Tell me about my rifle?

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best of luck, yer gonna need it unless a miracle occurs.  

Too true, my friend. Then again, when I woke up yesterday morning I never thought I'd be reading his pay receipt for the Battle of New Orleans, written and signed in his own hand, and witnessed by the court clerk. I am still in the process of deciphering it, but have this much:

Know all men by these presents that I HIS NAME
of the county of Wayne and State of Kentucky ____   ______ a
private in _____  _____   ______ Company   of   the 15th
Shrewsberry Regiment Kentucky Detached Militia in the services of the
United States under the Command of Major General John
Thomas in the year 1814 (have?) for a valuable consideration
to and in (hand?) paid  by ________ Shrewsberry _____ ______ (this?) ____

It  continues, still working on it.

Amazing what you can find. I saw the general's name somewhere on-line, need to poke around a bit.