New York July 29^th 1788 Sir Your letter of the 8^th Inst to Mr Pierce came to my Hands this way — in answer to which I have to inform you that the sum of 31½ dollars mentioned by M. Linsman I have been retained from you is on account of a sum of Money that credited by you to Col. Brooks when you settle your accounting [undecipherable] with the late [undecipherable] of the Army — the Generals charge against you for the sum of [undecipherable] dollars which is appears you [undecipherable] or settled with him for 750½ dollars, there still remains [undecipherable] dollars to be accounted for, this I suppose to be the reason why M. Lins [undecipherable] prevents him from replying to your letter and [undecipherable] this [undecipherable] from Sir Y^r H^t Serv^t Joseph Howell Cap^t Bicha Sir Late 5^th Reg^t Connecticut New York July 29^th [undecipherable] Sir On the Settlement of the Accounts of Absalom Eggleston late payments to the first Regiment Massachusetts the sum of [undecipherable] dollars now paid into the hands of the Pay Master General being for pay due Enlisted [undecipherable] for the Month of April 1782 which sum the Pay Master General has credited the United States in settlement at the Treasury — I have therefore to request you issue a Warrant for the sum in favor of the said [undecipherable] to be paid to his Attorney Absalom Eggleston. I am Sir The Hon^ble the Secretary at War Joseph Howell