Letter about U.S. Experimental Cannon, 1801

[cannonmn]

Just found an interesting letter to War Dept. regarding proof of various experimental cannons cast by Henry Foxhall.
http://gs19.inmotionhosting.com/~milita8/cmh/member/member.cgi/read/13423

[Cannoneer]

Cannonmn,
Are you able to make the words out that I've represented with question marks?

- ? - for the following experimental guns cast by order of the - ? - - ? -.   - ? -
4 three pound(er) Iron Cannon
2 Six ........................................
1 Nine ......................................

[MKlein]

Cannoneer  it is do....do which is an old form of ditto. In this day do..do would be interpreted differently.
The other part is ? of war

[cannonmn]

ditto.
Anyone interested in really old letters on US artillery may want to search this amazing website.  Put in search words like cannon, mortar, howitzer, carriage, artillery, tousard, byers, west point, etc.  I really like seeing original letters on this stuff.  This site has letters written during the Rev War up to the first few years of the 19th C.
http://wardepartmentpapers.org/searchresults.php?searchClass=fulltextSearch&fulltextQuery=letters

[GGaskill]

likewise for the following experimental guns cast by order of the Sec'y of War

[Cannoneer]

By George I think that you got it, George G.! Thanks to all three of you. I also thought the words were "of war", and figured it probable that the word preceding them was an abbreviation for secretary, but I didn't get the first word. Now the GG points it out I can plainly see the l - i - k -e. I think the last word is his abbreviation for arrangement (argt.), it's also used at the end of the first sentence. The Secretary of War at this time was Henry Dearborn.

Nothing here really helps with my real curiosity though. I've read that Henry Foxall not only ran a foundry, but that he was also probably personally responsible for the design of certain mortars and cannons.
Cannonmn, or anyone else: have you ever seen any documentation about this, or do you hold any beliefs about it. I just wonder if it's plausible to think that Henry Dearborn would place an order with Mr. Foxall for (let's say) an "experimental" 9-pdr, but leave the design of the piece entirely in the hands of H. Foxall? 

[cannonmn]

Major or Col Louis Tousard worked closely with Foxall and would have done any design work/drawings etc. required.  Tousard also had the casting patterns made of copper, in sections, at gov't expense, and delivered them to Foxhall, as documented in letters I found.  I put all this in postings on the CMH forum a few years ago where you can find them by using the search engine there.  I got the impression Foxhall had a close relationship with Dearborn, Tousard, and anyone else in gov't who could help his business survive and grow.

[Cannoneer]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I must have missed the postings on the CMH forum, I'll try and find them.
I've read that Henry Foxall did have a good relationship with Henry Dearborn, and also with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.