Allentown 18 Jan^y 1786 D Sir, I received your favor of 11^th instant, the same day after its date and am much oblige to you for your kind attention in so soon answering my former letter — not having it in my power to obtain any information with respect to my public accounts I was in a disagreeable uncertainty with respect to what I ought to have done. Your letter has satisfied me on this head, and as soon as I hear a sufficient number of States are represented to grant money that my whole business may be settled by making but one journey to New York I shall certainly attend, and I must request this necessary information from you with your advice — If you should write soon I should be glad you would inform me whether Col. Lee, who is a member of Congress, is in New York — I am S^r Richard Lloyd Jos Howell Esq^r Lancaster January 28, 1786. D Sir, I have received your letter of the 15^th Ulti: enclosing the Certificate returned — I believe I must leave the amount as your Office was my last resort. — I cannot at this distance of time recollect what clothing it can be that the sum charged by M^r Benning in Philad^a many can be for — Of this I am confident that I gave Colonel Chambers exact statements of every charge that [undecipherable] could arise against the regiment when I left it and I believe that every article of clothing drawn within the time you mention has been accounted for — I know that when we marched from Valentines Tavern to White Plains in 1776 some clothing drawn a few days before, and which owing to the regiments being unexpectedly ordered on a particular duty at the time could not be spared was for want of Waggons to move it further returned to the Q^rMaster Store at Fort Washington and there taken, of which I have authentic Vouchers — It will I think be hard on me if I must lose the three months pay drawn and returned by Col Chambers, the transaction was without my knowledge or concurrence, I was at that time on duty on the Ohio by particular order of Congress, and if Col Chambers had never drawn the money surely I would be entitled to my pay from the States that is, the sum so much Continental Money was worth at the time it became due — If I knew the particular time the clothing you mention was drawn & by whose order, I possibly might be able to give you more satisfactory information — in the mean time I am, with compliments to M^r [undecipherable] D Sir, Your Ob^dt Hu^ble Serv^t Jos Howell Esq^r Edward Hurd