I take the liberty of enclosing a Return of Deserters now in confinement at this place—

Permit me to intercede for the unfortunate Robt. Brown—belonging to Captn. Irvins Company—he has been in confinement upwards of a year—has been tried at Reading by the Court Martial assembled by your order—his confinement has been long & from some circumstances (known to me) I am induced to say hard—he has borne it with a degree of fortitude & resignation worthy a better fate—I have paid particular attention to his behavior & think am warranted in saying, he is a brave Man, void of duplicity & should he be released from his confinement—will prove a good soldier—

Much may be said in extenuation of his fault he was a young Recruit & had taken up an Idea that the Military authority was superior to the Civil—this led him to commit the Crime for which he is confined—

With Respect Your Obdt. Servt.