War Departmen^t 11^th October 1798 Sir, I have rec'd your letter dated [undecipherable] the 10^th and 11^th, and [undecipherable] the Ohio 3^rd of August last past. Your progress with the troops, can bear additions without accident or injury is satisfactory. The [undecipherable], [undecipherable] made with you, for [undecipherable] must [undecipherable] to invigorate, and give new spirits to the military [undecipherable] in such a quarter. The deficiency you mention in [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] for non compensated officers that not await my concurrence and [undecipherable] to obtain [undecipherable]. The naturally weak disposed at a great distance from proper information are, and must be more ex- posed to the [undecipherable] and impositions of the designing [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] may, we may asce[undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] cannot be [undecipherable] that he was [undecipherable], an frank [undecipherable] confidential [undecipherable], able to manage the whole [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for those on [undecipherable] can [undecipherable] here [undecipherable] placed [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and are [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] had [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] appeared [undecipherable] been [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] aspects of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] employed, and [undecipherable] at the present, in army [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and when employed [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the army be heard [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] of removing [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] came [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], better information, or his actual [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at [undecipherable], however, in some [undecipherable] come to [undecipherable] on account of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] committed [undecipherable] his representations [undecipherable] principles and the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] as many deluded people [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] men suggested [undecipherable] that the rations [undecipherable] at the different posts far exceed the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] present. This suggestion came from so [undecipherable] while [undecipherable] it incumbent [undecipherable] me to call your urgent attention to this affair, if it appears to be regarded [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] inspections [whether?] not some [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of money, and the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] mastery in an army, [undecipherable] that economy [undecipherable] is [undecipherable] to preserve character and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Necessarily to much, probably, [undecipherable] contracted and expensive men. [undecipherable] the particular occasion [undecipherable] I have the honour to be with great respect your [undecipherable] James McHenry [undecipherable] General [undecipherable] James Wilkinson