New York, March 2^d 1786, Sir Several Officers of the Continental Line of the Army who were made Prisoners in 1779 & 1780, and continued in captivity until [the] exchange is made after the month of October 1780, found themselves on their release to be out of service, their Corps having been during the term of their captivity differently organized, and their names omitted in the list [of] Officers. Under the resolutions of Congress I have settled their full claims for pay and subsistence, but there arises a doubt what allowance ought to be made them on their retiring from the Service. They acknowledged that their [Officers] were [discharged] and exchanged and dis[charged] for [undecipherable] October 3^d 1780, [cannot] be entitled [to] allowance [of] more than one year[s] [undecipherable] their cases differed [undecipherable] that they were not [undecipherable] rations and the one [undecipherable] [several] months [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Officers, of [half] [undecipherable] [they] ought to be [undecipherable] they were prisoners [undecipherable] [joined] to the army in the field, that they [appear to be] [undecipherable] [and the several resolutions of Congress of] the Nov 24, 78 of May 22, 1779 of [July] &c May 26 1781 are in conformity to these [principles]. But a resolution of the [Wednesday] of February 1781, appearing [to command] to determine that all the prisoners should be confined [to] the one years pay, I [have] [not] hitherto acted [in conformity] [to] granting them only, and [confirmed] myself as yet restricted [by] that resolution — At the solicitation of these Gentlemen however I [voluntarily] do myself the Honor to request the attention of Congress to their claim, and that [it] is thought [proper] I may receive a further instruction upon it. [Signature and date: March 2, 1786]