Fort Johnson — South Carolina 1^st March 1798 Sir I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25^th January last and also of the receipt of Doll^s 548 25/100 from B. Dunne Esq for the pay of this Garrison for the months of Nov^r & Dic^r 1797 — From the amount of the pay roll for those months the following sums received [undecipherable] from the pay of Geo. Mecklenburg and [undecipherable] from that of [undecipherable] Caston — The pay of these men have been discontinued and the [undecipherable] sums mentioned [undecipherable] correct. [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] also offices an [undecipherable] was [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] the pay of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as if the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] is entitled in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] entitled to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] not a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] must must as it immediately after the expiration of his [undecipherable] service or within a few days of it — I should be [undecipherable] formally glad to know from you, as soon as convenient in what length of time, you consider a soldier as [undecipherable] entitled — As there are several old soldiers, whose length of services I think should entitle them to the [undecipherable] extra allowance — Particularly Patrick O'Neal, who [undecipherable] he was to have enlisted to the southward, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] O'[undecipherable] and [undecipherable] in the Artillery, for the last of which the [undecipherable] (then [undecipherable]) enlisted him — and previous to [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] served 3 years in the Western country. Enclosed you will receive the muster & pay rolls for the months of January and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in favour of the U. S. of Doll^s 19 22/100 which [undecipherable] will meet with your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Michael Boaltzen [Rec^d — 24 [undecipherable]] [Ans^d 9^e May]