The Secretary for the Department of War to whom was referred the petition of Elkanah Prentice with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereon respectfully Reports, That the petitioner states, that in the commencement of the late war with Great Britain he enlisted in the fourth Regiment of Massachusetts, in the service of the United States that in consequence of the hardships and fatigue he suffered in the army he contracted a fit of sickness which terminated in a fever, sore or ulcer in his left leg which has been pronounced by the faculty incurable, and has rendered him a cripple for life — that pursuant to the resolve of Congress of the 23^d April 1782 he was among others reported to and approved by the Commander in chief as unfit for further duty either in the fields or garrison, and on the 10^th July 1783 was discharged from the service, and therefore prays that he may be paid agreeable to the resolve of the 23^d of April 1782 and that he may receive his future pension. No evidence accompanying this petition, no precise opinion can be formed thereon. But if the petitioner was really entitled to the benefits of the resolve of Congress of the 23^d April 1782, the same must according to the invariable usage, have been expressed in his discharge, which therefore must be produced before he can be placed upon the invalid list. It is to be observed that immediately after the resolve of April 23, 1782, many infirm persons were discharged without being judged entitled to a pension. The mode of obtaining recruits for the army in New England in 1780 and 1781 by classing the inhabitants, who were to procure a soldier, occasioned high bounties to be given by the class in preference to their being drafted. This induced infirm persons to accept the bounty, and the recruits were forwarded to the army without any very rigid inspection of their fitness. Many persons of this description who had received the excessive bounty from classes sometimes of upwards of two hundred dollars were discharged at the inspection of the invalids at the time alluded to. These were not deemed entitled to a pension. But all persons entitled to the pension had the same expressed in the discharge signed by the Commander in chief. Hence it is the opinion of the subscriber that if the petitioner can produce such a discharge with the necessary evidence of the continuance of his disability, and the identity of his person, that he will be entitled to be placed on the pension list, but not otherwise. All which is humbly submitted to the Senate of the United States. H. Knox Secy. of War. War Department April 3^d 1794.