[Endorsed: To Mr White / 17 May 1786.] [Copied] New York May 17. 1786 Sir I have considered the claims for promotion of some Officers of the defunct Mary[undecipherable: land] Line, [strikethrough: without our] concerning which Gen^l Smallwood has written to me as well as [undecipherable] only — And Knox [undecipherable] you to make out at one view a list of all the Officers of the line, as you inserting their ^appointment promotions, discharges and derangements; which list he wishes you to lay before Gen^l Smallwood for him to sign as a compleat history of the line, and as the most authentick evidence that can be procured of the [undecipherable] of the Officers Claims & the propriety of their admission — this he informs me [he?] shall have his sanction — You will readily concur with me, that such a sanction will be of use, both in respect to what has been done, as well as for the admission of these Officers claims which are at present [undecipherable] disputed.