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To His Excellency Neil S. Brown,

Dr Sir,

Yours of 30 Ult. to Genl Caswell,
in reference to the arms in my charge at this place was
handed me a few days since and I hasten to reply at my
earliest moment of leisure. It would require more time than I
can possibly spare, just now, from the duties of my office (being [only?]
a short time before the sitting of the Chancery Court) to make my
answer as explicit and satisfactory as I could wish. From such
investigation as I have been able to make I should say that the number
of guns on hand was something over thirteen hundred - perhaps
thirteen hundred and twenty five - most of which are in good order
with bayonettes attached. There are only thirty one swords and nine
pistols. The cartridge boxes, belts, vices, screw -drivers &c. are in boxes
and are perhaps as numerous as the guns, swords &c.

These guns were taken out of the possession of my
predecessor Col Crozier, I think, by order of Gov. A.N. Brown and
delivered to Gens. H. Harris and A.R. Crozier with whom a contract
was made under an act of the Legislature, for cleaning them & putting
them in order. I have never been called on to receipt for them.

Genl Caswell informs me that 100 Guns &c, were delivere,d
to (deleted text: the order) Capt Wales then of Rogersville, and some 500 were
sent to Memphis about the time that the first of our volunteers
left for Mexico. During the rendezvous of the Regiment of Volunteers
at this place, and before my appointment, a number of guns were
delivered by order of Genl Gillispie to the citizens who formd a
guard for the protection of the town. There has been but one of the