[Docket notation, page 2, upper right:] 1797 Claiborne, Ferdinand L. Lieut. 1^st U.S. Regt. [undecipherable] [Administrative notation, page 2, center:] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Rec'd. [undecipherable] War. Aug. d. 10 Dec^r. 1797 [Notation, page 3, written vertically:] Militia [undecipherable] returns require [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Richmond 11^th November 1797. Sir, I received your letter of the 7^th Inst. acknowledging the rect of my letter of the 25^th [undecipherable] with its Enclosures.— The impropriety of paying [the?] [undecipherable] it [seems?] one of my recruits [bounty?] [undecipherable] at the time of his enlisting, [undecipherable] to his [undecipherable] or place of his destination, must be [undecipherable] to be. at the time the bounty, more [undecipherable] [undecipherable] but he was a favorite Character & I determined to risk the four dollars myself sooner than fail in my attempts to enlist him, and did not at the time expect to be credited [undecipherable] the Dollars.— My men expressing a wish to receive their monthly pay, I have thought proper to muster them & to make out a pay [undecipherable], which I believe you will find correct, should you approve of this measure; you will oblige me by remitting the amount of their pay.— Enclosed are Duplicates well signed by my recruits for bounty paid them, amounting to 96½ Dollars.— I am Sir with very great respect Esteem yours &c Ferdinand Claiborne Lieut 1^st U.S. Regt. [undecipherable: probable reading "m. Simmons"] Esq^r