About the period of Mr Gansevoorts nomination to the Office of Brigadier General he mentioned to me the circumstance of his having received a letter from the Secretary at War on that subject & of his having returned an answer declining the appointment. After a lengthy conversation with him and considerable solicitation on my part he was prevailed upon to change his determination provided certain arrangements can consistently be acquiesced in relating to the office of Military Agent which he now holds.

The arrangement proposed is that he should continue to hold his present Office or that it may be bestowed upon his son, Major Leonard H. Gansevoort and the reasons assigned by him for not accepting the Brigadier Generalship unless such arrangement takes place are that the Accounts of his Agency could not probably be closed under one year on account of unadjusted concerns at remote military posts and not in that period even, without the presence and attention of himself or his son, who has hitherto transacted a principal part of the business of the Military Agency. Major Gansevoort is a young gentleman of intelligence, integrity and respectability & well acquainted with the duties of the Military Agency.

My conviction that General Gansevoorts appointment of Brigadier General, will, on account of his revolutionary services & of his highly respectable standing in Society, be popular, satisfactory and beneficial to the community induced me to interfere & solicit his acceptance of it. And the same motive embolden’s me to detail to you the reasons of his not wishing to accept it & the arrangements which alone can ensure his acceptance of the Appointment.

I am, Sir, with sincere respect and esteem Your Ob St