[David Ames, / St. January 1795 / Enclosing [undecipherable] [papers?] / Ac'd [undecipherable] / august 1887 [undecipherable]] [Honourable Secretary at War / Philadelphia] Springfield January 1. 1795 Sir Inclosed you will please to receive a return of articles received expended and on hand for December, likewise a pay roll and Muster roll & estimate for the same month. If it is your pleasure that I should settle my Accounts for November & December so as to begin the new year Quarterly, with that you would please to send me one thousand eight hundred thirty seven dollars agreeable to the inclosed estimate that I may be able to do it on the Receipt of the money. I have received no answer to my letter of the 7^th December which was wrote in answer to yours of the 27 of November, and wish you would please to inform how you would have me contract with the Men in future. you will see in mine of the 7 Ultimo that I agree with you respecting the method of doing the work, and as some of the Mens times are now out, it is necessary to be informed of your pleasure as soon as possible likewise on the subject of getting parts of the work done on contract out of the Shop, and I have no doubt some of it will com lower in that way than it can at present be made in the Shop — an Experiment will easly determines it and without any hazzard — P.S. we have maintaind I am Muskets a day the whole of Sir the last month — most devoutely your obedient and very humble Servant David Ames Honourable Secretary at War