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William Shepard to Henry Knox Regarding Compensation

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Sir,

A Sense of our Friendship while we were con=
nected as Officers of the late Army of the United States, as
well as Knowledge of our Desire to have all Millitary
Service, which have been performed with Fidelity, in
Defense of our Country, rewarded so far as She may merit
it, prompt one to make to you the following Represen=
tation and ask your kind and usefull Advice thereon.

What I would particularly allude to, Sir, is my past
Service, as a Major Generall of the Militia, in the County of
Hampshire, at Springfield, and other Parts of the County,
during the Insurgency in the Commonwealth of Massa=
chusetts and my sufferings resulting there from.- a Service which was tedious and hazardous to me
as well as highly injurious to my domestick Business-
which called for all the Money I could personally furnish
or procure on my own Credit for the necessary Exertions, atten=
dant on my Duty at that distressing Time- which excited
against me the keenest Resentment of the disappointed
Insurgents, manifested in the most pointed Injurys, such
as burning my Fences, injuring my Woodlands, by
Fire, beyond a Recovery for many Years - wantonly & cruelly
butchering two valuable Horses, whose ears were cut off and
Eyes bored out before they were killed - insulting me
personally with the vile Epithet of the Murderer of my
Brethren, and, through anonimous Letters, repeatedly
threatening me with the Destruction of my House and
Family by Fire.- which kind of Injuries I occasionally
experience even to this day.

For those Sufferings and Losses sustained I had
entertained hopes of receiving some Compensation from the Govern=
ment of the Commonwealth, or at least a full \Reimburs-
ment of the Moneys I had expended in that Expedition - I
accordingly stated an Acco:t with the Commonwealth, charging