[19. No. [undecipherable]] Hingham April 1^st 1792 My dear General I have the honour, to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 8^th ult^o; inclosing a list of the Officers who are to compose my Regiment, distributed into companies. I delayed not to convene as many of my Officers as could be assembled expeditiously for the purpose of electing a pay master. — A plurality of the votes were in favour of Lieutenant Robert Duncan — the choice met my approbation, & I wish the nomination, if necessary, might meet the sanction of the President. — You do not mention [undecipherable] to whom his bonds are to be given, or who is to be the judge of the [undecipherable] fitness of the sureties. — I have not as yet complied with your orders, in nominating the Characters for Quarter Master & [undecipherable: Adjutant?] not from a disposition to disobey, but from a want of due knowledge of the gentlemen of that grade, to designate the most deserving, & best qualified among them. — & I hope Sir you will admit my apology as sufficient, as those appointments are certainly very important in the organization of a regiment: — An unnecessary delay shall not take place — Should it be necessary a temporary appointment can be made. — Previous to the receipt of your favour, I had taken the liberty of expressing to you the high Sense I entertain of the honor done me in being appointed to so distinguished & responsible a rank, under a General whose virtues, talents, & bravery have placed him most deservedly second in command in the armies of the United States. — I also took the liberty to suggest a query, whether in arranging the Officers to each Regiment, it would not be promotive of harmony in the corps to permit the field officers to agree on their Captains & with them to arrange & assign the subalterns to the companies — As the arrangement is made, I wish to ask whether an exchange of any of the officers, if agreed to by all concerned is admissible, for I am informed some of the gentlemen are unpleasantly arranged, owing to some private disputes. — The very small knowledge I have already acquired of the Officers has convinced me of the propriety of your observations respecting the future adjustment of their rank, & that important alterations will be found necessary & that the reasons therefor should be kept Silent. — On the Subject of the recruiting Service which you suggest will speedily commence — permit me to observe — that the winter, the most promising, [undecipherable] being past, a further delay must very much injure it. — Our young men will be engaging in husbandry & other employments, oweing to the [undecipherable] encouragements which will be offer'd to them, beyond those made me by government to their [undecipherable], & render it very difficult to obtain [undecipherable] men as I would wish to command. — I hope Sir to have the honor of your particular instructions on this subject, as also on every other which you will deem [undecipherable] my attention & [undecipherable] you will advise the [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] I await your orders thereon. & that I am with the highest esteem & respect Your Mo^st ob^t Servant [Signature — undecipherable] [Docket: [undecipherable] / Hingham [undecipherable] / [June?] 13. [1799?] / [Additional endorsement text largely undecipherable]]