[undecipherable] War Department 28^th May. 179[undecipherable] Sir. I have transmitted to the President, The sentence of a General Court Martial, held by your order, at New York, on the 16^th day of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] The case of [undecipherable] Richards Hunt, a Sergeant in Cap[undecipherable] [undecipherable] Stillis company of the 2^d regiment of artillerists, a long [undecipherable], charged with the crimes of desertion [and] a bearing of [undecipherable], in carrying off with him two hundred dollars [undecipherable] [undecipherable], being monies received [undecipherable] him by the [undecipherable] of the said company. [undecipherable] is. Their pay, and sentenced to death. My opinion is, that Richards Hunt, on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] circumstances, attending [undecipherable] of his crimes, [undecipherable] proper object for military execution, as any [undecipherable] can probably offer, and t[undecipherable], as desertion [undecipherable] is a degree, high[undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the military service, he ought to [undecipherable]fer. I have written to this effect to the President. You will recollect that this sentence was returned to New York, when originally forwarded [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], because two thirds of the Members of the [undecipherable] did not appear upon the face of the proceedings, as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] directed by the law [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the commencement thereunto [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is now the certificate signed by the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and retaining [undecipherable] [undecipherable] advocate that the omission was accidental, that the fact was, more than two thirds of the Court concurred, and it [undecipherable] supplied by interlineation. The good of the Service, requires in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at this time, well [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] desertions [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], but it may be made a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] manner, [undecipherable] form of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] justif[undecipherable] [undecipherable] being made to suffer [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], and if the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] returns to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for his [undecipherable] execution is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] considerations. The omission in the proceedings to set forth, that two thirds of the Court concurred in the sentence, was it [undecipherable] supplied, after the dissolution of the Court. The sentence does not prescribe the manner of death, perhaps this, although it is not required by the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] The article specifying the crime [undecipherable] of desertion. The sentence does not mention [undecipherable] force [undecipherable] breach or what [undecipherable] [undecipherable] rules [undecipherable] entitles [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] on the suffers I am Sir with respect your obedient servant James McHenry [undecipherable] Major General Alexander Hamilton