Capt. Guion an opportunity to make his defence. It would be unfortunate if any disputes Should arise at this time when a few days would put us in quiet possession of the country. 5^th April. "Upon examining the copy of M. Natali's letter to Governor Gayoso. It seems that Capt. Guion had not received the Notice of the evacuation of Nogales which had been forwarded by Major [undecipherable]. A report prevailed yesterday in town that the Choctaws had burnt the works after they were abandoned by M^r Beamegard. These things induced me to wait upon the Governor to represent to him my ideas upon these Subjects — that Capt Guion had received from the information he had received, it is not four days previous notice of the evacuation and that it was understood both by him and myself that this notice was not to be disclosed previously to the actual departure of the Spanish garrison, but that he was to receive it at Natchez four days before the works were to have been abandoned, in which case he would have had time to have detached a party to take possession of the post. I also Suggested to the Governor, that it would have compared with the professions of friendship & good will to the U. S. if Capt. Beamegard had been directed to have left a Small guard of his garrison in the works until the American troops could have arrived to take possession, and I Stated to him the conduct of the British Officers when the posts in the Lakes were given up was able to recite. "Obtained as the possession of the country was the great object of the U. S. and their officers had acted in [undecipherable] as needed, the works were destroyed or not, the Governor is head and had been his intention that they should receive the Junction injury. On the delibred rip in perfect order, and if Major Henry had arrived in time he would have found them as entire as when I visited them — This morning I received a letter from his excellency of which the subend is a copy." "It does not appear that Capt. Beamegard has comprehended his orders — writing the letter on the 20^th Signifies nothing, he might as well have wrote it on the 10^th — from the 21^st to the 23^d inclusively cannot be four days — Nor can it be supposed that Capt. Guion had information of the evacuation, just as he ought to have received, when it is a fact M^r Jones did not arrive at Natchez until after Capt. Beamegard had left the Walnut Hills — The wind and the weather might have been against the express, but in a flat, but it is certain that on the days alluded to we had very fine weather in New Orleans and the wind from the northward — there was a gust of rain in the afternoon of the 23^d. Capt. Guion may have Sent a detachment to the Walnut Hills, without communicating his intention to Capt. Beamegard, and I am of opinion he did so — It was understood before I left Natchez that if Major Henry should not arrive in time that he would send a party to take possession." "I wish the report of burning the works may have originated in the manner the Governor has stated — They were of too much value to be lost."