New York Nov. 10. 1785 Dear Sir There [appears] an almost impossibility to [procure/ascertain] [undecipherable] that my [undecipherable] [undecipherable: transcripts?] The [arrears] [due] in 75&76 t[o] the s[old]iers and in [undecipherable] [particularly] of [Lands] artillery altogether so— [we] not having [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and of course [may] not [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [in] of [evidence] respecting reluctance [in] opening a door to claims so far back, especially when the claimants have had a variety of opportunities during the course of the war to [renew] it, [I] suppose [if] it was not [clear] [whether] the service was performed. at the time the [undecipherable] — These reasons render me [not] to suspend giving any opinion at present in favor of [undecipherable: Bitters?], [undecipherable] altho' the [undecipherable] already [undecipherable] & [him] do cover the claims [he] now makes upon the public. I am D^r Sir Sincerely yours [signature] [M^r Hodgdon]