New York. May 19^th 1788 Sir, Your letter of the 4^th of April last with Capt Laughlys receipt was handed to me by General Irvine — The two accounts exhibited by you on account of the late Lieut. Archibald Campbell differ so materially in the number of men inlisted I do not think myself justifiable in allowing the charges exhibited without more satisfactory vouchers. The first account which appears in the hand writing of M^r Campbell particularly specifies "for recruiting from the 15^th [undecipherable] to the 4^th of July 177[undecipherable]" and only contains fourteen men. this account I am led to believe to be an original for the following reasons (viz) 1^st The hand writing appears to be the same with the note made by Lieut Campbell for money received of Capt. McLaughy and which you inform me is the hand writing of your brother — 2^d The subsistence for recruiting is for the same time as the last. 3^d The money received by M^r Campbell of Capt. McLaughy will nearly cover the bounty of those men and their subsistence, which induces me to suppose 4 That if Lieut Campbell had inlisted 34 men as is contained in the second account that he would have retained the whole of the 300 dollars received by him as that sum would not have been more than sufficient to cover the bounty & subsistence of ten men & his own subsistence while recruiting. Therefore a query arises why M^r Campbell would suffer himself to become a creditor to the United States by paying into the hands of Capt M^cLaughry 300 Dollars of the 300 received by him unless M^r Campbell had previously received the former sum from Capt. M^cLaughry & then thought proper to replace it on the whole. I am of opinion that the first account is the proper one, and as Capt M^cLaughry has not settled his accounts I have no check upon the accounts now furnished of monies advanced M^r Campbell, neither can I find on Muster Roll of this company whereby to ascertain those men who were legally inlisted or mustered — I wish to be informed from what vouchers you formed the account containing 34 men — If you have any books & memorandums of your brother that can throw light on the subject I wish they may be forwarded and that you or some knowing the hand writing of the deceased would qualify thereto [undecipherable] with the account. There are two memorandums, which I suppose to have been made by M^r Campbell on [undecipherable] subjects "a list of monies rec^d from Jeremiah [undecipherable] of the recruiting service, three hundred dollars" this appears dated Jun — or Jan 25. 177 — The other expresses "a list of monies received by Arch^d Campbell from council for the recruiting service one hundred dollars" in [undecipherable] 177 — the first I suppose to be the residue of the 300 delivered in June. The latter I have no account of in this office neither has M^r Archibald mention'd it. I expect to be in Philadelphia in a few days & will make the necessary inquiry. I think it were helpful to find Capt M^cLaughry when in all probability information might be obtained to enable me settle the account — at present I cannot consistent with the duty I owe to the United States act upon it — I am &c — Yours, H Knox Capt Thomas Campbell