Richmond Decem^br 17 1784 D Sir On conversing with Col. Carrington, I [undecipherable] [Major] that the [undecipherable] charged by Williams is [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] [undecipherable] must therefore account for the [undecipherable] the whole [sum] accounted for [by the] different persons to whom it was [advanced], [nor] Williams therefore cannot be [undecipherable] [undecipherable] alone — Col. Carrington [undecipherable] me that [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was lodged with [undecipherable] [obligations] to me [undecipherable] — but as they did confine the [undecipherable] of the Officer [Drawing] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] his [undecipherable] to Col. [undecipherable] to not to charge the Officer [until] we have a proper voucher against [Williams] — but as M[ajo]r [undecipherable] has no [undecipherable] — [whether the enclosed] [undecipherable] My advice, you will know what vouchers were delivered by Major Williams to Col. Carrington, and not [undecipherable] by [undecipherable] [to] whom the [undecipherable] were [delivered], that you may charge the Officer, and to [undecipherable] any accounts [necessary] for M. [undecipherable] or any other Commissioner — neither Col. Carrington or M. [undecipherable] can say that any [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] received from Major Williams When an Officer is [undecipherable] [Charged,] [undecipherable,] in the [War] [Office,] I do not consider that it is in [his] power to [undecipherable] and [undecipherable,] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of [a] [higher] nature [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [or] [their] [undecipherable] [of] [undecipherable] and [required] to [have] the most [authentic] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [wherefore] any [alterations] and [he] [undecipherable]. It is necessary that the causes of such [alter-] [ations,] be reported to [that] [office,] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] from them — If they [undecipherable] [as] [I] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [then is] [not a] [undecipherable] [undecipherable,] I do not know [how] [the] [undecipherable] [take place] [which] [you] [must be] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [as] [it is] [out of] [our] [authority] The [undecipherable] are [only] of [undecipherable] to be [made] by you in the [ration] [accounts,] to [be] [undecipherable] by the [undecipherable] of the [Officer] [the] [date] [as they happened,] that [we] [a] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [may] adopt some [general] [principles] [by which] we can [determine] the [balances] — on one side of the account the Officer [will] charge his [allowed] rations [(supposing one or two [drawn]) while the Commissaries [were] it, when the [rations/contracts] commenced he will charge his whole rations, [the other side of his account he will] [credit] what rations he has [received] from the Contractor and all the [moneys] he has [received] from the Public on account of [those] rations or [his] [sub]si[stence] — the Virginia [line] [we] [suppose] [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] 1782, but [this] cannot be a rule for you — I do not suppose you [knew] any thing [to] do with the [deficiencies] — It appears [proba-] [bly] that the Contractors are paid for the [whole] rations, and the parts [were] a [saving] (or a [debt] if you please) to themselves — under the Commissioner[']s if the Officer [claim] [deficiencies,] it is [improper,] for [them] to draw [two rations] and [are] charged with only [one] on account of [part] of rations not received — [the] deficien[cies] [of rations] I do not know [how] you [can] [ascertain] them, it is in the [undecipherable] and [they] will be [inconsiderable] — I do not know [that] the Northern Army for 1780 & 1781 have [undecipherable] any [undecipherable] for [their] [undecipherable,] in [what] [undecipherable] [words] they [or] their Officers or the Contractors have been paid it — [undecipherable: signature]