Now I have all five pages. Let me transcribe the complete document. War Department 29 Aug. 1798 [marginalia: undecipherable] I have the honour to acknowledge the [undecipherable] your letter of the 18^th inst[ant]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. The communication respecting the cession of Castle [undecipherable] lands, & [undecipherable], made by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Secretary of State. You refer'd it to me, and I return'd it previous to my visit to New York, with an opinion, that it would be proper to accept of the cession, but that it would be right the convicts should be provided for else- where. I have communicated to the Secretary of State [undecipherable] commands on this subject. It is sometime since I open'd a mustering rendezvous at Boston under Captain [undecipherable] Gates, a second at Portland under Cap^t Amos Stoddart, and a third at Marblehead under Geo. W. [undecipherable]. These gentlemen have made no progress in recruiting, there is of course no commission from [the?] [undecipherable] of Major [undecipherable] rank, in which they could be called [pro]- [perly?] or usefully [occupied?]. I shall send them their commission as soon as those for the [undecipherable] of the corps can be prepared. [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] you will perhaps recollect that Major Brooks was highly recommended by General Morgan, that he served to the Southward under his immediate inspection, and shared with him in the dangers and glory of the affair of the Cowpens &c. This [strikethrough: circumstances] [undecipherable] no doubt endears him to the General, and induced the latter to discover great anxiety for his being appointed. Having had no personal acquaintance with [undecipherable] Brooks, and having no facts to guide me but those mentioned and contained in his letters of recommendation, I [undecipherable] [him?], and presented him to you for the relative station which a comparison of his merits and services with the other candidates seemed to indicate as his right. I inclose you a letter from M^r Stoddart the present Secretary of the Navy, who resided in his vicinity, to shew you the opinion he entertained of him. It was only a few weeks before I left Philadelphia, that Bishop Carroll of Maryland mentioned to me, that at an election of the last importance to the United States, M^r Brooks had headed a party and [undecipherable] himself in a manner very adverse to one of the candidates, and highly disorganizing and inflammatory [and] communicated this information to M^r Stoddart, and at the same time suggested, that it might become expedient either to [undecipherable] [his?] commission [or?] [undecipherable] to transfer him to one of the regiments of infantry [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable]. M^r Stoddart informed [me] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] charged [him?] to [undecipherable] his prin- ciples twice or thrice, [undecipherable] me [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] of his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Such are the facts respecting the appointment of Brooks. If I be permitted to pursue my own ideas, I would suspend sending him his commission [undecipherable] to him that he was either to be employed or otherwise, until after the approaching election for his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and his [behaviour?] [a] decided [opposition?] makes [undecipherable] sincere [undecipherable] of government [undecipherable] [undecipherable] you will recollect [that?] he was highly recommended by many and most [undecipherable] who represented his merits as [undecipherable] [had?] [undecipherable] [a letter?] not in the office at this period, nor [undecipherable] from M^r Robert [Morris?] [undecipherable]: [undecipherable] appointment [undecipherable] again for one of [the?] [2^nd?] Regiment[s], it details his [undecipherable] to be raised to the rank of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Brandywine?], and peaceably [undecipherable] himself in a military [undecipherable] [undecipherable] his [knowledge?] in the profession of arms, and his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with the mathematics As Major [undecipherable] [Jackson?] had no knowledge, but that it was derived from his recommendation and his other letters, also of [other?] [undecipherable] before you, where you decided on the order of the [nominations?] [undecipherable] before you, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the promotion of [undecipherable] That D^r Lovell [was?] appointed to the corps of [undecipherable] on the 26^th of Feb^y 1795. That [undecipherable] Pope, [undecipherable], John M[undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable], James Sterrett, George [undecipherable], Robert Howard, Jonathan Robinson, [undecipherable] [Fenley?] [undecipherable] Elmer, Williams Watson, Horatio Dayton [undecipherable] Morris are [other?] Lieutenants in the same corps [as?] are [undecipherable] Lovell, consequently that they [the?] latter will by the proposed promotion, [undecipherable] over the heads of thirteen [undecipherable] [undecipherable] appointed in 1795 and [undecipherable] others in 1794 — that this procedure is calculated to excite extreme sensibility in those officers, in their friends and relations, and every military man who may consider himself affected by the act[ion?]. that there is a great difference, among military men, between arranging rank in a new corps and departing from the accustomed line of promotion in an established corps, where it has not been rendered apparently proper by some signal or distinguished action. Considering these circumstances it is respectfully [undecipherable], whether it would not be preferable to give to D^r Lovell a Captaincy in one of the new regiments of Infantry or in the Cavalry. With the greatest respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most Ob^t Serv^t. James McHenry P.S. I find the letter alluded to from M^r Stoddart is in the office at Philadelphia. The commission for L^t Col. [undecipherable] has been rec^d. and will [undecipherable] be despatched to the parties. [John Adams President of the U.S.]