Philadelphia 4^th May 1798 Sir, As soon as you can procure transportation after the receipt of this letter you will please to send four twelve and four twenty four Poun Guns to New York to the address of Melanction Smith Esq^r &c to be by him shipped to S^t Carolina — I am not certain as to the State of their Carriages, but I hope they are such as will warrant their being sent with the Guns if this should be the case let them be properly marked and with the Implements sent forward — if not, let the Guns go alone and we must make provision for mounting them at their destination — I am Sir, Your most Obedient Servant Samuel Hodgdon Major Group Fleming & Philadelphia 4^th May 1798 Sir, By order of the Secretary of War I address you. As soon as possible after the receipt of this letter you will please to go to Providence Rhode Island and examine and select from the Guns there belonging to the Public chosen of the best twenty four Pounders to be disposed of as follows. Part: Your of them are to be sent to Savanna in Georgia to the address of John Hobershan Esq, Collector. Four others to Wilmington North Carolina to the address of Captain Griffith Bell Esq; another four to Charleston South Carolina to the address of James Simmens Esq, Collector; and the remaining four to George Town in South Carolina to the address of Charles Brown Esq, Collector. Whether you will be able to attend to and effect the transportation I am at a loss to determine — It is a circumstance I should wish, but if from any cause it cannot be you will be good enough to put the business into the hand of some respectable person in Providence for the purpose of having it effected with all possible dispatch. The freight as agreed on and expressed in the Bills of Lading will be paid by the persons to whom the Guns are addressed and for any other expences attending the Shipment you or they may draw on me at Sight — Shall thank you to write me on this Subject by the first Post that I may know what train the business is in — and when you write from Providence enclose me a Return of the Ordnance and any Species of Store or other Public property you may find there — I am &c. Samuel Hodgdon Capt. Joseph Elliott