Philadelphia August 1. 1798. D. Sir, About a week or ten days since, Captain Donald G. Mitchell of Connecticut (son of Mr. Mitchell who was a Senator from that state & now a judge of its Superior court) of the corps of artillerists & engineers, appointed as such while you were Secretary of War, expressed to me his wishes to join some general officer, as his aid-de-camp, and particularly mentioned you. I do not know whether you ever had an oportunity of conversing with Capt. Mitchell I therefore add, that he had a liberal education, and appears to be an intelligent young man, of easy manners, and an agreeable disposition. But altho' the corps of artillery to which he belongs has been established more than three years the officers have made very little improvement in their art, and perhaps none in the art of engineering: we have been totally disappointed in our expectations of finding instructors in the foreign officers appointed to command the regiment and battalions with that special view. Capt. Mitchell did not hesitate to mention the very small acquisitions of knowledge in the professions of the artillerist & engineer, which had [2] been made by any officers of the corps, including himself in this description. And I am inclined to think that it is this defect of knowledge in those professions which much influences Capt. Mitchell to prefer another station. To become a respectable artillerist and engineer demands more study and industry than fall to the lot of many. The disgust conceived by the captains and [subalterns] of the corps against their field officers, especially Rochefontaine, has operated very disadvantageously: application & discipline were not enforced, and careless, idle habits were probably the unavoidable consequence. I cannot suppose that you will engage your aids without a personal knowledge of them: & the principal object of their letter written at Captain Mitchell's request is to make known to you his earnest desire to serve you as an aid, before you shall have made your appointments, that he may be a candidate. - He will probably call on me to know your answer; and therefore I shall be obliged to you for one. My forgetfulness has caused a delay of communicating his request, which will render an early answer from you the more agreeable. I am with respect & esteem Dr. Sir, y.r obt. Serv.t T. Pickering General Knox. [docket] Letter of Timo Pickering Esqr Philadelphia 1st Augt 1798 [docket 2] Colo Pickering