May it please yr. Excellency
I herewith take the liberty to enclose the Petition of the Newtopsail Militia, together w't a list of the Company, attested by the Clerk, by which yr. Excellency may judge of the great injustice I rec'd in having my Commission taken from me without cause and given to another. The list compared wt. the names to the Petition, will at once shew yr. Excellency the true Voice of the People: who are almost unanimously for me, & who live in expectation that yr. excellency will be pleased to restore to me my Command, or Order a new Election immediately– had I committed any misdemeanor, and been broke by the Articles of War, I should tho' disgraced have Acquiest wt. my fate– but concious of the rectitude of my conduct– I am doubly unhappy at my unjust removal–