To Thomas Jefferson from J. P. G. Muhlenberg, 23 April 1805
From J. P. G. Muhlenberg
Philadelphia April 23d. 1805
Agreeably to the contents of the Note, I had the honor to receive from The President, I made enquiries relative to the Owners of the Ship, New Orleans from Marseilles—& can not find that such a firm as Hughes & Allen exists in this City, but I believe the information, stating that the Ship had been damag’d and oblig’d to sail into Mahon is correct.
with Perfect Respect I have the honor to be The Presidents Obedt servt
P Muhlenberg
RC (MHi); at foot of text: “The President of The U States”; endorsed by TJ as received 25 Apr. and so recorded in SJL.
the Note: see TJ to Muhlenberg, 21 Apr.
At some point, James Simpson, U.S. consul at Tangier, provided information that after sailing from Marseilles the New Orleans was damaged in heavy winds and put into Mahón for repairs. A “Captn. Davis” corroborated the account and reported that the ship was believed to be en route to Norfolk (MS in MHi; undated; in a clerk’s hand, with corroborative note by Muhlenberg and his heading: “Note from Mr. J Simpson”).