Your waggoners some little time past on their return from Richmond encamped at my black smiths shop not far from my house, and in the morning when they started they left an ox their as I suppose to die my sons in comeing to their breakfast discovered the ox and tryed to git him up but could not succeede. They told me that there was an ox which was said to be Coll. James Madisons left at the shop. I went there and when I see the ox I found he was not sick but only fatigued and we attempted to bleed him, but could git no blood of acount, but after a while with assistance we got him up and I turned him into a grassy place in my inclosures where he presently filled himself and is now well. And you can have him again by sending for him, unless you feel free to make me a present of a dead ox. I am yours respectfully