[22 Aug^t. 179[undecipherable]] [President of the Uⁿ U. S.] War Department — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 179[undecipherable] (117) Sir. had the honour to receive your letter of the 18^th on the 21^st inst. After what has past with out the conceptions of General Washington, respecting the relative grades of Generals Hamilton Pinckney & Knox; the order known by the President in presenting their names to the Senate, and by the Senate in advising to their appointments, I cannot help apprehending some disagreeable consequences to the public Service should a different relative grade be now known to be decidedly contemplated. In submitting this suggestion to your judgement, it is indispensible I should observe, that as well the choice of these gentlemen as their relative military rank, proceeded originally & exclusively from General Washington, and that I had no agency direct or indirect, before or while at Mount Vernon in deciding his mind as [to] the choice or the arrangement of rank [of] [those] selected. I informed you [undecipherable] the right to name the general officers, [& staff, and] [undecipherable]; [strikethrough: added to you] [strikethrough: esclasfon you] a [strikethrough: combation] of his acceptance [strikethrough: and dently his colt] and presented to you on my return [strikethrough: his that] When [he] communicated his choice and arrangement to me I was aware that it might be objected to; but having had difficulties to encounter and certain impressions to remove resulting from his not being consulted previous to his nomination, I did not think it prudent to lose the ground he had conceded & indeed that I should gain any thing by any [strikethrough: effort of] [strikethrough: mine] to persuade him out of his opinions. I only mentioned to [strikethrough: him there], what I afterwards found he incorporate in his letter to Col. Hamilton, that I [strikethrough: undecipherable] in his selection of Officers, but [had] whatever respected the persons named by him and their relative rank must finally rest with the President. The circumstances I have detailed seem to require that I should [undecipherable] [undecipherable: within it will be him a consideration] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable] would not be preferable to a reference to General Washington at [this] time sanctioned by [the President], and [strikethrough: add to] [undecipherable] [wounding to his feelings of the parties.] [strikethrough: Observe a [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] of the parties and [undecipherable]] If you decide upon [undecipherable: the attentions and this to undecipherable] [undecipherable: considerations those undecipherable answer your] you will be pleased to give orders for transmitting [strikethrough: undecipherable] letters to Gen. Knox. If [strikethrough: undecipherable] I am prepared to exert my best endeavours to execute your commands. [strikethrough: John Adams] [strikethrough: undecipherable] My eldest child is extremely ill, and I am far from having my health, two circumstances which added to the multiplicity of attending to business [disturbs] me [undecipherable] attention. — I have the Honor to be &— [marginal note, partially cropped:] [undecipherable] attempt an alteration in the rank of the gentlemen in question, and [undecipherable] of so [undecipherable] them whether John Adams P. U. S.