[7. May 1799 Gen. Hamilton] War Dep^t. present 7^th. May 1799. Sir The President of the United States, having been pleased, to grant his pardon, to Casper Wright (a soldier), and Tisdale Attwood, deserters, severally tried for desertion, and sentenced to be shot to death, by a General Court Martial, held at Detroit, by order of Lieutenant Colonel Strong, on the 22^d. August, and continued by adjournment until the 10^th. September 1798. Enclose two Warrants, directed to the Commanding officer at Detroit, to make known the Presidents clemency to the prisoners and return them to duty. The Proceedings in the above cases, really exhibit a culpable ignorance of the rules and articles of war — It is your communications with Officers I pray you, to take permanent occasions, to impress upon their minds, that it is indispensable to the good of the service, that they should [undecipherable] themselves well, in a [undecipherable] case of [the] [undecipherable] articles [of war], to which they are also amenable as well as the private sentinel. If you do not approve of the mode I have taken, to announce the Presidents clemency, you will adopt one, you think better. Your [undecipherable: most obedient] and [undecipherable: devoted] servant [undecipherable: signature] Maj. Gen^l Hamilton