New Windsor 13 Feby 1781. (private) Sir, I have received [struck: your Excellencys] [inserted: the] communication of your [inserted: Excellencys] intentions the [struck: ensuing] [inserted: next] campaign with instructions to me to use every caution in our power to procure those articles which we shall want in a capital operation against New York or [struck: the lesser [disents] which you mention to be] [inserted: against] Charlestown Savannah Pennobscot &c in case of an inability to undertake the siege of the first and principal object I shall with peculiar pleasure exert myself [struck: to do every thing] to the utmost of my power [struck: in attending to matters] with the materials within my reach to prepare for events, [struck: in the successful of termination of in] [inserted and struck: with] the progress of which I would [struck: be] combine the pleasing part of the duty of my particular profession with [struck: the general good of the cause as which] [inserted: an attempt to render essential service] [2] [struck: to the general cause to serve] [inserted: to my] country - But Your Excellency well knows our presents [sic] supplies of [struck: ordnance & stores for an arduous operation] [inserted: & reserves] of ordnance & stores are totally inadequate to the demands of an arduous operation - I have straind every nerve I [struck: have possessd of] [inserted: possess] public and private to obtain an ample supply of shot & shells [struck: articles] which are made in our own country to uncommon perfection but in vain contracts which have been made for those articles upon the [struck: inst] prospect of our instant exigence, have been suspended [inserted: or annihilated], as soon as that [inserted: particular] prospect [struck: was subdued] [inserted: subsided.], And tho we have by these transitory exertions [struck: have] obtaind a considerable quantity of those articles yet the [deficincy] [sic] is still great. [struck: The Contracts a cause] the greater part of the contracts which were made [struck: last year] [in campaign] were arrested by an order from the [3] board of War just as the furnaces began to work to the great detriment and even utter vain of some of the owners - [struck: Powder] Powder is an article of which we are so [struck: to] deficent [sic] that when a reasonable quantity [strikeout] [inserted: shall be appropriated] for the use of the important posts in the highlands (which [struck: ought to have a certain quantity] [inserted: ought to be well to furnish] under all circumstances) [strikeout] [inserted: There will] [litterally] none [struck: will] remain Besides the want of Cannon proper for a siege, shot, shells and powder the Laboratories upon which we must [inserted: almost entirely] depend for the preparation of all our fix'd stores are from the best information [struck: I can able to receive] [inserted: procure], in fact a wretched condition for want of money [inserted: & [strikeout] material & workman] that they are incapable of affording the least assistance. That at Springfield is either entirely stopd or on the point of being so - [4] I [struck: write these things [inserted: matters] to your Excellency to show] [inserted: It is my opinion] that unless [struck: new measures & those vigorous] new & vigorous measures are adopted for [struck: the proceeding all kinds of matters] [inserted: to provide of every thing] in the ordnance department that it will be in vain [struck: to send] [inserted: to] place any dependance on it in its present wretched, [struck: misserable] [inserted: &] [plalsied] [sic] state - I may make estimates it is true and prefer them to the board of War as I have done; in times past - & probably they will react with the same fate of being unattended to or disputed untill the moment of making proper provisions [struck: be past] shall be past. It may be said that by making [inserted: & presenting] [struck: proper] estimates [inserted: in due fashion] [struck: and presenting them to the boa] I shall exonerate myself from any blame. That may be just but experience proves that not [5] for want of means or [inserted: from] some other causes they have been but little attendd to. - [inserted and struck in left margin: a very large proportion of the shot and shells I hear all those in Jersey have been obtaind [strikeout] by acts of supererrogation - ] I freely confess I much dislike to be placed in a situation where I shall have the appearanc [sic] of responsibility [inserted and struck: for measures] which from my office I must have, [struck: without having the least controll or check] for the actions or [struck: conduct] [inserted: measures] of persons who perhaps are amenable to nobdy and who of consequence conduct [struck: their] business in a manner that may be most agreeable to their [struck: ease] own ideas - [struck: I will as soon as possible make us an estimate on the principles given by your Excellency, and to be which if you approve [inserted: it] I should your directions to whom I shall] address [struck: it] myself in order to [inserted: attempt] procure the articles it may contain. I thought [struck: the] [inserted: it] proper to state the [strikeout] above facts that your [inserted: Excellency] may know what degree of dependence [6] [inserted: can be placed] on the ordinary modes of supply. I exceedingly fear they will fail us, [struck: but] possibly [struck: something] [strikeout] some assistance might be obtaind by an application to the [inserted: respective] states. [struck: respectively but and this measure] [inserted: will] the [struck: presiding] [strikeout] [inserted: of] [inserted: strikeout] principle which state has adopted that it is best to take care of its own safety is to be] But it will be difficult to procure much by such an application because the states have but very small stocks of their own, and because it will interfere with [inserted: a] principle which [inserted: each] state has imbibed so strongly as to become fix'd habit that [struck: they will] [inserted: it is] bound in the first place to provide for [struck: their] [inserted: its] own defence. If the [struck: quantities] ordnance [also] stores should arrive [inserted: safely from France] which your Excellency mentions [struck: has] [inserted: have] been sent for we should I think be able to procure [inserted: in these states] whatever else may be wanted, provided [inserted: means are given] great exertions and industry are used [7] by the persons whose business it may be to provide them I will as soon as possible make out an estimate on the principles given by Your Excellency, which if you approve it I shall take your directions to whom I shall address myself in order to attempt to procure the articles it may contain. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Your Excellency's most Obedt Servt H Knox His Excellency Gen. Washington [docket] To His Exy. Gen. Washington 13 Feby 1781