John Coffin drafts of statements to the Court of Inquiry,1783

              Mr. President & Gentlemen of the Board,

      I must return you my sincere Thanks for the Liberty you have granted me of 
making this Reply, & as I concieve [sic] that the Evidence produced to the Board & Lt. 
Col. Campbell�s Confessions have fully supported the Narrative which I had the Honor of 
laying before you, I shall be very brief in what I have now to offer for your further 
consideration.
      You must be convinced from the Evidence of Adjutant Cummins & Capt. Gray 
that Serjeant Perkins was the established Clerk of the King�s American Regiment & a 
Person necessary to the service of it.
      If Lieut. Col. Campbell had a Necessity for his Assistance to adjust either his 
private or public Accounts, or to arrange the Papers of the late Court martial (as he has 
been pleased to alledge) what good Reason can be assigned why he did not communicate 
that Necessity to me as the commanding Officer of the Regiment?  Common Decency, as 
well as the essential Rules of Service required this at his Hands, & I must once for all
observe


1