Now I have all the primary document pages (1–10) and the "Other Copies" separator. I have enough to produce the full transcription. [Oct 13 1798. Sam'l Hodgdon Esq. Recorded] [F. D.] Trenton Oct. 13. 1798 I have rec'd your two letters of the 11^th instant and am exceedingly disappointed and astonished at the contents. Before I left Philadelphia I called at your Office and from information given by you in person, made [strikethrough: the] a memorandum, that the real Charleville musquet proper for [underline: Patterns] could be delivered at several places, among which I distinctly recollect Boston, Springfield, Providence, West Point, Albany Philadelphia, Charleston & Savannah. — You also mentioned several other places [strikethrough: Posts to a place in Virginia] which I will not venture to specify. [With the] The latter part of August, I applied to the Sec^d of War, for orders for the delivery of a number of Pattern Musquets, at Boston Springfield, Providence West Point, Albany & Philadelphia. — The Sec^d of War, wrote to you on the 30^th of August, requesting information whether proper patterns could be delivered at all these places— You replied on the 31^st of August, in the following manner [strikethrough: that] "The Charlesville Musquets of the best kind may be furnished for Patterns, from Springfield "West Point & Philadelphia. It would be unsafe "to rely on any other Posts or deposits for Patterns, "for at all these Places they may be selected [underline: Official]ly and put into a perfect [underline: State] as they ought "to be. I never deliver one for such purposes "without having it taken to pieces, examined "and cleaned; for the best Armorist, would be taken "advantage of, by the Eagle Eye of the Contractor." Although this statement was essentially different from that made to me in Philadelphia, but a short time before, and though it would have been very convenient to have had Patterns at Boston & Providence, [strikethrough: & Albany] in the vicinity of which places I was forming Contracts, with [strikethrough: some persons forming, those, and delivering to Springfield West Point & Philadelphia, appeared to well found] I was satisfied with your disposal of the orders, which were actually limited to the Storekeepers at Springfield, West Point & Philadelphia. On the 7^th of September I wrote a letter to Mr. George Fleming Storekeeper at West Point, requesting him to deliver, to Mr. Henry Bogley of Vermont [and the general order in my favour] six [strikethrough: Pattern] Musquets, to serve as Patterns for Contracts in that State. And on the 11^th of Sept. Mr. Fleming returned the following reply. "I had the honour of receiving "this day by Mr. Bogley your favour of the 4^th & "of the 9^th instant. I am sorry to have to inform "you, that there is not a Charlesville Musquet "here, that has not been in service and repaired "since; consequently not so proper for [strikethrough: Pattern] "as new ones that have not been in service. When "Mr. Bogley arrived I had just finished "overhauling all the small arms, in the "small arms [strikethrough: the] around & informed him of "the result." "I have written to the Superintendent by this "Post & informed him, I shipped to Albany in the "year 1793, a quantity of stands of arms, among "which I am pretty sure, there were about "200 new Charleville Arms, that had not been "in service. I have also informed him, that "the head Armourer here, told me, that he sent "to Springfield a few years since, near 5000 "Stands of new Charlesville Arms." On the 22^d of September I notified you of the substance of Mr. Fleming's Letter, and requested you to cause six Musquets to be furnished to the Supervisor of Vermont & to inform me how you proposed to have the thing effected. To your letter of Sept. 21^st in reply to mine of the 20^th you say "It seems Major Fleming "has just above three Stands of new Charlesville "[strikethrough: Lent] Musquets at Albany, a circumstance that "accounts for his having no new ones to present "in store, but I presume they may be furnished from Albany to Vermont, in less time than from any other quarter. He will however I presume be little to order and fire from Springfield. And if there were ought to send, they will go in the next perfect order. I will write "by this days Post to effect the business." — For the present I only remark, that your letter is inexplicit, as to the manner in which you proposed to fulfill my direction, and that I have rec'd no information whether the Musquets have been actually forwarded, though more than sufficient time has elapsed. On the 6^th of Sept. I gave an order on Mr. Harris the Storekeeper of Philadelphia for the transmission of eight pattern Musquets to [strikethrough: Lt.] John J. Dexter Esq Supervisor of Rhode Island. And on the 10^th a like order for [strikethrough: six] Musquets to be forwarded to John Kilty Esq Supervisor of Maryland. To ensure an immediate & effectual compliance the orders on Mr. Harris, were transmitted through you and both yourself and Mr. Harris, were apprized that it was a matter of importance that the Musquets should reach Providence & Baltimore without delay, and that if there were no Vessels on the point of sailing, it was my desire that they might be carefully packed [strikethrough: and] & forwarded by the Land and Water Stages. In answer to my letter of the 6^th of Sept. you gave me the following [strikethrough: approved] opinion in person, that "The eight Musquets of "the [strikethrough: Charlesville] Charlesville model to serve as Patterns "shall be carefully packed up and forwarded to "Providence without a moments delay." Although I do not find any acknowledgment [strikethrough: my requests] of my letter of Sept. 10^th I had very reason to believe that the musquets had been transmitted to Baltimore as desired, until the 9^th instant, when I rec'd information that the Workmen were waiting with impatience. Your letter of the 11^th however unexpectedly informs me that the Pattern Musquets for Providence & Baltimore [strikethrough: had] have been forwarded only a few days, and what is worse justified an opinion, that there are no [strikethrough: Pattern] Musquets now in the Stores of Philadelphia which are proper for Patterns, without previous reparations. Your second letter of the 11^th instant on the subject of Musquet Stocks, conveys information utterly [strikethrough: equally] variant from that formerly rec'd and under present circumstances any alarming. You will not I presume deny, that in June last a particular enquiry was made by my direction of yourself and Mr. Francis & that you both informed me, that a number which might be wanted by the manufacturers could be supplied. It was on the basis of this information that proposals were published for procuring Forty Stands and Stands of arms, with a stipulation, that will furnish Walnut Stocks would be delivered at the public Stores of Philadelphia to the Contractors at Twenty five Cents each. On the 10^th of August you were desired to, [strikethrough: commissioner] deliver to Mr. Eli Whitney Four Stands and Stocks. And on the 20^th of August Three Stands and more to Mr. Robert McCormick. Both these Gentlemen are Contractors, and I know that they depend [strikethrough: entirely] upon the public Stores for their Supplies. [strikethrough: Relying] entirely upon the information which had been rec'd I enquired on the 28^th of Sept. what number of Stocks could be transported in a Shallop to Hartford in Connecticut and what would be the expense of delivering any given number into the public Stores at Springfield, also what number of seasoned Stocks [strikethrough: now] could be furnished this fall including the number on hand. No longer ago, than the 29^th of September, you informed me in answer to my letter of the preceding day, [strikethrough: that] as follows. "Twenty Stands and Gun "Stocks may be transported to Hartford "in a Vessel suitable for the voyage, & I "think any given number of Stocks may be "delivered into the public Stores at Springfield. "at four Cents each. I expect the Vessel "facts very day, that carried the last Stocks "and doubt it she may be again employed "for the same service. — Three Stands and seasoned "Stocks may be procured this fall, say in [undecipherable] "months." I ask you candidly to consider this [strikethrough: business] narrative and to say whether I have not had reason to suppose that an ample supply of Stocks could be furnished. — And No intimation had been given, that the orders for [strikethrough: thousands of] Stocks could not be fulfilled. Second Your letter of Sept. 29^th authorizing an inspection [strikethrough: disposed] that at least an additional inclusive [strikethrough: numbered] Three thousand [strikethrough: credited] added to the Supplies actually in your possession. Yet the Contracts have been made. Its ordering issued, you now say in your letter of the 11^th instant that the orders of the Sec^t of War have drawn out all the Stocks not Three thousand & Twenty-four, & that they are under order for the works on the [underline: Potomac]. I am [strikethrough: app] aware that allowances are to [strikethrough: justify] to be made for any delays occasioned by the unfortunate state [strikethrough: of the city] of Philadelphia. — but you will remember that I do not complain of delay [strikethrough: any part]. I complain [strikethrough: that] all your information has been erroneous — what you [strikethrough: have] stated as facts, has not proved to be facts; [strikethrough: that] what you have promised to perform, you have not [strikethrough: not performed while you to the same thing you have not omitted to informed me by] any circumstances which I cannot [strikethrough: +] common disappointment. — It is your duty to "Superintend the receiving safe keeping and "distribution of the military Stores of the United "States and to call to account all persons to whom "the same may be entrusted." — If you do not know the situation and condition of the public Stores, your Office is not executed; if you presume to give information, and the information is not correct, you mislead and perplex [strikethrough: and your obstruction of the public become eminent]. I must add that I feel myself injured upon the subjects to which this letter relates, [strikethrough: that I am disappointed and perplexed grounds for the opinions between the direct you must to me in your Office] that you ought not to have told me, that you could deliver pattern musquets, at Boston, Providence, and Albany, without being certain of the facts. — that the manner in which you have accounted for the disappointment at West Point by referring to a transportation of musquets to Albany in the year 1793 is utterly unsatisfactory. — that you ought to have informed me of the delay in transmitting the Musquets to Providence & Baltimore; that I consider it as a reprehensibly delinquency. — [strikethrough: considerable, which ought to be investigated interested they have provided by them,] that there are no Musquets suitable for Patterns in the Stores at Philadelphia & that I am unable to account for your inability to deliver Musquet Stocks, to Contractors upon principles compatible with any just confidence in the arrangements of your Office. I will close this letter by informing you, that I require to be informed whether the Pattern Musquets have been transmitted to Bennington, whether a Pattern Musquet has been entrusted with Mr. McCormick agreeably to my letter of August 20^th. — and request you to remember that — [strikethrough: that] I rely upon your making such representations to the Sec^t of War, [strikethrough: made] by adopting such measures & will enable you to supply the [strikethrough: how] probable demands of the Contractors for Musquet Stocks. [strikethrough: you will be plan'd in to] with the strictest punctuality — it is now too late to retract any [strikethrough: thing that has in] encouragement which has been given on this subject. . . I am &c Samuel Hodgden Esq