North Carolina Charlotte May 18^th 1796 Whilst M^r Stile was a Representative from the State of North Carolina in Congress I sent him a duplicate from the Clerk of the Courts of Mecklenburg of my having Administered on the Estate of the late Ensign Ezekiel Polk with a power of Attorney to M^r Stile to draw the pay which was due to him. M^r Stile has delivered me a [undecipherable: state] to [undecipherable: hear] from you in [undecipherable: mention] that as M^r Polk was mustered absent without leave his pay on the muster from the [undecipherable] of the March [undecipherable] which appears to be [undecipherable: yours] [undecipherable] or June 1781. knowing that Ensign Polk was on a recruiting [undecipherable: service] when he was taken sick so as to prevent his return to his corps at the time appointed by his commanding Officer and also that he had never an opportunity of obtaining any further orders or [undecipherable] to his station or elsewhere for the recovery of his health I the [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] papers in it he also sent a Certificate from a Physician who [undecipherable: also] [undecipherable: attended] M^r Polk [undecipherable: until] the [undecipherable] before his Death purporting that it was [undecipherable: impossible] in the State of health Ensign Polk was in from the month of January 1781 [undecipherable: in] time he had to [undecipherable] of his [undecipherable] Suppose his Corps to perform any kind of duty. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in M^r Polks health was it consequence or [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] order [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable: late] Congress on the representation of the Case to [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] members [undecipherable] that [undecipherable: pay for] M^r Polk shall continue to the time of his death which was some time in [undecipherable] 1791. Of whatever determination the Department of War may be on the foregoing I shall thank you to settle me together with the balance of pay which may be coming to him on deducting Rations and entertainment fees or compensation which as I [undecipherable: can] recollect he enlisted 14 or 16 men Cap^t Montforts company. Your attention will very much oblige your most Obedient Servant W^m Polk Joseph Howell Esq^r [W^m Polk / New York / [undecipherable: postal notations]] [Ezek^l Polk / Ensign Cap^t Montforts Co / 3^d N^o Carolina Reg^t] [Joseph Howell Esq^r / Accountant in the / Department of War]