War Department Accountant's Office August 20 1798 Sir In being appointed agent of the war department [?] the Territory of the United States south of the Ohio, it is my duty to give you instructions relating the plan of your agency which a [?] has to the paying of the Troops in the service of the United States. The [?] instructions to the Pay master or to those are to be your general guide. It is to be observed that those instructions were communicated to [?] [?] [?] the [?] that their accounts as to the last muster 1796 which will not greatly [?] your [?] transactions. Your business will be to attend to that part interested to create after that period as far as the same may apply. The returns to the Comptroller with the form of the [?] therein described are [?] from [?] was copies. You will find that the form of a Pay roll for service to August 31, 1795, marked, B was not applied to [them?]. The form A is a monthly Muster, and the [?] C of Monthly Pay [?] is a [company?] in its form [?] [?] [?] [?] summary has set out to [?] the [?] the forms that you will see, as they were intended for the regular [?] of accounts. They vary according to circumstances, when applied to the Militia. Instead of the form D in the [?] with [?] should to [?] to [?] of Regiment [?] and may happen to the members [?] of all [?] the forms E, F, G. Muster and Pay roll for [?] attachments you will observe by the Comptrollers instructions, now [?] to the detachments [?] the main army, or to troops [?] as [?] [?] [?] little time in service. When do men only would be [?] [?] from which [?] would [?]. As your payments to the Militia generally will be on [?] [?] in each case these general [?] [?] will be [?] some [?] where they may [?] you [?] not [?], call me in any instance where they may [?] you with trouble [?] to them. I wish to turn your attention to the [?] for paying the troops through subordinate [?] [?] you are directed to notify the paymasters that no assignment of pay of a non Commissioned Officer or private are to be considered as valid. [?] [?] will produce against [?] [?] [?] or cash [?] in the settlement of their accounts with the [?] officer of the War Department — That in case when the man is [?] [?] then names is credited for his pay as a means to [?] his [?] said officers or his own Commissioned Officers is entitled to his [?] will be deemed necessary [?] and you are [?] shown them that no partial payments are to be made. The amount up to the [?] as settled in the Pay rolls is to be had and [?] [?] [?]. In the [?] [?] it will appear that it is expected that they may want to in your hands to make the payments to the troops monthly. This probably may not be the case with the militia as the distance it is so great from the seat of [?] personal [?]. That information to be given to the secretary of [?] or any body of Militia that [was?] served is [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] few [?] would be liable to continue many [times?]. Therefore of their service [?] being discharged and [?] is [?] [?] in such case [?] would [?] [?] [?] when [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]. You will [?] me notify the Paymasters that upon a command does not come [?] [?] [?]. Advances to be made by means of attorney properly acknowledged which we will [?] [?] to be considered [?] as [?] [?] assignments of [?] [?] against is made therein, by the [?] [?] [?] that [?] will [?] [?] to [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] payments will be made. [?] [?] for [?] [?] of [?] of [?] payments of this pay will be [?] [?] [?] that it will be [?] [?] to have [?] application more [?] [?] I am P.S. If the blanks are too [?] with [?] [?] limited [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] the war office where others should [?] [?] to [?] [?] [?] [?] which can be easily [?] [?] the power of altering the words David [Henley?] Agent of the War Department [?] [?] Territory of the United States South of the Ohio