[15 Sept= 1798 John Adams.] War Department 15 Sept. 1798 Sir. I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 30. 4^th & 5^th of this month. It is somewhat difficult I imagine to please the Governor of Georgia. I thought I had been [strikethrough: sufficiently] attentive both to himself and the State. There has been [strikethrough: sent] to Georgia, on the 3^d of May 2 brass 6 pounders 2 brass 3 pounders with carriages compleat & implements; 4 iron 24 pounders with a sufficient quantity of Ammunition. Upon the 10^th of May 500 stands of arms & accoutrements and a suitable quantity of musket cartridges;. [strikethrough: also upon] On the 23^d of May 1000 stands of arms with 25,000 musket cartridges. These [strikethrough: undecipherable] and an at Savannah, [strikethrough: these they] remain subject, generally, to future [strikethrough: disposal] arrangements. Perhaps the Governor expected to have been vested with more or less controul over them or a power to have distributed them among the militia, [strikethrough: undecipherable passage — several lines heavily crossed through] [strikethrough: necessary to] without giving him [undecipherable] power, it is there can be no doubt but that the muskets, in case of imminent danger or invasion will be applied to by the militia and the occasion [strikethrough: appeared] to justify their [strikethrough: undecipherable] as [strikethrough: providence]. Enclosed is a copy of a letter to the Governor [strikethrough: sent] which was sent before I had the honour to receive his to you of the 8^th & k of Aug[ust] lettrs. with regard to Brooks. I have no other knowledge of or acquaintance with him, than has been communicated to you. I have never written to [strikethrough: him,] [strikethrough: but once,] and that was to announce him, but one letter, and that was to [undecipherable] [strikethrough: undecipherable — several lines heavily crossed through] You will see by the inclosed copy of a letter to Major Jackson of Watertown the employment that has been assigned him for the present. I have had no intimation that [strikethrough: undecipherable] intended to visit [undecipherable]; he has [strikethrough: so been] [strikethrough: advanced] by me. He has been sent to Rhode Island to draw a plan^s for the defence of [undecipherable] the Harbour & [Bay?] of New Porte, because I could not find a native of the corps equally well qualified to execute so important a purpose. It appears to be obligated to [strikethrough: have recourse] to other than natives, at this juncture, but I am induced to the alternative of spending large sums of money upon the plans of men who know very little of the sciences of the Engineer, or trusting to foreigners better informed and of more experience. The inclosed copy of a letter from Cap^t [undecipherable] will intimate to you my situation and that of our Artillery affairs. It is some consolation that our prospects in [strikethrough: future] are better improved as to [strikethrough: undecipherable] native [strikethrough: undecipherable] Engineers. The late act of Congress providing for 4 teachers to the Artillery corps, when taken in conjunction with former acts will enable the President to create within our country a [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] corps. There are many experts [strikethrough: undecipherable] a succession of good Officers [undecipherable] any to hear of M^r Adams account for whom we can have a better [undecipherable] esteem & respect. I have the honour to be &c with great respect Sir your most ob^t h^ble S^t [John Adams President U. S.]