Sir Sec^r of War [F^t] 15 May 179[8] Agreeable to the recommendation of Col. Hawkins I take the liberty of recommending the [following] [as] a hat manufacturing factory at this Post — we have frequently [received] furs from the Indians of inferior quality damaged & such as would hardly pay the freight and expense of remitting to Phila^d — there is a hatter among [the troop] of the garrison appears to be a [fitting] man and [I am] informed is a good workman — his time will run out about [2^d] — he wishes to be set up to work for himself — [he says] the tools he should want [I think] would not cost more than 50 dolls — Col Hawkins also was to begin manufacturing on the Indian Territory the factory might be supplied with all the hats wanted for trade — out of our refuse furs [of the —] [strikethrough: worth all the hats wanted for trade on those or refuse furs] to [Indian Settlements] to [undecipherable] to afford [them] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [I present?] as the [document?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] being [confidence?] [orders?] freed from [some?] of the Officers in [order?] to the [undecipherable] [without?] [undecipherable] [bound?] by [the?] traders agreeable to [your] [directions?] of the [26^th?] of [Jan?] last — [I thought it?] my duty [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] in order to [try?] [undecipherable] for that purpose — [undecipherable] the [Principal?] of the [trust?] and I [render?] [undecipherable] reply [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the interference of traders [to?] the [District?] [affected?] [Duty?] is a manifest [wrong?] to [the?] Public establishment especially [they are?] countenanced by the [affairs?] — [undecipherable] their attention who don't discriminate between [the?] [individuals?] of the US and me as an individual [of?] [whom?] they are prejudiced — [undecipherable] [frequent?] [undecipherable] — I am sorry to trouble you with [this] disagreeable information but [as a matter?] of my duty to make true reports from time to time how [officers?] are [going on?] — [I am] sorry [undecipherable] — I have drawn on you [of the?] 4^th May [albeit at?] 30 [days?] [sight?] [undecipherable] for 500 doll^rs on acc^t of the [Defence?] [Nassau?] fund [for the?] [Department?] of [undecipherable] [payment?] of [his?] [draft?] on [undecipherable] [when?] [he?] his draft [undecipherable] [Endorsement, upside down at foot of page:] [undecipherable]