[Archival notation: fy 130] War Department 28^th Jany 1799. Sir Enclosed is a letter to my Chief Clerk from Captain Stille of the 2^d Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers praying to be disencumbered of a Lieutenant that temporarily was attached to his company. I incline to [undecipherable] the commendations upon which Carmichael, the officer in question was appointed, were framed without due consideration. They presented him as possessed of the mathematics, surveying and drawing at least so far as connected with the latter, and in other respects a qualified candidate. It is distressing that disqualified persons should get introduced into such Corps and difficult to get rid of them. If you can with propriety, gratify Cap^t Stille, who is a promising Officer, I wish it to be done I am, Sir, with my great respect your most [undecipherable] James McHenry [Address:] To Major Gen^t Alexander Hamilton [Endorsement on cover: Jan [undecipherable] 1799; New York]