[Oct 13. 1798] [Sam'l Hodgdon Esq,] [Recorded] Trenton Oct: 13. 1798 I have rec'd your letter of the 9^th instant and was exceedingly disappointed and astonished at the contents. When I left Philadelphia I called at your Office and from information given by you in person, made [strikethrough: also] a memorandum, that [strikethrough: of] Charlesville Musquets prepared for Pattern could be delivered at several places, among which I distinctly recollect Boston, Springfield, Providence, West Point, Albany, Philadelphia, Charleston & Savannah — You also mentioned several [strikethrough: the places] [undecipherable] which I will not venture to specify. The latter part of August, I applied to the Sec. of War, for orders for the delivery of a number of Pattern Musquets at Boston, Springfield, Providence, West Point, Albany & Philadelphia — The Sec. of War, wrote to you on the 30^th of August, requiring information whether proper Patterns could be shewn at all these places — You replied on the 31^st of August, that the Charleville Musquets, of the best kind may be furnished for Pattern, from Springfield, "West Point & Philadelphia. Proposed to accept to only as my other Parts or depots for Patterns, [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] at other Places they may be when officially put into a perfect State as they ought to be. If under shelter and for such purposes without having it taken to pieces, I cannot and cleaned, for this last objection would be too great a disadvantage of by this Eagle Eye of the Contractors" Although this statement was especially different from that made to me in Philadelphia, but as a short time before, and though it would have been very inconvenient to have had Patterns at Boston & Providence in the vicinity of which places I was forming Contracts, yet as [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] making the Orders delivering only applied [undecipherable] by Philadelphia appeared [undecipherable] that I was perfectly satisfied with your [undecipherable] proposed [strikethrough: by this order], which externally limited to the Storehouses at Springfield, West Point & Philadelphia. On the 7^th of September I wrote a letter to M^r George Fleming Storekeeper at West Point, requesting him to deliver to M^r Henry Bogley of Vermont, six [strikethrough: Pattern] Musquets, to serve as Patterns for Contracts in that State; and on the 11^th of Sept, M^r Fleming returned the following reply: "I had the honor to receive this day by M^r Bogley, yours from of the [undecipherable] & the contractor. I am sorry to have to inform you, that there is not a Charleville Musquets [undecipherable] that has not been in service and repaired [undecipherable], consignments not as proper for [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] by new ones that have not been in [undecipherable], when M^r Bogley arrived I had just finished [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] overlooking all the small arms, in the [undecipherable] arrived & informed [undecipherable] this result. I have written to the Superintendent of the 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 some [undecipherable] new Charleville Arms, that had not been in service — I have also informed him, that the head armorer here, has said, that he had sent to Springfield a few years since, near 5000 Stands of [undecipherable] Charleville Arms." On the 22^d of September I [strikethrough: notified] you of the substance of M^r [strikethrough: Fleming's] letter, and requested you to [undecipherable] send six Musquets to be furnished to the Superintendent [undecipherable] to inform me and have you proposed to have them shipped. In your letter of Sept: 29^th in reply to mine of the [undecipherable] you say "At our Major Fleming, for part one there, and there [undecipherable] of new Charleville [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] Musquets at Albany as in every town there [undecipherable] accounts for his having as new ones at present in store, but I presume they may be procured from Albany to Vermont, in by time there from any other quarter. It will however become be best to order them and for from [strikethrough: Springfield], [undecipherable] if there was should be so good, they will go in the next purpose orders — I will write by this long Post to effect this business" — From the present [undecipherable] only remark, that your letter is insufficient, as the manner in which you proposed to fulfill my directions, and that I now find no information about whether the Musquets had been actually forwarded, though some three [undecipherable] September has elapsed. On the 6^th of Sept. I gave an order on M^r Harris the Storekeeper at Philadelphia, for the transmission of [undecipherable] Pattern Musquets, to be [undecipherable] Inspector [undecipherable] Roads, and on the 13^th I like [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] required for the [undecipherable] Musquets to be formed and sent to John [undecipherable] Esq, Supervisor at Maryland — By [undecipherable] and immediately he had complied the orders on M^r Harris, would [undecipherable] thoughts of me, and add to yourself and M^r Harris, we are appointed that for [undecipherable] as a matter of importance the Musquets should reach Providence [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] Baltimore without delay, and that it was found there were no [undecipherable] on the point of sailing, it was my desire that they might be carefully [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] & forwarded by the slow and Water Steps. In answer to my letters of the 6^th September, you [undecipherable] answer, that: "The eight Musquets of the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] Charleville model to serve as Patterns shall be carefully packed up and forwarded to Providence without a moments delay!" Although I do not find any acknowledgement [undecipherable] requirements of my letter of Sept to the [undecipherable]; I had very reason to believe that the Musquets had been transmitted to Baltimore as [strikethrough: [undecipherable]], until the 9^th instant, when I receive information that the Workmen were waiting with impatience. Your letter of the 9^th then unexpectedly informs that the Pattern Musquets for Providence & Baltimore had been forwarded only a few days, and what is worse, justified an opinion, that there are no [strikethrough: Pattern] Musquets as in the Ports of Philadelphia which are proper for Patterns, without previous reparation. Your [undecipherable] dated of the 9^th instant in the subject of Musquet Stocks, conveys information equally variant from that formerly made and under present circumstances very alarming. You will not I presume deny, that I have had a particular enquiry was made by my direction of yourself and M^r [undecipherable] & that you both informed me, that a number which might be wanted by the manufacturing could be supplied — At the time the information that proposals were published for procuring Forty three and stands of Arms, with a stipulation, that well finished Walnut Stocks would be allowed at the public Stores of Philadelphia to Contractors to Twenty five Cents each. On the 6^th of August you were desired to deliver to M^r Elias Whitney [undecipherable] there on Stocks — and on the 20^th of August [undecipherable] there and more to M^r Robert McCormick — both these Gentlemen and Contractors, and I know that they depend [strikethrough: entirely] upon the public Stores for these Supplies [strikethrough: Relying] entirely upon the information which had, and I enquired on the 24^th of Sept, what number of Stocks could be transferred in [undecipherable] to Hartford in [undecipherable] without and what would be the expense of delivering any given number into the public Stores at Springfield, also what number of seasoned Stocks could be furnished, they fall including the number on hand. No longer ago, than the 8^th of September, you informed me in answer to my letter of the preceding day thus as follows: "Twenty three and Gun Stocks may be transferred to Springfield in [undecipherable] suitable for the voyage; Is for Stock any given number of Stocks may be delivered into the public Stores at Springfield at four cents each. I expect the [undecipherable] falls very day, that carried the last Stock. and could not she may be again employed for the same service — Now there and seasoned Stocks may be procured this fall, say in [undecipherable] Month." I ask you candidly to forward this [strikethrough: copying] narrations and to say whether I have not had reason to suppose that an ample supply of Stocks would be furnished — [undecipherable] if instruction had been given for the order for him, those Stocks could not be fulfilled. Peruse your letter of Sept 29^th — nothing [strikethrough: an inspection] found that at the least on [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] inadequate Five Thousand [undecipherable] added to the Supplies actually in your [undecipherable] of Contracts had been made [undecipherable] or things [undecipherable], you send and say in your letter of the 19^th instant that the Orders of the Sec. of War have laid to save all the Stocks, not [undecipherable] Five thousand & Twenty five, & that you have ordered [undecipherable] for further works on the [undecipherable]. I own [undecipherable] that allowances as the [undecipherable] to be made for delays occasioned by the [undecipherable] lots of [undecipherable] of Philadelphia — but you will remember that I do not complain of the delay [undecipherable]. I complain that all your information has been erroneous, that you stated of [undecipherable] has not proved to be [strikethrough: [undecipherable]], that what you have promised to [undecipherable], you have but performed, [strikethrough: that] you have [undecipherable] advised me and [undecipherable] informed [undecipherable] disappointment — It is your duty to — [I presume] this the receiving safe keeping and distribution of the military Stores in the United States to use to account all persons to whom they may be entrusted — If you do not know the situation and condition of the public Stores, your Office is not calculated [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] to give information, and this information is erroneous, you mislead and perplex and [undecipherable] left to the public known a [undecipherable]. I must add that I feel myself injured upon the [undecipherable] to admit this error [strikethrough: which] [undecipherable] made a proposal [undecipherable] you make to me — Please that you ought not to have told me, that you could deliver Pattern musquets, at Boston, Providence, and Albany, without being certain of the fact. That the manner in which you gave account for your appointments to go West Point by referring to a transfer of Musquets to Albany in the year 1793, was [undecipherable] disappointing, that you ought to have informed me on the delay in transmitting the Musquets to Providence & Baltimore; that [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] Musquets for Patterns in the Stores at Philadelphia & that I am unable to account for your inability to deliver musquet Stocks, and frankly comply with any just confidence in the arrangement of your Office. I will close this letter by informing you, that [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] expect to be informed whether the Pattern Musquets have been transmitted to Bennington, whether a Pattern Musquets has been charged with M^r McCormick agreeable to my letter of August 20^th — and request you to remember that [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] I rely upon your making such representations to the Sec. of War, [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] by adopting such measures & will enable you to supply the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] probable [undecipherable] ends of the Contractors for Musquet Stocks — [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] will [undecipherable] with the strictest punctuality — it is now too late to retreat any [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] encouragement which has been given on this Subject — I am &c Samuel Hodgdon Esq