At the battle of Monmouth, on the 28th of June 1778, I was so unfortunate as to loose a leg—I was returned, and drew pay in the regiment until the 1st of November 1779—I have since had a transference to the corps of Invalid in Boston by Colonel Greene, and joined it the 1st of June last—Soon afterwards, I returned to Rhode Island and at the particular request of Colonel Greene took a command in his regiment, which had but a small number of officers and was reinforced by levies.

The capture of a vessel by the enemy, at the commencement of the War, on board of which I had considerable property made me but little better than on a level with the world—The scanty pittance I had collected since, by my services in the army, was expended during my long and severe sickness in Jersey after my misfortune (no part of which has as yet been refunded) and by my family in my long absence—together with what remained after my first loss.

I have received no pay from the Continent since that for the month of October 1779—and the little prospect of being able to obtain any soon, constrains me to request Your Excellency’s permission to be absent from the corps for the space of five months next following, with liberty to go on board a privateer for a cruize or a letter of marque or merchant man for a voyage, within that time.

I beg leave to observe that there are at this time a number of supernumerary officers with the Corps. I am Your Excellency’s most Obedient Servant