Caleb Swan Esquire Department of War

Pay Master Genl. Accountants’ Office

January 2^nd 1796 Sir

After congratulating you on the le= time of a New Year of which I wish you many and happy ones, I have to inform you that for your government you have enclosed a Schedule of the Warrants drawn in continuation of the last [indecipherable] you-

Complaints having been made to this Office from various quarters that the discharged Soldier do not receive their pay to the time of their discharge and which subjects them to the greatest inconvenience being frequently oblig= =ed to sell their discharge for half their value to enables them to return to their respective homes, most being frequently met on the road begging for a Substence. These circumstances it is respected will be from an exressi= =on of one of the Members, thought before Congress in order to cause an inquiry to be made where the fault lies-

      I hope the necessary steps in future will be taken to]

preevent any thing more of this kind- The poor Soldier is certain= =ly entitled to his pay when due indeed the Act of Congress of the 4^th June 1794 Possitivly enacts that the arrears of pay shall at no time be [indecipherable] longer than two months

I am &^c William Simmons