[Page 1 illegible] An other undertaking of unavoidable Necessity is to Support the Northwestern bank on the lake Side, behind the Store house — It has for number of years past gradually given way So as to endanger the foundations of the Most valuable building in the Fort — The British tried in vain to Stop the encroachments of the lake — every attempt proved fruitless & I am of opinion that the best method (& that has not been tried) would be to Sink Some old boats to throw large quantities of Stones & to let them be formed by the waves into a bank which I am confident would answer better than Mason or Carpenters Work — The only Appendage of this Garrison is Fort Schlosser on the South extremity of the Old carrying place, about eight Miles from Niagara & half way to the nearest Indian Village — It consisted formerly of a Stockade in ruinous condition two log buildings one Serving as Officers Quarters, the other as barracks calculated for thirty men & commanding a Store & Wharf. That place was in ruins & underwent Some repairs in order to accomodate Some of our men who cleared the Roads — but the reduced State of the Garrison forced me to call in that Party — At any rate Fort Schlosser is of no defence & can be of use only in case a carrying place & public Stores for transport were established on the American Side — An object certainly worth attention — I cannot close this Article without making Some observations on the Choice which the British made of a position for the Fort which they are erecting; Within a Mile to the North East of [undecipherable: Niagara] they had a Most eligible Spot called Miss Salaya Point from which they would have completely comandied the Entrance of the river; instead of that They preferred to build to the South west of Newterk, which leaves us perfect Masters of the Navigation from the lake into the River — I Should have found it a Strange [undecipherable: Anachronism] were it not Evident that the intention was merely to gain a Superiority of Situation with regard to the Forts only which they will undoubtedly obtain if Niagara remains as it is & if the Works they project are, as I make no doubt but they will be, carried into execution. — The Plan which has been adopted is an oblong Parallelogram the long Sides of which are to be in a direction with the cours of the river — A Bastion is to be constructed on the middle of each Side — a circumstance which proves that they have adopted too large a Scale & that they are aware of it — otherwise the Bastions would have been at the Angles. They employed the Fall & Winter in building a Powder Magazine — three Blockhouses — Barracks for a complete Regiment — quarters for Officers &ca. Now they have already broke ground although the Sod is not yet out of the earth & Colonel Mc Donald [undecipherable] & has orders to proceed with the utmost expedition — I went over the ground Several times & from all which I can collect — I am almost confident that Fort George will not cost less than 50,000 Pounds Sterling & requires a Garrison of at least 3000 Men which unless considerable reinforcements are Sent would drain Upper Canada of the best part of its Militia — for Government depends merely on the English & very little on the Canadian born — The Same extensive Scale has been been adopted for the Works of Amherstburgh or Malden & for those of york — This latter Place is become the Seat of Government & all public Offices are removed from the Fort — General Prescot observing that it was improper to have them under the Guns of a Foreign Garrison. I take the liberty of Sending the Plan of Detroit which I mentioned in my last Letter — I am Sorry that the want of time did not allow me to finish it in a better manner but I fancy it is accurate — Fort Lernoult which ought to be Seen as the Citadel comands the Town but nothing else — the Streets reading to the river which are Shaded with [undecipherable] are from their declivity Sheltered from the [undecipherable] which cannot bring a Single Shot to bear on [undecipherable] who keeps close within Shore although in Sufficient depth for Sailing — The Works are in tolerable repair except the [undecipherable] Way which is nearly in ruins — The counterscarp covers every where a Smooth descent in the ditch — That [undecipherable] of the Works is Figures of that kind is most Speaking [undecipherable] the faces of the Demi-bastions are Flanked by no [undecipherable] the Works except by a very Small part of the curtain — Experience has taught how despicable that oblique fire or Second Flank is, in case of attack — An other material defect is the Stockade twelve feet high in the middle of the ditch — it Seems calculated to afford a Shelter to an Enemy, who from thence would have a fire at whatever would Shew itself above the Parapet [undecipherable] an Embrasure — Palisades with a Glacis Inside would have been of Use & cheaper — The [undecipherable] is extravagantly wide — even for a Chemin des Rondes, of course it would afford a Stand to those who would Storm it — The Fraise instead of being directed towards the ditch is nearly perpendicular, which impedes the fire from the Parapet & prevents Granades from rolling at the foot of the Esarp — Upon the whole I think that with a force very little Superior to that of the Garrison Fort Lernoult could be carried in a Night — Two miles from Detroit on the Western road there is close to the river (Near Askin's Mill) a Much More eligible Situation for a Fort on a Small Hill which is no where commanded & which from its being on a kind of protection where the river makes a bend would have Several advantages — Fort Lernoult is nearly as Much in want of New Platforms as Niagara — The Powder Magazine which in my plan is [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] is So damp that I was obliged to remove the [undecipherable] & that of the Fort — The British have [undecipherable] to Detroit — Malden is 18 Miles below it, at the entrance of the river in Lake Erie — I question however whether their numerous batteries could Stop a vessel that would not have to tack — Some of the Islands at the Mouth of the river could no doubt be fortified by us with advantage — but I doubt whether they would not prove very unhealthy, as well as expensive — & their Situation is Such, that — for three of four Months in the year they are cut off from all intercourse with the main land — . — I beg leave Now to Mention Some particulars concerning Oswego — The importance of that Post on [undecipherable] Water comunications & the Necessity of a place of deposit is obvious — The Position is good & the Works have been better than any I have Seen in this Country — But the British impressed with the Idea that the Fort would be given up did Not Keep it in repair — &c never did any thing to prevent its going to ruin — The breastworks are falling in — & the longer the delay The greater the task will be — Supposing that the Post is to be Kept — One bastion is calculated to Serve as a Citadel — I forward a Sketch of the Works as they were in 96 — As to the surrounding grounds I could not represent them, my Stay having been too Short to allow me to make the necessary observations — The only remark I recollect to have Struck me at the time — that on a prolongation of the Capitale of the Ravelin Within Canon Shot there is a commanding [undecipherable] Surrounded with brushes & timber Sufficient for Fascines & [undecipherable]. — I am afraid Sir, to have tired your patience, without giving a Satisfactory account — What I could Say concerning this [undecipherable] would only relate to the climate which is Such that no one has been Known yet to preserve his health after remaining Some time in Garrison — I am told also it is by far too extensive in proportion to the troops allowed — I do Myself the Honor of inclosing the Sundry returns of this Garrison for March & a Quarterly one of the Quartermasters Department, I Filled the column wanting to compleat only partially, as I have no data — concerning the number of [undecipherable] which are to be Stationed here — I left the Article of clothing in blank for the Same reason — The Muster roll will Shew that if it was not for the deserters whom I procured partly by Sending parties & partly by promising pardon we Should be reduced to Eleven privates — For Number of Months past it has been impossible to perform regularly the duties of the Garrison — Captain Thompson & the Surgeons Mate being the only Officers — the former has been So constantly indisposed that notwithstanding his zeal & Knowledge; he has been able to attend but little to the training [undecipherable] of the troops — We can form no Court Martial, a circumstance always distrissing to a Commanding Officer who wants to Sustain discipline & conciliate the love of the Soldiers at the Same time. In the Statement of Provisions expended & on hand you will See that there is Still in Store 48 [undecipherable] lbs of flour — It is the remainder of about 100'000 weight which my predecessor accepted of the Contractor under the Contract of [undecipherable] — he might have foreseen the consequences of receiving Such immense Stores in proportion to his Command (for [undecipherable] was in proportion) the flour is nearly all Spoiled & large quantities of meat have been either condemned, or will be So as Soon as the weather becomes warm — The Same Gentleman accused me of wasting public property for issuing on the [undecipherable] return a few rations to women who having been lately delivered were unable to wash for the men — I beg leave to [undecipherable: resent] what I think I mentioned in my last letter with regard to the Quarter Masters Department — having been constantly without funds & in want of number of Articles [undecipherable] liable — are incurred the nonpayment of which has a unfavorable appearance — Doct. [undecipherable] who without any advantage to himself has had the goodness to transact in lieu of a Quarter Master is become responsible for the amount as well as for the extra pay due to men employed in that department — Should he or Should I leave this place it could not be done without a previous Settlement. I transmitted a [undecipherable] & Pay Rolls — but they were only acknowledged — The whole amount however is Not 600 D & the overplus of that Sum would Serve for the occasional Wants of the Garrison — I Shall by next Mail endeavour to forward on that business an accurate Statement. The Secretary of War having informed me that a Detachment would be Sent on to Niagara as Soon as the Season would allow it to proceed, I have [undecipherable: nearly] prepared Quarters for 150 Men & their Officers — It is to be wished that among other Artificers there Might be an intelligent Blacksmith a Mason & a Wheelwright — the want of the latter & the difficulty of buying Cartwheels had induced my predecessor to use the wheels of the timbers for our teams & I have been obliged to continue that bad practice — . . . . In a few days the Infantry will be without a drummer — the only one remaining is a boy belonging to the Artillery & he is hardly able to beat them. Sir John Johnson having politely offered me to take charge of whatever I Should want to Send to Detroit & Mackinac — I gave him the letters which you directed me to forward to the Officers commanding those two Forts — Major Burbeck will receive his three Months earlier than he could by any other Conveyance — Sir John is the only Stranger who visited this Garrison these two Months last — for I do not call So British Officers of Fort George who come to See us whenever the river is free of Ice — The day before yesterday Most of them with their Ladies Spent the day with me. — It is a truly pleasing circumstance to See the friendly unreserved intercourse which Subsists between the two Garrisons — As a trifling instance I Shall mention that dining with them on The Queens Birth day the toast of the King & Queen were followed by their band playing God Save the King — The 2^d Toast was the President of the United States followed by [underline: Washingtons March]. I Notice this merely to Shew that the Scars of former wounds are Nearly obliterated — & I Must confess that I Shall with regret quit a Post where I Must leave So many persons when I Sincerely value — & whose behaviour towards me & my Officers has always been perfectly liberal & delicate — even at a time when the Democratic Zeal of one of us had in a number of instances been exerted in a manner [undecipherable: calculated] to wound their feelings — fortunately, they have nothing of the kind to apprehend Now, as they can visit us Since I took the Comand without having a Bayonet presented to them at the gate & without being escorted by a Corporal to and from the Quarters of the Officers they intend to See — Even Officers of Government have admittance Now which privilege was denied them formerly; It is nearly one year Since I understood by Some of our Officers from Detroit that New regulations for the discipline of the Army had been forwarded to Several Posts — we never received one — hitherto I have been obliged to regulate my conduct by the few General Orders of Gen. [undecipherable] which had been issued previous to my departure for [undecipherable] — It is much to be wished that Such communications would reach all the different Garrisons in order to establish an uniformity of duty — I beg leave to ask in what manner I could procure for a very worthy young man an appointment as Cadet in the Artillery — his name is Enoch Humphrey acting now as [undecipherable] to this Post — he has been with me nearly two years & never once incurred the Shadow of a blame — he is very [undecipherable] to acquire Knowledge & would I am confident make in time an excellent Officer — his time of Service is on the point of expiring — & his quitting the army would really be a loss — If I can appoint him Cadet & give him a furlough of three Months he will remain in Service — his companions are decent & the only incitement he had for inlisting was that he could be able to watch the behaviour of a younger Brother who in a Moment of intoxication had become [undecipherable] — I Shall be very thankfull for your orders on that Subject — I was interrupted by Mr. Burke great Vicar of Canada & a man perfectly acquainted with this Country; he observed to me during dinner that he firmly believes the whole of the rumors among Indians to have arisen from the Secret Machinations of those Individuals employed in that Department, because an Indian War would make their fortunes — from what I Know of one of those Gentlemen (a Mr. [undecipherable] of Detroit) the remark Seems to me judicious — He wrote that 1000 [undecipherable] had offered their Services to the [undecipherable] — That Nation [undecipherable] has no fewer 1500 Warriors — Mr. Burke also observed that the Posts ceded to Us were originally built on his [undecipherable] to the directions of Charlesroix whose idea was to form a Chain of Posts from the [undecipherable] of the Mississippi as far as New Orleans — [undecipherable] to cut or Separate the British Colonies from the United States from the English Posts & trades of Canada — The Mail is just arrived & to my utmost astonishment brought Nothing concerning Cap^t Bruffe's character or my pressing & repeated requests to have them investigated — The Silence of the Secretary of War on that Subject would be Most [undecipherable] if I was not [undecipherable] to it on other topics more interesting to the Service although [undecipherable] to Me individually — I beg to represent that Should it be the wish of M^r McHenry to bury that affair in oblivion, my honor will never permit me to acquiesce unless a public reprimand Should Silence my Accuser or rather [undecipherable] & Satisfy those who are acquainted with the Transaction — I Must further observe that Since Cap^t Bruffe's departure Matters have come to light which I must take up as an Officer — Shamefull peculation cannot pass unnoticed — The impropriety of anticipation & the fear of abusing of your patience prevent me from comunicating Now the Charges which in time I will bring forward & Substantiate; charges, of Such Nature that the Officers of this Fort declared they would do no more duty with the officer who could So far disgrace his Profession. Please to excuse any improper expression which the desperate Situation I am in may have drawn from my Pen & permit me to present the Assurances of the respectfull consideration with which I have the honor to be, Sir Your Most obedient & Very Humble Servant [signed] [undecipherable] Ulrich Rivardi Maj. 1^st Reg. Art. & [marginal notation at bottom, partially legible: undecipherable]