[Illegible Text — archival notation indicates original first page is wholly or in part illegible.] [Address/endorsement page: Simon [undecipherable] Badgdening / Philadelphia. Large wax seal impression. Endorsement notation at upper right partially legible, appearing to include place and date. Circled numeral (3).] Chambersburg 6^th March 1798— [I] return from Philadelphia last evening your letter of the first Ulto. was handed me and I embrace this early opportunity of giving you my answer — The information you have received is in part accurate — Upon the return of the army in Dec. 1794 I received orders to take into my care the arms and camp Equipage of Gen^l. Chamber's Brigade and it [undecipherable] conse-quence of this make a considerable quantity of Arms, and camp kettles, canteens and Napsacks were deposited with me by several of the companies and amongst other articles a Number of Blankets which had been drawn by the Soldiers from [undecipherable] but [undecipherable] were returned — The whole of these articles [im]mediately packed up and sent on to Lancaster — [undecipherable] appointment of Gen^l. Bond the whole of the ar[ms,] Blankets, Napsacks [& canteens excepted] were [undecipherable] — The Blankets, Napsacks and cantens [he re]fused to receive — he said they were worth nothing [the] men might have kept them and that he would [not] receipt for them or give them store room — I therefore [di]rected one of the wagginers to put them into his wagon [and] to leave such Blankets as had been delivered to him [by] the York company of Infantry with the person who delivered them to him in York and the others to leave in Chambersburg I went on from Lancaster to Philadelphia [where I present-ed] the matter to Col. Biddle by whom I [undecipherable] He informed me that the other troops had [kept the?] Blankets and napsacks who had received and that he did not know what was to be done with [them?] as had been returned — After settling my account with Col. Biddle for my receipts and expenditures of public money (in which settlement I was not able at that time to get credits for some payments made whilst on the campaign in consequence of having lost [my receipts?] with my pocket book in one of the [undecipherable] in the western country and for which by the by I am still out of pocket although I have since obtained vouchers. On my return to this place I found the Blankets left with a shopkeeper in this place who informed me that they had gotten wet and were likely to rot [and?] that if I did not take them away he would throw them out of [doors?] — Thereupon told him to make sale of them to the [undecipherable] and render me an account of the sale — [I wrote?] to Col. Biddle upon the subject of my de[cision?] for which I had not been able to [procure?] [undecipherable] [I in]closed him an account of the rates [undecipherable] my reasons for making the sale — the amount was 48 dollars 60[undecipherable] — My account [undecipherable] in settlement with Col. Biddle together with my demand for retained rations and forage. I am sorry to say [they?] remain unsettled I have applied to Col. Biddle [undecipherable] times on the subject without effect — He at one time sent 23 dollars which appeared [to?] him to be the balance of hay due to me [with]out taking any notice of my other accounts furnished him [undecipherable] our settlement — I have not time at present to make out copies of the letters that passed between Col. Biddle and myself upon this subject — I must therefore refer you to him for any further satisfaction you may wish to have on the subject — Should the information that you receive from Col. Biddle not prove satisfactory or should you be disposed to make a settlement with me you will please address me by post or communicate your wishes to [my] friend [undecipherable] — I have another request to make of you which I hope you will not deny me — It is that you would inform M^r. Smith as nearly as you can recollect the substance of the conversation which passed between you and the person who informed you that I had made sale of the public stores. M^r. Smith will give you my reasons for making this enquiry which I hope will convince [you of the] propriety of complying with my request — Your Most ob[edient Servant] [undecipherable] Riddle Simon Badgdening