In this letter to Colonel Return J. Meigs, John Overton requests that Meigs allow David Barclay, who he describes as a "worthy honest man," to operate a ferry on the Nickajack River in Middle Tennessee. Overton points out that a previous serious injury has put it "entirely out of [Barclay's] power to follow any laborious, active calling" and hopes that Meigs will see fit to allow Barclay to do what he can to earn a living.