[[undecipherable: Sec at War?]] [[underline: Feb 9. 1799]] [Private] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Chester [undecipherable] 1799 [undecipherable] [undecipherable] had [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] been [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] dear [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I have attended [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] another [undecipherable] [undecipherable] after In the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] instructions are [undecipherable] have been [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] President. The moment [undecipherable] [undecipherable] so as to make me to proceed you shall have them. I spoke to him [undecipherable] day on the subject; he had not [undecipherable] them, and seemed to intimate the affair need not be hurried. I urged the necessity which existed to put you in possession of my orders, as soon as possible, for that no preparatory arrangements could be made respecting the recruiting service till then, &c &c &c The list you suggest makes one of several references annexed to the instructions I have taken care in all my lists presented to the President for nominations, not to destroy hope, nor to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] men who had not acted like old [undecipherable] officers. [ink blot obscuring text] [undecipherable] think [undecipherable] [undecipherable] meet as good [undecipherable] but it is a fact, that his character [undecipherable] in Boston, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] upon as a trifler, and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] whatever [undecipherable] quarters of the union. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] endeavour to have [undecipherable] vacancies in the New Hampshire [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as possible. Yours Sincerely James McHenry