New York March 11^th 1786. Gentlemen [undecipherable] Board the [undecipherable] I find observations of yesterday, that William Shattuck was author- ized by the Commander in Chief some time in the latter end of the year 1782 to proceed to the New Hamp. Grants and immediately, apprehend and secure Luke Knowlton of Newfane and Sand Wills of Brattleborough. that this authority was [strikethrough: obtained] given to the Commander in Chief by a resolution of Congress of the [undecipherable] of Nov 1782, one an information received, by them that these Persons were about to Head an insurrection in that Country in favor of the British Government. & that the Shattuck did in consequence, of these orders as being about the 2^d of Nov either 1783 deliver up to the commander in Chief Luke Knowlton, one of the above described persons. On the state of facts above seen a doubt arises concerning his orders and [undecipherable] which after waiting so long, a time after receiving [undecipherable] his orders without executing them, and when it was done what being done at the time [undecipherable] after the treaty of peace had silenced all fears from [undecipherable] administration and indeed granted ample security to the persons who had been enemies to the United States, I must confess that I am led to suppose, that this Person was taken up either from personal [undecipherable] that he was or for his being considered, as M^r Shattuck states in his petition as insurgent against the government and Laws of New York, in which case it may appear to your honorable Board to be an expence which ought rather to be defrayed by the State. [undecipherable] the Commander had [undecipherable] of the contingent expenses of the service, and I am not in possession, of any information that can explain the reasonableness of M^r Shattuck's charges— had his orders been executed while a fear existed a that respect to the people of that country more being in favor of the British, I suppose the guard he had taken was not more than sufficient, and the recompense or are not he demands for his own [undecipherable] would not have been more than what he would [undecipherable] had a right to expect for so material a service— but at present without further and more explicit evidence I am unable to make up an opinion that would be founded in justice. [undecipherable]