Sir, United States Ship Constellation, at Sea, off Charleston Bay July 16^th 1798 I have the Honor of transmitting to you by Post from Charleston, South Carolina, a Muster Roll, and Register, of the Officers, Seamen, and Others, composing the Crew of the Frigate I command. The Wages per Month, Money advanced, Time of Entry, and every Matter, and Thing, relating to that Business, that I considered necessary, to put on Record in the War Office, (or Marine Office, if such there be) is here mentioned, and stands correct. The Returns made to you by the various Recruiting Officers, must from the Documents exhibited to me, have been very erroneous, owing to the Nature of the Business on the one Hand, and the Haste in which it was done on the other, added to their Inexperience in such Employment. I left the Capes of Chesapeake Bay on the 26^th Ultimo (as before advised) with the Convoy, and parted with them, upwards of Twenty Leagues from Cape Henry, in an eastern Direction. The Wind soon after coming unfavourable to pass along the Southern Coast, near Whereas the Purse of the United States Ship Constellation under my command having this day Represented to me that the Potatoes furnished agreeable to an act of Congress and put on board of the said Ship, is rotten and unfit for men to eat, and has requested a Survey thereon — I do hereby in conformity with said request direct any one of the sea Lieutenants, with the Master, Boatswain, & Carpenter to survey the said potatoes and Issue Certificate as shall be just & honourable: and in case the said Potatoes are in the State Represented; I do hereby direct that they be immediately thrown overboard & into the Sea, but in case they should be found otherwise, that then and in that case they are to be served out agreeable to Law. Given from under my hand on board the Constellation the 14^th. July 1798. Thomas Truxtun To M^r. Isaac Garretson Purse of the U.S. Ship Constellation. — We the Subscribers do certify that the above Potatoes contained in Twenty 2½^p Bbl are Rotten and Unfit for men to eat, and that the same was thrown into the sea Conformable to the above order. Signed — Jn^o. Rodgers · Lieut Ambrosi Shirly · Master Jas. Geormany · Carp^r. Thos. Queen · · Boatzⁿ.