Sir I am extremely sorry to have given you the smallest [annoyance?] to trouble you thus often. The small acquaintance I had with my Fathers affairs at that day made it very difficult for me to determine what [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] Nation of the [undecipherable]. I [undecipherable] [several lines partially obscured] looks it appears that [undecipherable] had Drawn on [undecipherable] of him after the [undecipherable] [qualified?] on the act and from Col Morgan Certificate it appeared that he had not drawn any of [his?] Paymaster and [undecipherable] Capt of the [Received?] M^r [Reid's?] Certificate it appeared right for me to Call on the Paymaster Gen^l for the whole for the last draught of Cap^t Penn. I have Called on the Auditor for this State also [says?] my Father was not entitled to any depreciation of Pay and that for the month and for days [still?] unpaid must be [settled?] with the Paymaster which appears from the [Progress?] Certificate to be due to him. There was one Robert [Kiles?] Q.M. at that time who could give me a certificate for [a?] first change of Rations but do not know where to find him — if my fathers Certificate will answer we need have none [others?] for that point and [undecipherable] [Rogers?] will answer for the latter charge — As for the [servants?] pay I have [sent?] my own Certificate [being?] or in commission in the same rig^t at that time which I suppose will answer for his pay until the twenty[undecipherable] of June 1777 after — which I shall look to M^r Ashley Q.M. of [this?] Your [helping?] what can with care and [propriety?] be done and obtaining a certificate for whatever it may be run of the whole and [not?] be clearly allowed would much oblige and would not have you [suffer?] any further [unnecessary?] in [furthering?] the [undecipherable] of your friend and much obliged [to?] [S.] Gordon[undecipherable] [verso: extensive text largely undecipherable due to bleed-through from recto] [Joseph Howell Esq^r]