[undecipherable: Illegible Text placeholder — some or all pages of this file are wholly or in part illegible] War Department 1^st April 1799 The President thinks it highly [undecipherable] that no time should be lost in selecting proper characters to officer the twenty four regiments of Infantry, the regiment [and] Battalion of [undecipherable], the Battalion of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] officers, and the three regiments of Cavalry [undecipherable] to be raised in pursuance of an act, giving [additional] authority to the President of the United States to augment the army, [passed] the second of March last, and [undecipherable] [the] 20, as soon as the elections shall be closed to make [the] appointments. The selection of officers for the [undecipherable] [appears] to be an object of primary importance, [requiring] [the most careful] discrimination and care; [the officer] should be [undecipherable], [undecipherable] [confidence] that the fate of [their] [country] is [safely] entrusted to them. I have, [therefore], to request you will [exert] yourself on [this] occasion to be [cautiously] and [carefully] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], with a list of the names of such characters [residing] in [the States] of South Carolina and [Georgia], [and their] [undecipherable] what [services], [give your] opinion, are best [qualified], are willing to serve in case of an actual war [and] well [feel it] indispensable [to recruit] them as a [well] [founded] army. You will [accordingly], with a [strictly] [cautious] [undecipherable], [let] from [consulting] and [conferring] with [leading] [undecipherable] in different parts of [these States who can be best] calculated to give information of the [requisite] [facts] and upon whose [patriotism] and [judgment] a [full] [undecipherable] [confidence] may be placed. [Extra] cautionary [measures] is [necessary] to guard [against] [errors] in appointments which [too] frequently result [undecipherable] the [state] with [which] [recommendations] are generally [given,] the [balance] [sheet] of friends and [attached] hope that men of bad [undecipherable], by being [so placed in the] army, will become good [men,] [and] [rated] officers. The officers proposed to be drawn from [Virginia] [and] South Carolina are Two Majors One Colonel [Two] Captains and Two Majors Eight Subalterns of Twelve Captains [undecipherable] Twenty five Subalterns of Infantry Cavalry