[undecipherable] [undecipherable] not good [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Army. he tells me that you are not certain of his being his design of Congress, that it is [undecipherable] have the Pay of Artificers, [undecipherable] fully to convince you that it was the design of Congress, [undecipherable] have the Pay of Artificers. I shall refer you to these Relations. In the [undecipherable] I will [undecipherable] mention that I was the Artificers at the commencement of the War as an Engineer. On the 28^th of April 1776 the then Congress, in consequence of merit, appointed me to [undecipherable] on the continental establishment with the pay of 60 Dollars per Month, at that time a let pay of Infantry was 40 Dollars [p^r M^th]. On the 3^d of Sept 1776 Congress appointed me lot of Engineers. I have there to consider accordingly. From the first of my entering the Service I had a number of Artificers under my direction, and by his Excellency Gen^l Washington Gen^l Orders the 25^th of July 1778, I took command of all the Artificers in the War Department. Congress Resolved Nov^r 12^th 1779. That the [undecipherable] companies of Artificers, raised by the [State?], be reformed and incorporated, in such a manner, as the Commander in chief shall deem proper; "That when such arrangement shall have been made, the same be transmitted to the Board of war, to the intent that Officers may receive their Commissions, which shall entitle them to rank only in their own corps, [undecipherable] to hold Rank and [undecipherable] in cases that concern them — Congress only, have universally cognizable by regimental corps, [undecipherable] all of the [undecipherable] "That the Officers & men of the [Artificers?] be considered as part of the quotas of the eighty battal on an apportionment on the several State to which they respectively belong." [undecipherable] [undecipherable] all the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] too Officers [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with the Officers of the several companies [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] on the 12^th of Nov^r last, &p [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the same time [undecipherable] before that day, he also [undecipherable] the subsistence of or [undecipherable] some dollars per Month for each ration, in like manner as the same has been allowed the Officers in the line by virtue of the Resolves [undecipherable] of the 19^th of August for each [undecipherable] as they were in service & disagreement to the day last ment^d. And then in the same Petition Congress make me an allowance as lot of Engineers. In [Oct^r?] 1780 I applied to you for my pay as lot of Engineers, you then had some doubt whether I had a right to that pay, also Congress had made me another allowance, I wrote to Congress for an explanation, and sometime about the [undecipherable] of Nov. 1780, Congress Resolved that [Lt] Col[?] Baldwin continues to receive Pay of lot of Engineers as heretofore. [But] they do not say that I shall not receive the [subsistence?] allowed me as Commander of the Regt of Artificers. [It is] evident, & as plain as words can express, that Congress made this pay & subsistence as a gratuity to me for Extra Service, or otherwise they would have [undecipherable] and to [know?] that my duty was difficult, constant, and very fatiguing, and [I] think by this time it [evidently?] must be [known?], and you will send me the pay & subsistence of [Lt] Col[?] Commander of Artificers. I am Sir your most Obeddt [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Toussant