To His Excellency, Thomas Wharton, Esqr., President of the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Captain General and Commander-in-Chief, in and over the same.

The Humble Petition of sundary officers and privates belonging to the New floating Battery Putnam, under Command of William Brown, Esqr., for the Defence of the State of Pennsylvania.

Most Humble Sheweth,

That your Petition excited by the late alarming progress of the enemy of the United States of America, did most Chearfully turn out as Voulenteers, under the command of our Noble Captain, Aforesaid, and joined General Washington's Army, in the State of New Jersey, where we expected our service would contribute the most Benefit to the Generall Cause, for which we are all engaged.

That your Petition was at very considerable expences to procuring Cloaths and other necessary's for this extraordnary service which was to be performed in the most inclement season. We need not attempt (were it in our power) to represent to your Excellency the critical situation of the Army when we marched by night from Trinton to pri[n]ce Town; and thereby with unabated ardor, executed a Master Stroake of General ship Which effectually bafled the designs of our enemy; but only to shew that in this enterprise we were Necessarly parted from our baggage waggon, which contained all our cloathing and necessary's save only what was on our backs; that the circumstances of the Campaign deprived us of an opportunity of seeing the baggage waggon untill the twenty-third of January; When, to our Great Damage, the articles in the inclosed list (which can be attested to if required,) was missing, being either lost, stole, or plundered. That notwithstanding the extraordinary hardships to which we were exposed for want of these necessarys, (not having the means of repleasing them), we indured the campaign for the honour of our country ー That our loss was not sustained by any neglect of ours, but the consequence of strict obediance to our duty on our part; That the extraordinary expence of equipping, as well as the service, is performed without any extraordinary allowance whatever. That many of us have familys, the suport of which depends wholely on what we can save of our wages, best part of which is now stopt payment of the articles now lost; the loss, therefore, is the more severely felt at this time, when the scarcely [scarcity] adds to the dificually of replacing it.

We, therefore, Most Humbly begg leave to refear the consideration of the premisses to your Excellency who we <lout not will grant us such recompence, as to your Excellency's Superior judgment shall seem meet, and your Petitions, As in Duty bound, Will Ever Pray.