To Thomas Jefferson from Archibald McDonald, [on or before 1 April 1805]
From Archibald McDonald
[on or before 1 Apr. 1805]
To his Excellency Thomas Jefferson President of the United States
The Humble Petition of Archibald McDonald Humbly Sheweth
That your Petitioner has served the United States Ten years from St Clears defeat to the year 1802. then discharged and now Infirm and having a sickly wife and unable to support himself and family without the Assistance of a Son which is now under age and enlisted in the states service, which was of great support before enlistment to myself and family, your Petitioner humbly implores the assistance of his Excellency in order to gain his Sons discharge he being under Age and would be of great Assistance he helping to support a distressed family, if your Petitioner should be so happy as to get his discharge your Petitioner shall be in duty bound to Ever pray
Archibald McDonald
The under named Subscribers will certify the service of the above Petitioner, and the books at the War Office can testify the same—
E Smith
John Smith
Robt. Wood
RC (MHi); undated; attestation in McDonald’s hand, signed by Smith, Smith, and Wood; endorsed by TJ as received 1 Apr. and so recorded in SJL with notation “petn to discharge son as infant.”
Archibald McDonald lived in Winchester, Virginia. He likely served as a private in Lieutenant Colonel William Darke’s regiment, which was levied for Arthur St. Clair’s expedition into the Northwest Territory in 1791 (DNA: RG 94, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served from 1784 to 1811; , 8:55-7).