War Department 1 Aug^t 1798 Dear Sir This will serve for scarce any other purpose than to acknowledge your letter of the 22 July ulto. and two others respecting candidates for military appointments. [strikethrough: I cannot write you more particularly.] Sir. I inclose the act to augment the army of the U. S. Upon [undecipherable] see that it does not provide for a quarter master [strikethrough: General] that the Provisional army can only Provides [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] master² General [those] who have been appointed under it, [shall] have had the rank & pay of [Lt.] Col. only. I thought it best therefore that no quarter Master Gen[eral] should be appointed till the Congress met again when they may amend their acts. I hope to be able to write you again this week, but it is doubtfull, as it will depend upon my being able to write to the President, which I am afraid I cannot do under my present press of business, as the subjects I intend to address him upon are pretty important and will require deli:beration With the more sincere regard and attachment I am Dr Your ob[edien]t JMcH [margin: 1. August 1798 / to Geo Washington] [endorsement: Geo. Washington &c]