[draft] Philadelphia 8 March 1782 I sincerely thank you my dear Colonel for the information of the Cannon which you had the good ness to communicate in your favor of the [16th] ultimo. Your suprize and astonishment must have been great indeed that Machines so important and essential to the defence of a country should be placed in so negligent a manner as to be destroyed or render'd unserviceable by a single [strikeout] [inserted: malignant person]. But you judged right my dear [struck: Colonel] [inserted: sir] when you informed [inserted: his Excellency] Genl Rochambeau that I had no knowledge of them. I think [may] venture to assert [if they] had ever been in my charge they would have been [struck: otherwise] [inserted: differently] deposited. I paid an enquiry that they are the property [struck: belong] of the State of Virginia, [inserted: imparted by them from France by Mr. Lee], but whether [inserted: they] ever [inserted: fell] in possession of the Enemy I cannot learn, but at any rate the property remains as at first- I anxiously wish [2] to get them in possession on account of the United States, for which we could [hasten] other Warlike stores much [struck: more in demand] [inserted: better adapted to the service] by the State of Virginia. His Excellency Genl Washington will immediately set this matter in [inserted: a train of] negociation and I hope we shall derive much proffit from your [discourses]- I have obey'd your request in communicating your respects to his Excellency Genl Washington who is happy in your expressions of [struck: affection] [inserted: attachment] and desires me to present his compliments and assurances of his respect for you and the gentlemen of your Corps- I hope my dear sir the ensuing campaign will bring us together again that we may have another glorious opportunity [struck: opportunity] of contributing to humble the pride and power of our enemies. I pray you to present my most cordial [struck: respects] [inserted: strikeout] to his Excellency Genl Rochambeau and all your Genl officers and in particular the officers of your own corps whom I always shall remember with the greatest [struck: affectio] [inserted: pleasures] [among] whom dont let [illegible phrase] be forgotten. [3] If we shall be so happy as to effect in exchange I shall [inserted: emboldned] by your head officers] take the liberty to request your assistance in embarking them on board the transports which shall be destined to take them to the head of Elk- I am dear Colonel with [inserted: the] greatest respect [struck: and attachment] Your most Obedient Humble Servt HKnox [struck: Colonel D'Aboville] Colonel d'Aboville Commander the royal Artillery of France in Virginia [docket] To Colonel DAboville 8 March 1782. in answer to his of the 10th February