[Address leaf, center:] Hon^bl. James M^cHenry S^ry of War [Docket, rotated:] 8 June 1796 S.W. Geddes L^t --- Wednesday morn, June 8^th 96 Sir My feelings, you will no doubt judge must be extremely agitated & in that State of uncertainty in which I am placed by those Delays which has held Back your decision on the proceedings that has been had against me at this Post, to hang for several weeks Suspended the Reputation of a man as wed to the profession of arms, can Induce it no doubt, to well accounted for, but the [undecipherable] to be you will, I must exceed [undecipherable] has exceeded. Convinced that I have suffered under a malevolence, that did not preserve the Semblance of justice, I feel it a debt, due to my family to [undecipherable] for further investigation. I profess [undecipherable] of the methods [undecipherable] as well of my intentions as my actions, I can not experience with them. being from inquiry, to the proceeding now before you, there are numerous occasions, a Striking one is, that charged with breaking an arrest, I offered to prove, that my principal evidence to meet that charge, was absent; who was the identical officer by whom this supposed arrest was made. it was Replied, that this was not the time, a fine dodge to be heard of the circumstance and [undecipherable] to you Testimony, that it was an arrest, another Ground of Complaint is my fraudulently charging Half a bord [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] and attesting the Return, by whom Sir, was this Fraud detected, by whom remedied; the answer of every officer of the [undecipherable] would be to those who [undecipherable] by the Circumstances, the manner, All [undecipherable] me free of intentional Error, the Detail presents a new feature in the Character of malice, accept it if you please as it happened, and if a Contd. with the [undecipherable] of the Representation, Respectable Testimony will be addressed in support of its veracity, The officer [undecipherable] Court to make out their Returns, [undecipherable] one of them had anticipated [undecipherable] at in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], to be [undecipherable] [undecipherable] about [undecipherable] one of the [undecipherable] Monthly [undecipherable] Expressly from his official [undecipherable] [undecipherable] other then, having [undecipherable] any which, I was attended, and [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] of the Commandant, in my way to [undecipherable], I met with [undecipherable] of the Army who had just come from New York (M^r Smith) and conversing with him on the [undecipherable] of Supplies, became informed of the mistake, I Stopped instantly to the Door [undecipherable] Cap^t Shackberry, found a number of the Officers complaining of the returns, Directing [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] who [undecipherable] told them to ferret in the European Returns and were about to address you on the Subject, as the Reply of a [undecipherable] [undecipherable], in the consciousness of truth, I know, and that my [undecipherable] of the Commandant, I know, and their [undecipherable] demanded, we had looked the mistake [undecipherable], in which I ought to have directed the Publick [undecipherable], [undecipherable] Lieut George cancelled the Error for me immediately after [undecipherable] of which the [undecipherable] never when I asked him if he thought he'd [undecipherable] to an account knowing it to be erroneous is replied he did not. He only charged me with [undecipherable] false hours, How much [undecipherable] for the mean of [undecipherable] was [undecipherable], and that make that [undecipherable] Incident would pull out a serious Charge — From [undecipherable] made before the Court, and fond of them certainly merited [undecipherable] attention, there been answered they are not by, the Clerk of Court [undecipherable] I have now understood were to investigate & [undecipherable] in Court, and with [undecipherable] innocence very emphatically they are that Respectable Tribunal [undecipherable] the Government, that [undecipherable] between the means, and the accused, and their conduct [undecipherable] with every feature of [undecipherable], and wholly [undecipherable], feel has been. the Conduct of [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] in the former [undecipherable], when the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] not [undecipherable] in particular [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] became the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] how different the Conduct of [undecipherable] no [undecipherable], am [undecipherable] the Charges, [undecipherable] my defense on their three days [undecipherable] notice, All [undecipherable] times [undecipherable], the [undecipherable] are favors, and taking their Suits, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a Book, and from [undecipherable] [undecipherable], [undecipherable] him, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] communications, [undecipherable] I late [undecipherable] months [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a Catalogue of [undecipherable] — a line of [undecipherable] things to be my [undecipherable]. three of them are [undecipherable] my accusers, and my [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — My [undecipherable] to the proceedings contain my reasons for believing myself treated [undecipherable] [undecipherable], I demand and [undecipherable] Trial composed of [undecipherable] impartial [undecipherable]. I have no choice of the number of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Court shall be composed, nor at the time or place it [undecipherable] to be convened, I wish my [undecipherable] guarded by men unprejudiced by [undecipherable], and wish to Stand on full by some equitable [undecipherable] and in this I [undecipherable] I shall be indulged. — I expect Sir you will do every thing for me That is consistent with honor and justice. — Therefore Sir request you to lay this letter [undecipherable] my Defence together with the Charges before the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] of the United States [if a new trial is not granted me,] [undecipherable] I have the Honor to be Sir you' bed. Serv^t S.W. Geddes L^t [undecipherable] — [you must excuse this [undecipherable] as I have wrote in a great hurry and am indisposed]