1

War Department
July 9^th1802

Sir

Your favor of the 18^th [illegible] has been
duly received and its contents considered
The obstacles to opening the road through
Davidson and Williamson Counties is to be
regretted. __ Whether the troops retained
in service will, in addition to the opening
the remainder of the road to Natchez and their
ordinary duties be able to complete that
part of the road which was to pass thro [sic] the
aforesaid counties, is doubtful. ___ When the
opening the road was first contemplated there
was reason to hope the whole would have been
completed last autumn and winter. But
necessary delays in commencing the business
prevented our hopes being realized. It is the
Ardent wish of the President of the United
States to give every facility in his power to the
communication between the citizens of Tennessee
and Kentucky and the Atlantic States and
to render the trade and navegation of the
western States as convenient as possible.