John Harris to the Secretary of War 9 August 1790 Mr Hodgdon to make me an immediate report on the subject of the within letter James McHenry The Honorable The Secretary of War War Department Philada" Augt 9 179– The Honorable, The Secretary of War, Sir, In consequence of the alarming Reports of a very malignant contagious Fever (which seems to baffle the whole of the Physician[s] it evade[s] every medical application) prevailing and spreading in different parts of this City & —banks.–It take this early period of informing you Sir, that it still will be necessa- ry to have such immediate arrangements made as will effectively secure the public property. and at the same time enable me to make such deliveries as the nature of the care may require during the Epidemic in safety to myself [blacks] & laborers. - To effect this I would suggest that [undecipherable] Articles [or] will be immediately applied to the Army and [ ] ing practices such as Clothing, Arms & [ Accoutrements? ]. Camp Equip- page de. – should be transported to Lamberton, where there is a store under the occupancy of the United States, which Transpor- tation will be cheap, as a Shallop may load at one Store, & unload at the other. neither will it much affect / if any/ the Transportation by Land, as the Waggons in coming in from the Country would rather go into a healthy part of that an infected one. as soon as they know of any business at Trenton or Lamber- ton they would very readily proceed thither particularly as nothing would be done in the City: – Transportation by Water will be suspended if the Epidemic rages:- I hope Sir, that some thing of this kind will be speedily adopted:. that we may not have arrangements toi make when it will be too late: as the circumstances of the disease may render it – In order to secure the remaining store. I would propose having one of our faithful men, who have for a number of years- been employed in the business, to regularly open, air & Fumigate the General Apartments, together with a Guard of three under the direction of a faithful non-Commissioned Officer, which Guard should be Stationary at the main Store. _____ Something of this, Sir, must shortly take place - as self-preservation seems to be the predominant principle of the [ ] - ,myself - and in fact of every person employed in this Department. I consider my self exposed in going to do return- ing from the store. I have likewise a family which I must keep as secure as possible from danger of this kind – I this would be out of my power of my business calls me into infected [ ] while i[ ng] my duty. —– Depend on it, Sir. That the alarm, and (from the information which I have been able to organise) the message of it, is greater that in either 1793 or ‘97 - I submit the business, Sir, to your decision I am Sir, respectfully Your most [ ] [ ] Mr. Harris Keeper [ ] & [ ]