18 Oct^r 1798 To Geo. Washington enclosing copies of Gen Pinckney's letter & my answer. [Private] Trenton 18 Oct^r. 1798 My dear General. The inclosed is copy of a [strikethrough: I received yester-day morning the] [strikethrough: the] letter from General Pinckney, [strikethrough: received it and] & recd. yesterday morning. I immediately answered it, & a copy of which is also inclosed. Yours [undecipherable] and affectionately [address: Gen Washington E[sq.?]] Newark, New Jersey, Oct.^r 11. 1798. Dear Sir, A Master of a Salem fishing Vessel was so good as to give me an American Gazette a few leagues on this side the Banks of Newfoundland. Among the advertisements by authority therein detailed, I saw my name in the list of Majors General. Be so obliging Sir as to make my acknowledgements to the President for this mark of his attention and acquaint him of my readiness to accept the Commission. [undecipherable] time since I have been at home, I shall be a very glad, [if] the service will admit of it to [undecipherable] mission to allow my Wife and Daughter to Carolina. I will return as soon afterwards as shall be required, or not desire to go if the service requires my immediate presence. Permit me in the nominations that are making to commissions to request [one?] for my [late?] Secretary Major Henry Middleton Rutledge. He has been attentive when at the Hague to the exercises and manoeuvres of the former Dutch and German Troops which were there quartered, and applied himself in his hours of leisure from the duties of his Office to studying military Authors. Being young (now about 22.) he was not old enough in the last War to see actual service. But for two years preceding my departure for Europe, he used to attend me as one of my extra aids in the Reviews which I was accustomed regularly to make of the Regiments in my division. I heard from our friend M^r. Murray a few days before I left Bordeaux; he and M^r Murray were well. — I remain with great regard and esteem Your most obed^t. able. Servant) signed Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. [address: Col. Mc Henry / Secretary of War] War department, 17^th October 1798. Dear Sir, I received your letter dated Newark the 11^th instant this morning, and sincerely congratulate you upon your safe arrival. The readiness you have expressed to accept of your appointment, after so long an absence from home and your private affairs is extremely satisfactory, and will I am sure be justly estimated by the President and your country. I enclose your Commission of Major General in the Army of the United States, and flatter myself, I shall soon have the pleasure of seeing you here, when we can talk over some points upon which your opinion will be requisite, and the propriety of a short delay, or your immediately proceeding home agreeably to your desire. The relative rank of the Major Generals of the Army (as you have collected from the order of appointment, as announced in the News-paper referred to,) is as follows, viz. Major General Alexander Hamilton, Major General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and Major General Henry Knox. With sincere regard I am D^r Sir, Your most obed. Servant) signed James McHenry. [address: Major General / Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.]