[Garrison of Bedlow's Island rec^d 9 11.^th ans^r 3 —] Garrison of Bedlow's Island 10.^th Oct^r. 1798 Sir I am favoured with Your letter, and am much obliged by Your attention to my last letter accompanied by the pay & muster rolls for Sep^tr. The enclosed Certificate will shew, that I made the appointments in my Company under the only restriction named by the Secretary of war. —— This certificate would have been procured and sent with the other relative papers, had I ever conjectured that the Secretary would not have given more credit to my own assurance, than to suppose I excluded any condition which privileged my making those appointments. —— In mustering the men under my command, I avoided including any one, who had not been received by the muster master, and certified by him as qualified soldiers in the first muster rolls returned to Your office. —— In returning those who had been once [underline: accepted], I was only [strikethrough: governed] governed by the custom of other officers. —— I am Sir, with high respect Y^r most obed^t Serv^t. John Henry Capt^r. 2 Art^s. & Sap^rs. Wm Simmons Esq^re --- Bedloe's Island 10 October 1798 Sir Having concurred in your appointments of Non Commissioned Officers in your Company I would have given you a Certificate of such Concurrence had I been informed that a Certificate was necessary. This I believe usual to specify when Certificates are required. I did approve your appointment of John Anderson John Bones Scott William Burrell and John McVinney as Serjeants in your Company and do hereby Certify my Approbation P.S. It is to be wished that a specific mode of authenticating the appointments of Non Commissioned Officers was pointed out. —— I am Sir Y^r M^t ob^t Serv^t [undecipherable] Maj^r 2^d Reg^t Art^s & Sap^rs Cap^tn John Henry 2^d Reg^t Art & Sap^rs. Bedlow Island