[Private] New York May 2^d 1799. 42 Sir very much [strikethrough: distressed] attached to the idea of leaving the commanding Officer of a distant army to regulate himself his particular dispositions — I have referred the employment of the Galley to Col^o Hamtramck on the supposition that by the departure of General Wilkinson the command has devolved upon him; with the information only of my opinion that probably the lower posts on the Mississippi offer the most natural position. It seemed to me that this Galley would render most service as a kind of internal [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] and an auxiliary defence to those posts than any [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] other way — the invasion of the Western country, by a water expedition who the Mississippi, except in the heart immediately in the neighbourhood of the [undecipherable] Territories, can never found me as much to be apprehended — and if it shall happen the are doubtless be with means against which a single Galley will be of little consequence. — Hence the keeping her unemployed at Massac is next the [undecipherable] of such an event appears to me not likely to counteract — on unlikely the expence of building and equipping her. As a protection to an offensive movement on our part, the positions below will be as eligible as higher up. But not being aware of the views which may have influenced the [undecipherable] of the Galley, I sent a copy of my letter to you to enable you to do what you have done. And since you [think?] it wise that the Galley shall continue at Massac [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] after a conference with General [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] Wilkinson, and as it is not important in my opinion that her destination be more— [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] fixed, I now send you another letter for Col. Hamtramck: because you [undecipherable] remain at Massac [undecipherable] By General Wilkinson, as [undecipherable] the Western army to be [undecipherable] appointments, it is presumable that Col. Hamtramck will have changed his [undecipherable] position to be in one more convenient for communication with the Quarter [Master] & with the different posts under his com- mand. — I have acted on this presumption, though my letter is addressed to him where he was known last to be — (But at any rate, in matters not urgent, I prefer delay to the bearing in upon a regular Military order — With great esteem & regard D^r Sir A. Hamilton P. S. I find by a return of Clothing just received from M^r Hodgdon — that the progress in preparing [undecipherable] Clothing continues to be very slow — proving more & more the [undecipherable] of changes the button N^o 1 on the five hundred and odd suits — I pray you to let just articles as are ready be forwarded to the several destinations, for it will dampen extremely the necessity of [the] Service which is now [undecipherable] of the supplies for the recruits are not ready to be delivered to them — as fast as they may be raised. James M^cHenry