original letter of resignation from Doct^r Turner, but unfortunately it is either mislaid or lost, however Doct^r Cochran assures me that his letter to the Board of War, & return of the department, so far as they affected D^r Doct^r Turner, were founded on a letter received from him, wherein he expressed his mortification of being superceded & that were he to join the main Army it would entirely ruin his private practice, which induced him to resign — I cannot conceive that Doct^r Cochran would have attempted to return any officer as resigned without having authority so to do as he must be convinced of the impropriety of such conduct. I flatter myself Sir from the evidence on record that you will join me in opinion that Doct^r Turner is not entitled to the commutation; and altho his original letter of resignation does not appear, that this evidence is sufficient to warrant a belief that the Doct^r did resign — Joseph Howell N.B. the papers alluded to in this letter are filed I the Hospital dept [Benj Huntington esq^r] Philadelphia July 13 1789 My dear friend Enclosed you have the certific incapacity together with a receipt for Col^o W^m Stewart pay &c^r to ap^l 1 720 I have nothing to inform you further than my first arrival here last evening the certif for the 300 dols due me you will please retain in your hands until a convenient opportunity should offer by any friend of yours going to the southward, which I will thank you to inclose — Joseph Howell esq^r Jon^h [undecipherable: Bankson]