New York July 4^th [17]— Dear S^r Week ups prevented my acknowledging the receipt of your favor of the 7^th ultimo. I observe what you mention respecting the pay I received while I commanded a Regiment. Most of the period on 1775 it was in Canada under the immediate order of Lieu^t thence Richmore, and the last pay I received for it was for August 1776. During the time the pay was received by the Colonels, the Company Officers were inspected by the Commanding Officers, before the Regimental one was made out — this was compared by the Brigadier with the musters and monthly returns, before the Regimental pay roll was certified to the Pay Office, or a Warrant obtained from the Commanding General, before the money could be received — the Colonel paid the Captains the amount of their respective pay rolls — This was the mode I observed, and I conceived when I paid them I had nothing more to do with the pay — for it was received on the best vouchers we could exhibit against the Public, these being first produced to the Pay Office before any money could be received. I own it strikes me as not altogether regular to be charged with money received for others on the best evidence we could then produce. It is unusual in mercantile or legal transactions to charge a man with money due to others, and which he receives an order of an Officer, authorised to give the order, with the warrant, grounded on the inspection of the Pay abstracts — this is a sufficient security to the public; indeed it is out of my power to give it more. In the different routs we had during the early part of the war, I lost off my military papers; and shall find it not easy to collect them; for I do not know where they are. There must be a considerable sum due to me for rations, for the reasons mentioned in a former letter; but since those accounts cannot be obtained, I wish you to be so obliging as to cause a copy of my account to be sent to me, in order that I may know what articles are at my Debit. There is subsistance money due to me at the dimission of the army which could not then be paid — Can you inform me how I can receive it now? I am dear Sir your humble Servant Alex^r McDougale P^S The State has settled with me on the foot of depreciation, only for the [underline: depreciation] of my pay to the 1^st of August 1780 taking it for granted the Continental pay was paid to that period — so that the value of the pay in Continental money [or pay] is still due to me, from the last payment of that money received from your office to the 1^st of August 1780 — therefore please to credit my account for the real value of Continental money due to me to that period — and particularly mark the pay from the Commutation as probably the State may engage to discharge the former. And M^r Pierce requests to get the warrant, for the Subsistence of one is necessary — as M^r Hoberdean is not well acquainted with Transactions of Military accounts — He will please also to cause the Notes for the Commutation commutation be made out in sums not larger than 500 Dol^s — or 1000 at most for obvious reasons — N B — The pay [undecipherable: neg^t?] for July & August 1776 — was received by one M^r Lawrence being then such absent — So that he [undecipherable] [John Pierce, Commissioner] [endorsement notation, verso]