War Department o Oct 18 Dear Sir The President of the United States has the honor to be [undecipherable: transmitted] to me [undecipherable: commissions] for the three Major Generals of the army signed and dated [on?] the same day. When I considered the communications which may be expected from this department, at the time of presenting his commission to each of the Generals, I found myself embarrassed respecting the course which he meant I should pursue on the occasion. As we cannot wish to avoid the renewal of a subject that has already been attended with too many unpleasant circumstances by returning the question upon him for more precise instructions, after [undecipherable] considerable deliberation, and as the most respectful course to him, [undecipherable] was induced to transmit the commissions to General Hamilton & Knox, and to inform them, that I considered the order of nomination and [undecipherable: approbation] by the [undecipherable: Senate] in determining their relative rank. I have also my dear Sir, written to Generals Hamilton & Knox, calling them into service, and soliciting their presence as soon as possible, and in all events by the [undecipherable: 10^th] November proxim[o]. I suggested also to the President that it would be desirable I [should] be authorized to require your attendance as [undecipherable] that his own presence would be [undecipherable: important] and give facility to all measures requisite to this meeting. My object in convening [the] Officers is to derive from the knowledge they may have of the several characters, who have applied for military appointments and others [undecipherable: favored] to enter into the army [undecipherable: effectual] and necessary aid in the selection and application of the most suitable to the different grades and to be [undecipherable] in conjunction with [undecipherable] a best [undecipherable] the President's final determination and also to avail myself of their knowledge and [undecipherable: experience] in digesting a report to be submitted for his approbation — relative — [1^st] to the measures necessary to be pursued to give efficacy and success to the recruiting service. 2^d the distribution of the military corps in the United States. 3^d to the most certain and [undecipherable: regular] and economical mode of [undecipherable: provisioning] the [undecipherable: recruits] & the [undecipherable: troops] in the field. 4 [The] [undecipherable: quantity] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable: of] military stores and other articles necessary to be procured in addition to what we already have in our magazines, [undecipherable: arsenals], and the proper places for occasional or permanent deposits of the same. with the more sincere respect and esteem I have the honour to be [undecipherable] your most [undecipherable: able] [undecipherable] James McHenry [undecipherable notation] [To] Washington [undecipherable: Lieut.] General & Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States.