[Docket: Colonel Jos: Williams / [undecipherable] / Dec 19 —] [Address: Samuel Hodgdon / o Superintendent of Military / Affairs / [P.?] Philadelphia] [Administrative note: Received from / State Dep[t.] / Nov. 24 / B[?] [undecipherable]] [Received from [undecipherable] / N[ov.] 3[?] / [1]4013] Springfield Dec. 11^th 1798 Sir Your letter under date of the 6^th Inst. has come to hand — I must, have expressed myself very illy indeed, in my letter to you of the 12^th Ulto. to be understood to say, that the Charleville Muskets which I have delivered as samples, or Patterns, were inferior by two Dollars in the lock, to those of M^r Ames's Pattern; whereas in fact they are pronounced by the best workmen at this post to be better by two Dollars in the Musket, — owing to the superior work manship of the Lock, and being better finished in other respects — They were selected by the Workmen, taken to pieces and put in the best possible order, for the purposes they were intended for, under the direction and instruction of M^r Ames himself agreeable to your directions to me in your letter dated Sept^r. 3^d which was expressive and pointed, to have the best finishes, and the most efficient in every respect selected by the Workmen from the Charleville kind. — The nub for the Bayonet, being on the back of the Barrel, & the upper pipe for the Ramrod, being better — M^r Ames wishes me to inform you, of this circumstance, believing it your wish, that the nub be placed on the face or upper side of the barrel & the upper pipe interly smooth, that they might be in Uniform with those made under his direction at this factory. I will write immediately to those Persons to whoom they have been delivered to place the nub on the upper side of the barrill, as you have directed — I am Sir, Your most obedient Servant Joseph Williams Samuel Hodgdon Esquire