[undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Adjutant Gen^ls] [Office,] May [29]^th 1800 The Major General makes known to [the Designee] or letter he has received from the Secretary of War Dated the 16 instant on the subject of reducing the Army, in obedience to an act of Congress [?] the 16^th [instant,] which letter is in the following words "War Department 16^th May, 1800 Sir, I have received the following directions from the President of the United States — "I request you to transmit copies of the law for reducing the twelve Regiments to Major Generals Hamilton and Pinckney, and also to Commandants of Brigades with orders to the Major Generals to make immediate arrangements for the reducing those Regiments on the 16^th of June," In compliance therewith I do myself the honor to inclose a [printed] copy of the Law mentioned and request that Major General Hamilton and General Pinckney, will give the most prompt and efficient orders to insure [the] directions of the contemplated Regiments on the 16^th day of June. The Major Generals will also be pleased to apprise those [undecipherable] and others who have the custody of Arms, Camp Equipage, or [Military] stores to obey the directions of the [Superintendent] of Military stores with respect to their transportation and deposit. General Hamiltton [will give] the necessary orders to the Paymaster General relative to the [pay of the] officers and men to be discharged. I am &c. with respect your will [undecipherable] James McHenry Major General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. He also annexes the General Orders of Major General Hamilton of the 18^th [instant] on the same subject of the following tenor. "General Orders May 18^th 1800 It is the duty of Major General Hamilton to announce that an act of Congress passed the fourteenth instant, which authorizes the President of the United States to discharge on or before the [undecipherable] day of June next all such Officers non commissioned Officers and Privates [who] had been appointed commissioned or advanced mustered by virtue of the act [for] the Army of the United States, [and] under the ninth section of the act for the two [undecipherable] organizing the troops of the United States, except the engineers, [undecipherable] of Artillery and inspectors of fortifications — continuing a proviso that the foregoing should not be construed to authorize any reduction of the first [undecipherable] Reg^t. of Infantry, the two Regiments of Artillery and Engineers the two Troops [of] light dragoons or of the general [or] the Staff authorized by the several acts for the establishing and organizing of the aforesaid corps, and granting to each non commissioned officer and Private, to be discharged, in addition to the [undecipherable] emoluments to which they are entitled by law, the further allowance of [undecipherable] and that in consequence of the said act it has pleased the President to [order] for the reducing of the 12 Regiments on the fourteenth day of [June] — These regiments will accordingly be prepared for their reduction on that [undecipherable] order Muster [and] Pay rolls are to be made up to that day inclusively [and] forwarded as heretofore directed to the respective deputy [undecipherable] [Paymaster] Generals. It is [granted] that no avoidable delay shall attend this measure. [undecipherable] to fully fulfil the intention of this Law. [undecipherable] officers who have the custody of Arms, Camp Equipage or [undecipherable] to observe the directions of Samuel [Hodgdon] [undecipherable] with respect to transportation and deposit. The requisitions of the said letter are to be punctually [observed]. The ninth Regiment is to be mustered [undecipherable] of the opening [undecipherable]. The [undecipherable] Regiment the [undecipherable] beginning [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and muster and pay Rolls [undecipherable] are to be made [undecipherable] [undecipherable] June inclusively. A Return is to be made [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of [the] number of men who are enlisted for five years. These are discharged but are to remain here till further orders. [Lieut] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] John B. Barnes of the [undecipherable] muster, and [Lieut] Thomas Lee of the [undecipherable] Regiments will take charge of them till the pleasure of the President is known. The Canal Fatigue on Monday must [undecipherable] drawing works to be augmented to 60 Men. Captain [Mayo] of [undecipherable] will make returns for them, and no actual [undecipherable] [undecipherable] be drawn for them on their respective Companies, nor for those on the Canal Fatigue. Cap^t. [Lockport] being employed in making [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the Gen. Court Martial to this 9^th day [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is appointed Judge [undecipherable] in his place.