War Office [illegible] Recd 6 1798 Trenton 5 Sep. [stamped: New York] 10. Samuel Hodgdon Esqr War Office – Philada 112 New York 4th Sept. 1798 Sir Enquiry has been made on board the Sloop Patience for the cloathing arms &c for the use of the detachment under my command, and the Captain of the sloop disavows any knowledge of such articles. The Captain and almost all the crew who were on board of that sloop, when those articles must have been shipped, are since dead with the yellow fever; and as it is probable the present commander wants to avail himself of that circumstance, and commit some fraud, I request you will forward to me some document to prove the delivery of the articles; and I will have a detainer laid on the sloop to make the present owner or master accountable.
I am Sir Your obedt. Servt. John Henry Genl Hodgdon Esqr.