Col^o. Stephen Rochefontaine. Department of War Accountants Office Sir February 20^th 1796 I have received your letter of the 7 & 12^th Instant — I consider Mr. Freeman as Paymaster of the Corps of Artillery & in the same point of view (as regards his duties as such) as the other Regimental Pay Masters of the Army, They are chosen by the Officers of the Regiment on behalf of themselves and their Soldiers and approved of by the Commander in Chief, who presumes the person duly chosen in Orders. After this is done They receive the money due their Regiments on Pay Rolls properly authenticated, and are furnished with Instructions how to apply the money, and receipt accordingly, to be accountable to the Accountant of the War Department for the faithfull application of the money agreeably to Such Instru[ctions] If the Pay master so appointed should [undecipherable] the Regimental of any money placed in his hands for the Pay, they defraud the Corps, and not the United States, agreeably to those Rules I furnished Mr. Freeman with Instructions it was his duty to comply with them, as he was held accountable on the Books of this Office for the faithfull application of the money he received agreeably there- to: As a Battalion Officer in the line, he is totally under the Command of his Superior Officers, but when he becomes elected as a Pay Master his duties as such come within the superintendance of the Accountant — I have therefore furnished Instructions accord- ingly — The law organizing the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers I will know is a statute in existance but I have no knowledge of any part thereof making alterations in the System for keeping Pay Masters Accounts from the one Pursued with those of the Army, Experience has proved they will answer, No difficulty having heretofore arisen in the Settlement of any of their accounts — on the Contrary the utmost regularity has been Pursued by them and their accounts adjusted without the least difficulty. This being the case, I see no cause for any alteration taking place — I shall there- fore continue to Pursue the Same Rules of Conduct as respects them, as has been the Custom heretofore, until the alterations of any, which is to take place is pointed out by Laws, As respects the Arrears of Bounty due to Soldiers at this Point — I have to observe that although the law does not point out that the 4 Dollars is to be retained from the Soldiers until the Officers settle their recruiting Accounts, I would be glad if you will point out how the Balances are to be ascertained but you make Recruiting accounts — There are a number of men Inlisted who re- ceived the whole amount of their Bounty, they receive [undecipherable] of the four Dollars, and some may desert and when they are afterwards claims their Bounty. From these Circumstances I dont see how the pay- ment can be made with Security to the United States — However never [undecipherable: probable reading "being"] wishing to withhold from the Soldiers any monies,