to the late [undecipherable] Jersey, you am not indebted to the United States, you will lay me under further and greater Obligations.— If a failure to enclose is in a little, half [undecipherable] the Henry Davis— if any Officers that are pensioners are [undecipherable] to the [public?], and Congress had transmitted the accounts to the several States they belong to them to be repaid from them, it would have saved me from troubling you which I am very far— The United States are I confess [undecipherable] near $2,000 and I am suffering for the want of it. I am y^r E[undecipherable] Joseph [undecipherable] [Joseph Howell Esq:] Philadelphia D^r Sir You may recollect a dispute which took place in the year 1792 between John Nicholson the Comptroller General and myself, respecting my accounts as an Officer of the name— that cause which will shortly come before a Jury, which I have long wished for— and I want to be prepared with proof, that Officers have been promoted while they were in Captivity, and have drawn pay accordingly; and also that Officers who were exchanged while in Captivity had drawn a years pay allowed by Congress as [undecipherable] [those?] who were thus [Exchanged?]— from the particular [undecipherable] you have had, I suppose it to be in your power to point out some Individuals who were [promoted?] and those who have drawn the years pay as above Mentioned. If you can favor me with this information, I shall be much obliged to you for it, as I may thereby have it in my power to call upon them as evidences to support the charges I have made under these heads — your receiving this [undecipherable] and favoring me with an answer as soon as can be done with convenience will be remembered by y^r Mo[st] Hum[ble] S[ervan]t [undecipherable] Sam^l Miles [N.B. received the 2^d Jan^y 1788] Joseph Howell Esq^r Richmond Jan^y 11^th 1798 D^r Sir I have written a Letter to the Treasury which I could not copy, as I have been unwell for some time. I will thank you to call on the Board and request the loan of it long enough for you to copy it— I have had a cold but am getting better. I am Sir, sincerely yours John Pierce