[1799 [undecipherable]] War Department 14^th January 1799 Sir A Paper, purporting to be an [undecipherable] [undecipherable] certain an [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] number [undecipherable] persons [undecipherable] most [undecipherable] inhabitants [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] Settle, and [undecipherable] of Delaware [undecipherable] offering themselves for the service, [undecipherable] under as a Company of Volunteer Riflemen, to the President of the [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it was with Orders to [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable], assembly to bear, and [undecipherable] The Patriotic intentions of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] accordingly [undecipherable] their [undecipherable] to honor, and their [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] have met a much earlier [undecipherable] [undecipherable] had not an extraordinary [undecipherable] [undecipherable] upon this Department, and the [undecipherable] amount and consequent, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Public Officers, from, and [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] movement prevented. The Law authorizing the President [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] to raise a Provisional [undecipherable] the 28^th of May last, under [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] Volunteer Companies, [undecipherable] prescribes certain conditions [undecipherable] the acceptance, to be [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] tendering their services [undecipherable] certain general Regulations, consistent with the Acts, respecting such companies, have been adopted by this Department, a copy of which I enclose for your information. I am Sir with respect your obedient servant James McHenry [John Brineman Esquire Captain of a Volunteer Company of Riflemen, of Christiana Hundred. Christiana, Delaware.]