[Address: General Henry Knox / Secretary at War / Philadelphia] [Endorsement: Capt Hobby / 12 Jany 1791 / 1/2 [undecipherable]] [Filing notation: From [undecipherable]] [Jno Hobby,] Portland Jany 12^th. 1791 — Dear General, When I had the pleasure of seeing you last ^{[undecipherable]} in November last, I suggested the [undecipherable] of a personal Interest, the Subject of [undecipherable] his regulation as mentioned in Congress at their last Session, and requested your aid and Influence with the President for the appointment of Inspector, or such Other Office as he may think best Calculated to insure the Expectations of Congress, when the Military System shall be Consolidated & for [undecipherable] be — which you referred me to the [Treasury?] for — Application in writing; Agreeably to which I have given myself the satisfaction to address you at this time, the Object of which being a [undecipherable] I will trouble your [undecipherable] no further than just to remark, That I have enclosed a memorandum of the several Grades & times of my long service in the late Continental Army, which I suppose will be Accompanied by a letter [of] recommendation from General [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] of the same his [undecipherable] Treasury, I have no doubt of Obtaining it from some of the most Respectable Characters in the State — With General Jackson — is no [undecipherable] Acquainted with my Character as a Citizen there he has been of that of an Officer in the American Army during seven years hard service, And [undecipherable] Honour — may not Afraid, such are the delicacy of my feelings while I am soliciting a favour even of an [undecipherable] Military Friend, and to which I have no doubt I should feel myself Competent, I am pained to the [Extreme?] to find myself in a Situation which renders it Necessary to Couch my letter in such language as have the smallest appearance of a self recommendation — I am dear Sir with Every Sentiment of Esteem your friend & Humble Ser^t John Hobby General Henry Knox [Enclosure:] [XXVII-109] Memorandum of the several Grades & time of Service, performed by the Subscriber in five different Regiments by reason of the Repeated [undecipherable] of the several Corps Viz 1779 Rec'd a Commission from [Congress?] [as?] first Lieu^t in the late Col. Henry Jackson's Regt in 1778 [undecipherable] a Commission as [brevet?] Lieu^t same Regt 1781, Served in Col. [undecipherable] Regt of Infantry as Adjutant afterwards was appointed Brigade Inspector for [Muhlenberg's?] Brigade & continued during the Campaign to Virginnia afterwards continued as Captain untill June 1784 in the Regiments Commanded by [Col.?] John Greaton, Col. [Michael?] Jackson & concluded with [Col.?] Henry Jackson — I have enclosed [undecipherable] for your inspection this memorandum & leave it with you to determine the propriety of sending it [to] the Secretary at War, I have been told this kind of Recommendation is necessary in order that the President may be [undecipherable] in the choice of appointments, however this may be it is extreme[ly] [hurtful?] to my feelings to be placed in a Situation to be obliged to have the appearance of Recommending myself — you will please to dispose of it as you may think Proper and however should suppose I might indulge myself the hope that my past services might entitle me to [undecipherable] of Inspector of the Militia in this quarter although unless the appointments should be by States in which event I should suppose a Sub Inspector would be necessary in the extensive District of Maine — I am dear Gen^l, with the most friendly Sentiments John Hobby Portland Jany 12^th. 1791 — Gen^l H. Jackson