[nitcopy 157.] Head Quarters Loftus' Heights. 25^th April 1799 Sir A confidential opportunity having offered to New Orleans, I avail myself of it, to give you the following extract from a letter just rec^d. from Governor Gayoso & dated the 16^th Inst. — " Your instructions to Cap^t Shaumburgh, are not only according to the " strictest discipline, but they show " your [undecipherable] evident disposition " to cultivate the best understanding " between our Nations. — " The party arrived yesterday within a league of this Capital, from whence Cap^t Shaumburgh acquainted me with it, & agreed that the Day ensuing at ten o'Clock in the Morning the troops should pass through this Town, to the place appointed for the en-campment, which was executed — " The movement was per-formed in the most military manner, & seemed rather calculated to give a public testimony of the cordial & sincere Friendship between our Nations, than with any other object — I assure you no attention shall be wanting on my part to compleat this operation in — The remainder of the letter, with several of admin-istrative matters, I shall reserve to make known, when I have the Honor to see you. — You have under cover a duplicate of my last; which I forwarded by sea; under the necessary precautions for its safety against improper Hands. — Should Gayoso furnish me with the Guaranty I have asked, I hope for the pleasure of presenting it to you on the 2^d June and have the Honor a [to be] Most respectfully Sir Your Obed^d Servant [signature] Maj. General Hamilton [N: 158.] N. B. This moment [I have] rec^d a letter from Mobile dated the 3^d Inst., that a party of Sp[ects] had called on the Commissioner of limits at that place, & at first were insolent, but on finding they were treated with contempt, they changed their tone, & it is presumed no difficulty will be experienced in the progress of the Commissioner. The [undecipherable] to Mobile River twenty one miles above the Town of the same Name — [signature]