Notes for Appointments in the Provisional Army: Page #2

Transcription

Mount Vernon June 6, 1799 86 [undecipherable marginalia]

Dear Sir,

I have been [duly forward?] with youe letters of the 11^th, 19^th and 21^st of last month with their inclosures.

Deferring to my letter of the 13^th [undecipherable] for the reasons which [undecipherable] my having a personal knowledge of such Characters in Virginia, as may [undecipherable] to be selected for Officers in the [undecipherable] or provisional Army -- and leaving [undecipherable] 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, [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] 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 [undecipherable], you have stated the objections to a public official advertisement for bringing [undecipherable] forward such Characters as might wish to obtain Commissions, I shall still pursue the object in such a manner as I conceive, best calculated to answer the [undecipherable], notwithstanding the delicacy of the task, which, as I [undecipherable] to you in my [undecipherable] 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 [undecipherable] I did not mean, as I then observed, to accommend them; but spoke of them merely as [undecipherable] through my mind. --At any rate I should think it improper to employ a Frenchman in that important station at this time.

By a letter which I lately received from General [Pinkney?], I have reason to believe that Col. [?] would