Baltimore December 29, 1795 Sir Benjamin Trap, formerly a soldier of the late Maryland Regiments, has caused a number of certificates to be shown to me some of which are in my own hand writing, and some signed by me as Dep. Adj^t of the Southern Army; which, together with my own recollection of the man, testify that he was enlisted into the Maryland lines, by Captain Beale of the 6^th Regiment, before the battle of Monmouth, — that he marched with that line to the Southward, and served until the 30^th day of September 1780; when, being reported by Doc^r Simms, as unfit for field duty, he was ordered to join the Corps of Invalids at Philadelphia, and obtained a pass for that purpose; But, being unable to continue his route fell in with a detachment of recruits in Virginia and continued with them until they were routed, at Goochland Court House, by the Enemy in 1781 — The man is yet an Invalid and unable to maintain himself — he has hunted by the laws of Maryland for [undecipherable: some] account of any account; is long exhausted and repeated efforts to obtain a further time have failed — His only hope is to be reported in the Corps of Invalids, and I [strikethrough: have] give you the trouble of this information with a hope of promoting his claims. I am Sir Your Most Obedient Humble Servant O H Williams Henry Knox Esq^r Sec^y of the W. Department [December 29^th 1795 from the County of [undecipherable] Referring to Invalids. Rec^d Let^r the 16^th of Ja^y Ans^d for [undecipherable]]