[undecipherable] [No 2 b 78] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Samuel Gelston?] [undecipherable] Dear Jack War Office February 13^th [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Sir?] I never thought to deem it [undecipherable] to write matters of Business with tales of pleasure, but as I have not been to write some kind letters, friends commonly do, I have to say in one— I [have been long trying?] I know I have been with my [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] who never gave me little Money and [turned?] nothing more my good [idea?] could [begin?] unless I [rather?] nothing but [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] have [undecipherable] here to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] there are [undecipherable] definitely the best Men in [our?]— I am always— I [undecipherable] you this [undecipherable] am [on?] your [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] home — in your last letter you say that you [want?] a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the Foreign Affairs [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] are now [undecipherable] by friends with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] who [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in our [undecipherable] poor our [undecipherable] [undecipherable] years [undecipherable] the commencement of the — [undecipherable] and the last [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] our good [undecipherable] about [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] January [undecipherable] been then [undecipherable] to [undecipherable], now [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] the Men were to see as in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] — as [undecipherable] no one — [undecipherable] one give you [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable], we [undecipherable] [undecipherable] who have Served in America. After I had as completed my [undecipherable] at Annapolis, I made many friends a visit to [Potomac?], which was not [attended?] with any remarkable circumstance — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] great Beauty and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], my [undecipherable] is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] you'd [Encouraged?] [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] [undecipherable] yours [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: C.[?] [?]]