[Wrapper, top left: Annelly [undecipherable] December 1799] [Center: Samuel Hodgdon [undecipherable] Philad[elphia] [undecipherable]] [Stamps: 335; Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1904. W.O. 401810.] Dear Sir Before the inclos'd was sealed I forgot to request you would favour me with a Copy of your Clapes in the M. & D.M. Dep't. be pleased to forward a Copy as soon as convenient, for I find difficult to adjust my accounts with out one. [several lines obscured by damage] about the last of January you shall have my General Returns Harper's Ferry December 9^th 1799 Dear Sir M^r Annelly has been absent from [this] place during the month of March, and according to the Secretary's instructions to me, could not be spared for that time, though he alledges he was imploy'd on public duty — [several lines obscured by damage] — [ad]justment of his account is that you would certify times that he was doing public duty at Philad[elphia] — that [undecipherable] for the Secretary directed me to suspend payments untill that Certificate should be exhibited — If, therefore, you can do it, be pleased to oblige M^r Annelly & me by forwarding one — At the close of [the] year I shall write to you fully — [text obscured by damage] [several lines obscured by damage] [undecipherable signature] Samuel Hodgdon Esquire Sir Harper's Ferry December 9, 1[7]99 M^r Mackey has been so kind as to let me write a few lines in his letter to You of this Date[;] when I arrived here I found I Could have no accomoda[tion] for my family here I therefore returned to Phil[adelphia] to make them Comfortable there as they wa[s] [pre]par[e]d for [the] Journey here as soon as I could advise them they could be Received[;] on my retu[rn] I medietly waited on You and [I] was the nex[t] day imploy'd by your orders as M^r Nicholson [was] then sick[,] to overhall the old Musket Bar[rels] in the Store near arch Street and afterwards to asest M^r Nicholson inspecting Stocks, Mus[kets] &c and in purchaseing Iron for this place in the inter[im] [I got] my Children to board [at my] Motherinlaw Comfortably fixed in New York [and] returned here[;] I hope Sir You will be so Go[od] as to Give me A Certificate for that Serv[ice] I am Sir Your Very Samuel Hodgedon Esq^r Humble Serv't. Tho^s Annelly