Sir:—

According to orders received from your Excellency for recruiting in the fifth Battalion of this State, I am very sorry that its not in my power to send your Excellency a much greater return of our success, than I am here obliged make, three officers have got only three new recruits, its almost impossible to get any one to enlist, as the Gentlemen of the Militia are giving fifty, sixty, some more, dollars for each soldier, that will go for them, and that the others will not 'list for thirty, when say they can get a hundred tho' I am still in hopes by the capitulation of the other officers that we shall get some few more.

Sir I shall beg leave to acquaint you that I have three or four of our men left sick, one of which I believe will never do for a marching soldier as his leg is very bad and have been so twelve months past. I should be glad to have your advice on him, I also beg leave to acquaint your Excellency there is one John Kenneday a soldier, belonging to the 5th now in Kingston, in Col. Sheppard's Battalion, who I understand has acquainted you he enlisted for six months only—I myself enlisted him for two and a half years and he has deserted this thirteen or fourteen months. Any commands your Excellency has for me or any officer of the 5th Battalion shall most gladly obey—I am with all due respect your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant.