Philadelphia 3^rd September 1798 Sir The Secretary of the Treasury will call on you for the delivery of a certain number of Charleville Muskets to be used as patterns by persons who have contracted to furnish the United States with a number of that description. you will be particularly careful in making the selection, for this purpose those that are the best finished & the most efficient in every respect are to be taken. To know this let the unknown at the Post select them of the best from & find in every particular. I take them to pieces, that if not found perfect in every part they may be made so before they are delivered. when thus prepared let them be forwarded to such places as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct. You will understand that you are to make duplicate [strikethrough: Returns] Muskets of all you deliver on the orders of the Secretary of the Treasury. let both be sealed and marked in the presence of the person who is to receive them in such a manner as to be able to identify them hereafter when proof is to be made of those delivered under the Contracts, for which purpose you will only keep the duplicate list in your possession. I am Sir (Your most Ob^t Ser^t) Samuel Hodgdon [Circular To John Harris Geo. Fleming & Joseph Williams]