is in the way is on General Lamb to whom I have not yet requested his calling on you as Letters informs me he lives in New York. I request your Sending me an account of the business soon as convenient which shall be esteemed a favor conferred on your assured friend & Humble Serv^t Matt Henderson [Direct to me at the Draw Bridge] Joseph Howell Esq^r Pay Office New York --- Office of Army Accounts New York Oct^o 7^th 1790 Sir I have not been able in the course of business untill this Day to attend to the request contained in your letter of the 6^th Ult^o. On examining the accounts of the late 3^d Regiment of Artillery, I find that the following Certificates have been issued by the Commissioner for Purchasing Clothing & Gratuity of John Bitters. Viz — N^o 48 796 for 50 doll^rs N^o 223 for 77 ¾ doll^rs N^o 500b for 148 doll^rs N^o 50 710 for 14 75 doll^rs & N^o M 221 for 9 6¼ doll^rs amounting to three hundred and seventy five 80 doll^rs all which were delivered unto M^r Charles Knowles Pay master & agent to the Regiment; the Act of Congress requires that the agents should settle their accounts with the State to which they belong and deposit such Certificates remaining in their hands with the Executive of the State. M^r Knowles belonging to the State of Massachusetts has I suppose settled his accounts with that State, & to whom Bitters will have to apply — the other Claims for pay from the month of Novem^r 1785 to the 15 April 1776 cannot be admitted for the following reason 1^st because the troops raised at that early period were regularly paid their wages, and altho Bitters might not have been paid, yet there is every reason to suppose his pay was drawn by his Officers as was customary which at this distance of time cannot be ascertained with precision — 2^d the Act of Congress of the 2^d of November 1785 forecloses all army Claims that have were not made on or before the 1 Aug^t following, this claim not being presented in season is therefore foreclosed — I have now to request your attention to my letter of the 19 Decem^r 1786 wherein you were informed of the several sums of money short Credited by you on Settlement of your recruiting accounts — if this money is not accounted for in a short time I shall be under the necessity of reporting your name to the Sec^ry at War as a debtor to the United States, in Consequence of which your warrant for lands will be retained — The discharge of John Bitters, with the power of attorney & other papers are now enclosed I am Sir yours J Howell J^r Cap^t Matthew Henderson