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 expences 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 Secre- tary 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 — ques[tion] what authority was given by the Secretary of War Philadelphia, April 17, 1798. Received of Samuel Hedgdon. Eighty Dollars in full of the above account, for which I have signed two receipts of same tenor and date —— Wm S [Sturgeon?] P. 80.— [Docket on enclosure exterior:] General Wilkinsons Rec for the War Office Dispatches by Sturgeon Rec. 17 April 1798 Rec'd from M^r 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 Ja^s Wilkinson until the ensuing morn- 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