Trenton Aug[undecipherable] Not to miss the mail I wrote you one line today, and enclosed a letter from I suppose Gen^l Miranda. If its contents give rise to any questions which it will be prudent for you to ask and for me to answer by the mail, it may be done: otherwise the information may be suspended till we meet. But before I left Philadelphia I received a letter from Gen^l Knox, in answer to one I had written at the request of Captain Mitchell of the artillery who wished to be one of his aids de camp. Mitchell you will have observed is since dead. But my object in noticing this matter is to inform you that Gen^l Knox manifests pretty strongly his dissatisfaction in your being appointed in a manner to precede him in the military line: I conclude he will not serve. Altho' I should have been well pleased with his accepting his commission I do not by any means deem his loss irreparable. Altho' by the delay of the nominations one day, I received your letter expressing your willingness to serve under Knox, yet I concealed it, in order that the arrangement of nominations of Major Generals, which I had seen, as formed by Gen^l Washington, and which I saw would govern, might leave you where you ought to be, in the first place. In Gen^l Washington's answer to my letter, of which I sent you some extracts, there is not, as I recollect, the most distant idea of Gen^l Knox's making any difficulty in acting subordinately to you: his apprehensions arose wholly on Gen^l Pinchney's account. I think it right to add, that from the first moment that a Commander in Chief was thought of, no name was mentioned but yours: for until the nomination was actually made, I had no suspicion that Gen^l Washington would ever again enter the field of war. I know also, that not only all your friends, but your political enemies have the highest respect for your abilities: while the latter the political enemies of Gen^l Knox, estimate his talents by a very moderate [undecipherable], and many persons have in my hearing called him a weak man. I think him neither weak nor great: but with pretty good abilities, possessing an imposing manner that impresses an idea of mental faculties beyond what really exist. I am certain that if he had been second to Gen^l Washington and of course likely to come to chief, great dissatisfaction would have been excited — I much doubt even whether the nomination would have been confirmed by the Senate. I write this letter in the confidence of friendship, for the public good, which I conceive to be involved in your holding your present superiour station. I have always supposed you and Gen^l Knox to be cordial friends: I wish you to continue such: I persuade myself he is too good a patriot to suffer present disappointment to actuate him to any improper conduct, and that he will at last passively acquiesce. I think he will gain no honor, by declining to serve under you: I rather believe his refusal will detract from the reputation he now possesses. M^r H showed me (as you requested) your letter to him suggesting the expediency of calling you and Gen^l Knox into immediate service — to aid the arrangements and operations of Department of War. I was so well pleased with the idea, and thought it so important, or rather so essential, to the formation of an army in time to afford some security to our country, that I told M^r Wolcott I would write to the President and urge the measure. M^r W. approved. I have yet no answer. The Sec^y of War was at the time indisposed: but enquiring of his chief clerk, I found that he also had written for the same purpose — It is since this that I received Gen^l Knox's letter before mentioned and that gave rise to a new thought: that as he manifestly intended to decline accepting his commission, and the President would be on the spot to converse with him, the taking charge of the War Department again, might be proposed to him: for the President I have seen has been informed of a very general dissatisfaction in its present direction. After the appointments of General Officers were made, but before they were known beyond Philadelphia, I received a letter from M^r Jay, expressing [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I am dear Sir with great respect and esteem [undecipherable] Since writing the enclosed I have turned to M^r [undecipherable]'s letter. [undecipherable] cannot conceal from you my solicitude that the late Sec^y of the Treasury may be [undecipherable] for performing in a manner corresponding with his talents and services. It appears to me that his former military station and character taken in connection with his late important place in the administration, would justify measuring his [undecipherable] by his merit and value. The reason of M^r Jay's solicitude is thus expressed: "We shall probably have very different Generals to contend with from those which Britain sent here last war, and we should have very different ones to oppose them from several of those who then led our troops." — this you may recollect is the same sentiment which I expressed in my letter to General Washington which I showed you. In a subsequent letter M^r Jay joined me in remarking that the forms of the nomination and appointment left any room to question your right of precedence. I mentioned the point to you: but you answered that it had been settled in the case of Baron Steuben. No doubt you have seen some paragraphs in the Columbian Centinel [/] B Russell's [undecipherable] paper in which it is said that Gen^l Knox is next in command to Gen^l Washington. And a letter from the President to the Sec^y of War, in answer I suppose, to his for calling you and Knox into service, expresses that to be his opinion, and consequently "that Pinckney must rank before Hamilton": but that is not the only consequence — Lee and Hand were on the same day named and approved as Major Generals, and if Knox and Pinckney precede you, so will the other two: for I cannot see that their being named for the provisional army can make any [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] or could [undecipherable] found that such an arrangement should be adopted but this matter will not retro "General Washington's opinions and commands" and [it] is for this reason, principally, that I have added this postscript: that you may take such necessary steps with the Gen^l as you may think proper to fix you in the station which the essential interests of our country require — the station in which I conceive the Gen^l meant to place you according to the list which he sent by M^r Henry to the President, and in conformity with which, you, Pinckney and Knox were named. I just read the General's answer to my letter about you: he does not hint an idea of competition save with Pinckney — I enclose it for your perusal: and to be returned. If Knox declines the President is "prepared to appoint another and a better": it is Henry, Jackson, or Cobb? — Col^o W. H. Heth of Virginia would joyfully take [it]. But the appointment of A. W. White has previously offended him. Sincerely Adieu S. [undecipherable: probable reading Pickering] General A. Hamilton.