[draft] West Point 3 March 1783 Sir I have the honor to state to you, that there has [inserted: been] from the origin of the War a corps of artificers attached to the Artillery for the [strikeout] purpose of [struck: mak] constructing & reframing [struck: all car] carriages of all [struck: denominations] [inserted: [kinds or beings? in the ordnance department - That this corps has had officers annexed to it with the same denominations as those of a company of artillery, That is a captain, Captain Lieutenant, first & second Lieutenants, That at present there are four officers belonging to it, of the above descriptions, are seventy five men [inserted: for the War]. That [struck: those] [inserted: the] officers have been in the service in different capacities [struck: from the] nearly or quite from the commencement of the War, [strikeout] and in the rank of officers [strikeout] ever since the beginning of 77 exact the board [illegible] who is of a more recent appointment That in [these] several stations they have conducted themselves in an exemplary manner, [text loss] proving themselves [inserted: highly] worthy and adequate to the many [urgent] and important matters [2] committed to them - [struck: In some instances of officers of artillery artillery sim similarly circumstanced have had commissions, but in consequence of] As their services have [struck: generally] been in the field, they have [strikeout] [inserted: sustained] all the [hardships] incident there to fighting excepted - [struck: They have] [inserted: They have] suffered for want of pay and provisions in the same degree as other officers, and their labors have been incessant In [struck: some] many instances officers similarly circumstances have had commissions given to them, but by some [regulations] these [struck: Gen] officers [strikeout] [inserted: are in possession of] warrants, and [strikeout] they are conscious of their services, they [consider] this as a greviances and request that they may have commissions according the their stations in the same manner as other officers, and they also think themselves entitled to the same [enducements] after the War as [struck: other] officers [inserted of the same grade] in the line of the [struck: same grade.] [inserted: Army]. [struck: As those] As [struck: the] [struck: these officers] [struck: they] [inserted: these Gentlemen] have great merit I am anxious that they should have all proper encouragement and therefore [take] the liberty to beg that you would be pleased to have their requests decided upon - and at the same time to have the rates of [the] mens pay paid by some law [3] [which] shall govern in that settlement [inserted: of their accounts] with the [states] [struck: They strikeout] to which they belong. This [struck: new] subject was fully related to you when at this post. I have the honor to be with great respect your most obedient servant HKnox Honorable General Lincoln secretary at War. [docket] To Gen Lincoln Secy of War 3 March 1783. General McDougall [docket] To Genl McDougall 3 March 1783.