Springfield April 6^th 1798 Sir I received your letter of the 24^th of March. the whole number of Muskets received of M^r Ames in 1797 amounts to 1028. two hundred and eighty three is the number received from the first of Oct^r to the 30 of December. the fourth or last quarter. the two Barrs of Lead delivered to M^r Ames in December, weighed 180 pounds. when General Knox viewed the Stores, we weighed six or eight Barrs. he said they would weigh ninety pounds one with another. I will weigh all the Barrs and know the exact weight of them — I am exceeding sorry that there is an erro in the return of the new american arms. 2200 is the right number. I will make out a new return of Stores for last year and send it on with the next quarterly return. I shall indevor to be more paticular with regard to the returns in fortine to come. we are at worke at the Magazine turning the Powder. we shall want some more arm chests in a few Months. it is very difficalt to get dry Boards in this place please to inform me if I may purchase one or two thousand that they may dry when ^we want to make use of them. I am Sir with respect your Ob^t Servant John Bryant S. C. M. Stores ["Samuel Hodgdon Esq^r" "Superintendent of Ordnance & M. Stores"] [Address:] Samuel Hodgdon, Esq^r Sup^t of Ordnance Mil. Stores Philadelphia [Docket:] Atty Cap^t John Briant / 6^th April [1798] / [undecipherable] 11^th Wants Arm Chests [Stamp:] Received from State Dep't / Nov. 24, [18??] / R.O.4012