The United States To William Sturgeon D^r. 1798 April 17. To my services riding express from Shippensburg to Pittsburg, from thence to Philadelphia and back to Shippensburg, paying my own expenses and furnishing my own Horse, as per agreement with William Rippey of Shippensburg ——— Dolls 80— Note: The above express was employed to take on public dispatches which were forwarded from the Secretary of War to General Wilkinson, and return with the General's answer. — an agreement stated to be existing with W^m Rippey of Shippensburg — no such agreement — if there was what authority had he to make any such agreement — query what will answer given by the Secretary of War Philadelphia, April 17, 1798. Received of Samuel Hodgdon, Eighty Dollars in full of the above account, for which I have signed two receipts of same tenor and date —— Wm S. Sturgin D. 80.— [Docket: General Wilkinson's / Rec for the War Office / Dispatches by Sturgeon / Rec'd April 1798] Rec'd from W. Sturgis a dispatch from the Minister of War, at 9 o'clock a.m. of this day — Pitts Burgh April 9^th 1798— nothing is detained } until the ensuing morn- } J Wilkinson ing to refresh his Horse } JW The letter left Philadelphia on Monday Morning and was delivered on Monday Morning — say seven days on the road