[Brig Gen'l Wilkinson's / letter to the Sec^y of War / 1800] [Major Van Rensselaer] [From [undecipherable]] Extract of a letter from General Wilkinson to The Sec^y of War [Genl Hamilton] — City of Washington Aug. 9. 1800 General Hamilton warmly recommends the retention of Major Van Rensselaer in Service, tho' I give the ground he takes is not tenable, tho' the Continuation of the Service is undoubtedly [undecipherable: essential] to the Service, & is dearly to be desired, as the Major is a Gem worthy preservation: — A Squadron of Cavalry without a leader an unseemly thing, and not unlike a Body without a Head, from which much good cannot be expected— M^r Van Rensselaer's pretensions to Patronage are peculiarly Strong — On the 20^th August 1799 he received a Shot through his lungs at the Head of his Troop — At the reduction of the then Army, he continued in Service, and on the Levy of the late contingent force he was taken from his Troop & promoted to a Major — The disbanding this Force, has I fear thrown him out of Service, unless you may judge proper to retain Him on the Ground of expediency until the President or Legislature may be consulted — Certain it is He is essential to the formation & discipline of the Squadron, which without a Chief presents an Original Spectacle. ~