Now I have all available pages. Here is the transcription of the pages rendered from this document (pages 37–58 of what appears to be a longer narrative): --- by omitting no measure arrangement necessary [undecipherable] time until these points had been. It was [strikethrough: these] points decided upon, and [strikethrough: it] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] that it was mentioned to us, that Smith's nomination would not be concerned in; that he was a swindler in fact, and a [dishonourable?] that he had [betrayed?] a young [undecipherable] — and that the Eastern States could have no confidence in government [undecipherable] [character] to be [strikethrough: adjutant general of the army.] such a person appointed. This informa- tion was given to me by Mr. Pickering. I told him he ought to have mentioned it sooner, that he had said it [undecipherable] in my presence, before my going down to the President [strikethrough: it] the former conversation [Thomas?] [Nixon?]. that Smith would be proven to take [strikethrough: first] I had mentioned his name [undecipherable] [command] of a regiment, that neither General Washington nor I had any knowledge or information of these [strikethrough: his suspicions] [strikethrough: is] [undecipherable] alluded to [undecipherable] Mr. Pickering thought [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it [was?] his duty to take an active [part?] with his appointment the Senators to defeat the nomination, and the majority of the Senators [undecipherable] [undecipherable] also to remark that I chose [undecipherable] also [undecipherable] done after [undecipherable] [Hamilton?] about an appointment for Smith before seeing you; that he made no [scruple?] [there?] and that he concerned in its [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] introducing the same persons, of Smith his [undecipherable] nomination was rejected nearly by an unanimous vote. The President who judged more favourably of Smith, and perhaps yet more partly from a more intimate knowledge of the facts was exceedingly [irritated?] by the rejection and felt much anger especially against Mr. Pickering and [undecipherable] he said [undecipherable] at the occasion, that he was certain there had been intriguing to produce it that it could not have been accomplished otherwise, for [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of his son in law was in debt [undecipherable] and embarrassed who therefore ought to have met his same fate — so were Lee & Knox — that his son in law had called his creditors to submit to him a general view of his affairs together and he believed would be able to procure from [undecipherable] and that he was no disorganiser of their being satisfied [undecipherable] of his integrity; [undecipherable] directed himself and his anger from [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] proposed to [undecipherable] the money [against?] Mr. Pickering whom he [insured?] [undecipherable] of his [undecipherable] in his rejection [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [strikethrough: that the greatest was the whole] 8. [undecipherable] fully, I had reason to [concede?], I was meant by him to have included as having [undecipherable] [undecipherable] If I [undecipherable] everything to the [undecipherable] my state of mind in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] advocated Mr. Pickering as a man of the strictest integrity, who would not I was persuaded do any act which was the least contrary to his duty, [undecipherable] them, proposed that Mr. Dayton might be nominated. He said No, he would give them [undecipherable] Adjutant General, then would immediately [undecipherable] Col. North. I [undecipherable] whether [undecipherable] [undecipherable] & that others there were [undecipherable] that could be found better [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] qualified, he [undecipherable] nominate aso them. [undecipherable] was the nomination of North instantly made & North was concerned in [undecipherable] he was acceded of his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] transactions [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] A few days after this he suddenly [went to] Philadelphia for [undecipherable] without apprising [undecipherable] or me with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Wolcott was about [undecipherable] of his intended departure for [undecipherable] Connecticut; [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] then [undecipherable] a departure with a [undecipherable] to 9 you were perceive that I consider the impression made upon the President's mind in their [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by his disappointments [undecipherable] each [undecipherable] resulting [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] that I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as having [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as intended for [undecipherable] others [undecipherable] subjects with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to have influenced [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] been chiefly it upon other subjects, to draw [undecipherable] to apply to those. with respect to the second cause, his considering Gen. Knox entitled to priority of rank to call General Hamilton or Governor Pinckney. This has operated very powerfully as an obstacle to all the army arrangements. I [submitted?] to him in a letter dated the 4^th of Aug[us]t a copy of which I give on the [undecipherable] of the same month, the from [undecipherable] contemplating the details of organising the 12 regiments of infantry to be raised the [undecipherable] I found I could not [undecipherable] them, more [undecipherable] the difficulty of effecting it with a despatch proportioned to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] while the President remained at [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and to the public expectation. [undecipherable] without [undecipherable] a course [undecipherable] of these and That his course is to be first to concentrate. That it appeared to me most [undecipherable] for to [concentrate?] attention in this department from all quarters of the U.S. then to digest an arrangement, to communicate it to the President for your determination, to receive back that determination and then to transmit the [matter?] to the parties, a great and incalculable portion of time must [undecipherable] [strikethrough: in a letter to the President under delay] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to him. that [undecipherable] the arrangement for the four Eastern States and Vermont [undecipherable] be made under his immediate direction, commanding the aid, if necessary of Major Gen. Knox & Major Gen. Brooks [undecipherable] who reside within those States. 2. That the arrangement for N. York Penn. [undecipherable] New Jersey, Delaware & Maryland [undecipherable] be prepared by [undecipherable] with the aid of the General Officers within those States for his final determination. 3. That the arrangement for [undecipherable] the Southern States (including the cavalry) [undecipherable] be made by Gen. Washington with the aid of the General Officers in that quarter, subject in like manner to his [undecipherable] determination: 4. That four of the 12 regiments should be raised within the States of N. Hampshire Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont; 4 within the States of New York New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware & Maryland; and 4 within the States of Virginia, N. Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina & Georgia. 5. That to facilitate the arrangement I enclosed him a list of all the Officers of the late army on the lines of the five States first mentioned; and [strikethrough: also] a list of all the applications for military appointments, by persons within those States, which had [undecipherable] to this office. 6. That I also submitted to him, as the result of conferences with the Commander in Chief and the Inspector General, united with my personal knowledge of some of the characters, the following gentlemen of the late army as worthy of consideration for the command of regiments, viz. Samuel Turner, David Cobb, & William Hall of Massachusetts. Jeremiah Olney, Henry Sherburne, and William Peck of Rhode Island. Henry Dearborn and Nicholas Gilman of New Hampshire. & [undecipherable] Col. Talmadge 12 for adjutant gen. in the event of the non-acceptance of Col. North; [undecipherable] of Elijah Wadsworth of [undecipherable] for Major. 7. That he should permit me to call to my aid, the Inspector General, & likewise Gen. Knox, and to charge them with the management of particular branches of this service. 8. That Gen. Washington should be [undecipherable] permitted to appoint a Secretary. The President acknowledged the merit of his letter of the 4^th, on the 14^th of [undecipherable] the same month. [undecipherable] He signified that the contents were of much importance. Desires that Gen. Washington may consider himself in the public service and fully authorised to appoint aids & [undecipherable]. He thinks that calling any other General Officers into service at the present will be attended with difficulty unless their rank being first settled. That in his opinion Gen. Knox, is legally entitled to rank next to General Washington, and that no other arrangement will come satisfactorily. That if General Washington is of this opinion and will consent to it, I may call Gen. Knox & Hamilton and that I must depend upon it, he [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the nominations that he has been indi- [undecipherable] called for them. To his I answered on the 22^d of Aug[us]t. 13. "That after what has passed with, and the conclusions of General Washington, respecting the relative grades of Generals Hamilton, Pinckney & Knox, the order observed by the President in presenting their names to the Senate, and by the Senate in advising to their appointments I could not help apprehending some disagreeable consequences to the public service, should a different relative grade be now known to be differently contemplated. That in submitting this suggestion to his judgement, it was indispensable I should observe [including?] to him the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of these gentlemen to that as well the choice of these gentlemen as their relative military rank, proceeded originally & exclusively from Gen. Washington, and that I had had no agency direct or indirect before or while at Mount Vernon in deciding his mind, either to the choice or the arrangement of the rank of those he had selected. That I had informed him, Gen. Washington made the effort to name the General Officers & [made?] staff a condition of his acceptance, and had presented accordingly the Generals List to him on my return. That when the General communicated his choice to me I was aware that it might be objected to; but having had difficulties to encounter, and certain suspicions to remove resulting from his not being consulted previously to his nomination, I did not think it prudent to lose the ground he had conceded, or indeed that I should gain any thing by any effort of mine to persuade him out of his opinions. That I only therefore mentioned to him what I afterwards found incorporated in his letter to Col. Hamilton viz. That I concurred in his selection of Officers, but whatever transpired, the persons named by him and their relative rank must finally rest with the President. "That the circumstances detailed seemed to require that I should submit to him his serious deliberation whether it was proper or expedient to attempt an alteration in the rank of the gentlemen in question; and if so, whether it would not be better to transfer the opinion to others than an interested party determine it myself; any general officer serving under himself to be the one claiming under him." The President replied to this letter on the 29^th of August replied. That my proposition [undecipherable] for settling the relative rank of the gentlemen in question was not approved of. That his opinion was and always had been, that as the law now stands, the order of nomination or of recording has no weight or effect; but that Officers appointed on the same day, in whatever order, have a right to rank according to antecedent services. That he made the nomination, according to the list presented to him by me, from Gen. Washington, in whose order that rank might be settled among them by agreement or acquiescence, believing at the same time and assuming to him that belief, that the nomination and appointment would give Hamilton no command at all, nor any rank before [undecipherable] any Maj. General. That this was also his opinion. That he was willing to settle it decently at present by dating the Commissions; Knox on the 1^st day. Pinckney on the 2^d; Hamilton on the 3^d. "you speak to me the odds of the expediency of attempting an alteration of the rank of the gentlemen in question. You know Sir, that no rank has ever been settled by me. You know my opinion has always been as it is now. That the order of names in 16 in the nomination and record was of no consequence. "Gen. Washington has always conducted with perfect [honour] and consistency. I said and I say now, if I could mean him the office of President I would do it immediately, and with the highest pleasure; but I never said I would hold the office, and be responsible for its exercise, while he should execute it. He has always said in all his letters that those points must ultimately depend upon the President" "The power and authority is in the President. I am willing to exert this authority at this moment & to be responsible for the exercise of it. All difficulties will in this way be avoided. But if it is to be referred to General Washington or to mutual & amicable accommodation among the gentlemen themselves, I foresee it will come to me at last, after much altercation and exasperation of 'palates', and I shall then determine it exactly as I should now: Knox, Pinckney & Hamilton" "There has been too much intrigue in this business, both with General Washington and me. If I shall ultimately be the dupe of it, I am much mistaken in myself." To this letter [strikethrough: a great many things, unmentioned] not a little wounded [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] I replied, on the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] same day I received it, viz 6 the latter inst[ant]. letter, [strikethrough: which I need not] [undecipherable]. "I had the honour to receive by his mornings' made your letter dated Tuesday Augt. the 29 ulto. In making out the commissions for Generals Knox, Pinckney & Hamilton I shall follow the order you prescribe and date Gen. Knox's, on the first day General Pinckney's on the 2^d; & I General Hamilton's on the 3^d. "... you observe to me 'There has been too much intrigue in this business, both with General Washington & me. If I shall ultimately be the dupe of it I am much mistaken in myself.' Will you excuse the liberty I take in expressing how much I have affected at this observation, lest you should attach on your mind, any portion of the intrigues, if any have been employed, to me. It will ever be a duty to me, to be ascertained of your opinion in this particular, because I flatter myself I can convince you, that abhorring indirect practices, I never even contemplated any; or should you not be convinced I can -decidely retire from a situation which demands a perfect and mutual confidence between the President and the person filling it". I received yesterday the following answer to this letter: dated 'December 13 Inst[ant].' [undecipherable]. "I have read your favour of the result and approbation of your determination to make out the commissions in the order of Knox on the first day, Pinckney on the second, and Hamilton on the third. This being done you may call Generals Knox and Hamilton into service as soon as your please. "Your request to be informed whether I attach any portion of the intrigues, which I alluded to, if any have been employed, to you, is reasonable. and I have no [undecipherable] simple to acknowledge, that your conduct throughout the whole, towards me has been candid. I have suspected however that extraordinary pains were taken with you, to impress upon your mind that the public opinion, and the unanimous wish of the Federalists, was that General Hamilton ought he first and even commander in chief: that you might express this opinion to General Washington more forcibly than I should have done, and that this determined him to make the arrangement as he did. If this suspicion was well founded I doubt not you made the representation with integrity. I am not and never was of the opinion that the public opinion demanded General Hamilton for the first, and I am now clear that it never expected or demanded any such thing. The question being now settled, the responsibility for which I take upon myself, I have no hard thoughts concerning your conduct in this business, and hope you will make your mind easy concerning it. I have the honour to be" "Concerning the [undecipherable] other serious and important matter relating [undecipherable] to me; I communicated the letter to the President [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] received & also my answer to Mr. Wolcott & Mr. Pickering. They considered [undecipherable] [undecipherable] services of General Hamilton [undecipherable] important and consequential to be [undecipherable] parted with [undecipherable] importance; it was proposed, that [undecipherable] should join [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] in a joint and [undecipherable] representation to the President. After however a good deal of deliberation, the idea of a joint address was relinquished for a [undecipherable] alone, [undecipherable] who did not appear to be [undecipherable]; [undecipherable] letter from [Wolcott?]. This 20 been accordingly drawn up and forwarded. It contains the grounds upon which you have induced the substance [undecipherable] by [undecipherable] to govern your arrangement was [undecipherable] and above, I have been drawn to understand other reasons resulting from the relative talents of [undecipherable] or well be warranted to you by [undecipherable] and public opinion. Mr. Pickering. Thus the other have the arrangements for officering the army been delayed and my public duties and private hours — continued and unpleasant. "It may be that the President has [undecipherable] certain members unfavourably [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the ground of the President against [undecipherable] that has been influenced in the present case [undecipherable] and yet I believe that he cannot doubt of his believing the public opinion, to be what he states it, altho I have [undecipherable] many [undecipherable] strongest reasons and think of it otherwise. [undecipherable] and proofs to [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. Respecting the third cause of delay was the distance of the President from the seat of Government, I need make few observations. It has paraleled during the matter and necessary observations. It is distressing [undecipherable] things appertaining to the new army. It is discouraging and [undecipherable] beyond description. 21 you will perceive that of all the Propositions, [undecipherable] made to the President in my letter of the 4^th of Augt. ulto, he has only [strikethrough: agreed to] signified his concurrence in the one that enabled you to appoint a [strikethrough: Secretary] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] to the calling in the aid of Gen. Hamilton & Knox upon the condition of Gen. Knox being placed first and General Hamilton last in the order of rank; consequently that I am able to conclude my propositions relative to the mode to determine of ascertaining the fullest characters for to be drawn into the army from the different [undecipherable]; I have described the [undecipherable] apportionment of troops [undecipherable] to be raised in each [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] the [undecipherable], the troops already to be raised, is still under consideration or that is [undecipherable] meant I should is left with me, to pursue the accustomed course, and, forward for his approbation [undecipherable] a correction, and approbation from a list [undecipherable] the States; with the [undecipherable] recommendations for examination; I do not imagine the latter to be intended, and expect as soon as the question relative to Hamilton & Knox is is finally settled, that I shall receive his advice to proceed agreeably to my first propositions. In this I may be disappointed. Be the matter however as it may, I should think it [prudent?] that you should have prepared the list of officers for the regiments from for the Southern district, and for the 6 [undecipherable] companies of the [undecipherable] Cavalry, that no time may be lost when his determination is manifested, to obtain them his consent to them being commissioned [undecipherable] and to commence the recruiting business. Copy of a [open?] the annexed letter to Samuel Hodgdon, Commissary [Superintendent?] of Military Stores dated the 25 Aug[us]t [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] answers will show you that I have early attended to your request to learn the state of our magazines. It will also be perceived from the enclosed copy of a letter from the Sec[retary] of the Treasury to Rufus King what articles can now be obtained from England. To that we may many expect from abroad, means in all this year — muskets with bayonets complete, to the amount of [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] iron cannon for the naval service to the amount of [undecipherable] & iron cannon for the land service equal to 4,000 [undecipherable]. Besides this I have [undecipherable] Mr. Wolcott begun to contract for the fabrication within the U.S. of 40,000 stands of arms, and has already closed for about half the number. It [undecipherable] in addition I also [undecipherable] and I expect it to be all the two arsenals of Springfield & Shenandoah were turned out in the course of next year about 7 thousand stands of good muskets. It is now perhaps necessary I should mention to you a difficulty I have 24 to overcome me which you may abate by a strong question to Mr. Pickering [undecipherable] of your surprise that no steps appear to have been taken to obtain so indispensable an article as clothing for the new army. Mr. Wolcott is of opinion, that the first thing [undecipherable] that it requires to be attended to is to fill our magazines with whatever will be necessary and indispensable to [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of a vigorous war. By this I agree fully with him. But he thinks also that to raise the army or any part of [undecipherable] at this time, will be [undecipherable] to incur the expense without any adequate advantage. That the enemy knowing that our magazines are filled with every thing necessary to carry on war will produce upon them for a time the same effect as if [undecipherable] we were disciplined to add to our stores an army [undecipherable] disciplines for [undecipherable] purposes and [undecipherable] arrange them. The further that, the appointment of the Officers 25 and keeping them in a situation to commence [undecipherable] as it was a [undecipherable] expense, investments upon [undecipherable] you will see that the present situation of things absolutely requires. That by following his course [undecipherable] [undecipherable] plan we shall have saved our means and keep these up for emergencies. I consider all this, as [undecipherable]. I before have observed, that I consider [undecipherable] used it [undecipherable] that we should exert ourselves to fill our magazines with the most essential military articles to the extent of our means; but at the same time, as [undecipherable] neither Officers nor soldiers can be created in a day, I hold it to be no [dispensary?]; threatened as we are, to prepare an army, to [undecipherable] before [undecipherable] action to meet [undecipherable] an enemy as we are likely [undecipherable] to encounter. I should have no confidence in troops suddenly assembled [undecipherable] and cannot think it good policy [undecipherable] to meet the first [undecipherable] operations [undecipherable] with no better support than [undecipherable] raw troops. [strikethrough: I need] such reasons to you and I need not write these and many others are too much impressed on your [undecipherable] by past experience to require any commentary. [strikethrough: I also write] Mr. Wolcott I suspect is [undecipherable] and may think it [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a distinct view of [undecipherable] the extent of the [undecipherable] calls of the war department. I made out at his most[?] request the [undecipherable] tabular state which I communicated to him. I believe it certainly is a tolerably correct exhibit of the items I may want, and besides, showing for the objects and the process to call upon at what time the money would be wanted, and the [undecipherable] the points of importance. I add also [undecipherable] a copy of my letter which accompanied it. What [undecipherable] will result I know not. These things my dear and [undecipherable] [friend?] to satisfy you [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] and affecting [undecipherable]. You will thus see (as [undecipherable] may not have seen [undecipherable] of all, my [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by the managers, in the very nature of the transactions first detailed which have prevented the [undecipherable] from making certain communications which they became unavoidable [undecipherable] for your information as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] justification. [undecipherable] To show you [undecipherable] altho[ugh] I may [undecipherable] the letter I may not [undecipherable] not always [undecipherable] your information [undecipherable] you will also see [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — I have not been idle nor inattentive [undecipherable] the importance of the subjects which interest our country & [undecipherable] your present situation. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I believe in case of invasion to the Southward, calculate upon drawing militia from the Eastern States to assist in subduing it. But we may avail ourselves very [undecipherable] of the troops raised them for that service. If therefore our army is not to be enlisted [undecipherable] until an enemy or that we receive certain information from Europe of preparations for the embarkation of [undecipherable], the defence of the S. States may be left entirely to its own militia, and [undecipherable] the country be overrun [undecipherable] any thing like a regular force can be collected [undecipherable] disciplined for action. With the more ardent & affectionate regards Geo Washington Lieut. General of all the armies of the U.S.