Dear Sir: I am very much afraid that all the Troops on their march from the Southward, will be infected with the small Pox, and that instead of having an Army we shall have an Hospital.

    I know of no other way to prevent this, than not to suffer any more of the Southern Troops to come into Philadelphia; they may be marched into Germantown and remain there, whilst their Arms and Accoutrements are providing. Those who have the small Pox in Town, should not Join the Army in the same Cloaths they wore, whilst Sick, if it can possibly be help'd; if no other Cloaths are to be procured, the old ones should be washed and well smoaked, for it will take many Weeks to get the Infection out, if some of the above methods are not pursued. Doctor Shippen wrote me, that he intended to Inoculate the Troops as they came in, but that never can safely be done, except Inoculation goes thro' the whole Army. Remember we shall soon have some of the Eastern Troops here, and many of them have not yet had the Small pox, I think all Circumstances considered, we should Check, not spread the Infection, and there is no other way of doing it, but by curing all that now have it, and not suffering more to have it. I have wrote to Doctr. Shippen upon this Subject. Some method must be fallen upon to get back the Arms &c. from the Militia when dismissed, or the regular Regiments, when raised, will be without Arms; I have lately Strip'd them all here, of their Arms and Accoutrements, and have given them receipts by which they can cancel those given in Philadelphia; but those Officers, who do not produce the Arms again or such receipts, should be well looked after, otherwise they will suffer their Men to leave them Scattered about the Country, or will carry them home for their own use.

    If I had a Duplicate of the Receipts given in Philadelphia sent to me, I could know whether they delivered up all they received. I am etc.²⁶

[Note:The draft is in the writing of John Fitzgerald. ]