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Deferring to my letter of the 13th [?] for the reasons which [?] my having a personal knowledge of such Characters in Virginia, as may [?] to be selected for Officers in the [?] or provisional Army -- and leaving [?] therein the difficulties which would arise from the extent of this State --  and that, in order to obtain the [necessary?] information, I must solicit the aid of others in whom confidence could be placed, [?] as [?] from a letter.  I have received from General Marshall, and of one from General Lee, in answer to letters I had written to them on this subject.  From there you will see that I have but little hope of aid from those quarters.  and as in your letter of the 19 [?], you have stated the objections to a public official advertisement for bringing [?] forward such Characters as might wish to obtain Commissions, [?] shall still pursue the object in such a manner as I conceive, best calculated to answer the [?], notwithstanding the delicacy of the task, which, as I [?] to you in my [?] abovementioned, I should be obliged to [implore?] on others, as well as the unpleasant situation into which I may myself be brought, by raising expectations which may not be realized.

When I mentioned in any [case?] the names of several person's acquainted with Engineering [?] I did not mean, as I then observed, to recommend them; but spoke of them merely as [?] through my mind. --At any rate I should think it improper to employ a Frenchman in that important station at this time.