[Letter to the Secy of War] [French Prisoners] [Sept 16, 1798] [(2)] [undecipherable] 16^th [strikethrough: undecipherable] Sep^r 1798 Evening before last the Frigate Constitution anchored in [undecipherable: Hampton?] the pleasure I announce to y[ou] Caught in a prize Sloop tipped with Arms, and Officer'd by French Men — Capt. [undecipherable] has demanded of me as Commanding Officer at [undecipherable] the charge of the Prisoners from on Board the Vessel amounting to [undecipherable] men, and conceiving it my duty to do so, have with willingness [undecipherable] they are to be delivered — In the first [undecipherable] of this month [undecipherable] order I left this with a Detachment of [undecipherable] in this State in [undecipherable] and other [undecipherable] with an [undecipherable] thinking it could [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] file of a Company [undecipherable] The Garrison [undecipherable] found in [undecipherable] my [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] Officers and Privates out of which [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for duty the [undecipherable] being sick — The Garrison is totally [undecipherable] but [undecipherable] a Colonel and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] are engaged as the [undecipherable] with the Officers [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] far from places [undecipherable] with Enterprises [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] attending the [undecipherable] & and his Detachment stationed at [undecipherable: Hempsville?], nine miles from [undecipherable] I could report to and hear from you on the Subject of those Mess that have passed between us I send duplicates of marked [undecipherable] shall feel anxious until I learn whether the orders given meet your approval — Suffice me to assure you that no — but one similar to the present, would induce me to presume to [undecipherable] an Officer posted by you, — at the moment of giving the [undecipherable] I felt disagreeable, lest you should disapprove it to my Junior Officer in positive and nervous language — [undecipherable] came by the return, that independent of myself, there is but [undecipherable] Officer for duty of that kind, and Captain Nicholson having [undecipherable] they were satisfactory fellows and would be vastly humble — [undecipherable] deemed it necessary, an Officers Guard should be mounted which [undecipherable] given to [undecipherable] Hancock — As for myself I [undecipherable] the Subject in attending to their being [undecipherable] Provision [undecipherable] and to the other [strikethrough: undecipherable] duties incident to my Command & [undecipherable] shall issue to them the rations as stipulated by Law — [undecipherable] cannot tend to injure the service materially, as he can with vast [undecipherable] in case you wish it, this be assured that my anxiety for [undecipherable] of these fellows and my detestation of French piracy was my the orders given, and my solicitude to impress in the fullest manner [undecipherable]s of America and its Officers to support its independence and [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] relative to the [undecipherable] you with made to these men — [undecipherable]s of the Artillery [undecipherable] of this Garrison is on board the frigate Marine Officer. — Some [strikethrough: undecipherable] few days after Capt[undecipherable] [undecipherable] this I began to strengthen and improve the works at Fort [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Soldiers agreeable to your orders. — I should have made my the month, but have been very sick, and am just on the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] my warmest wishes for your health; Lady & [undecipherable] Gentlemen of your Office during your retreat from Philadelphia I have the Honor to be with very great respect and Esteem Your most Ob^t Sew^t.