Nehemiah Freeman Esqr. Department of War L. Pay Master Accountants’ Office

West Point February 20th 1796 Sir I received your letter of the 11th Jan together with its enclosures- The Bounty due to Andrew

Simpson and Abraham Lykes you will please to

pay, and transmit their receipts to this office which will be passed your credit, and

if there should be any error it will be charged to Capt. Morrison-

As to the monies remaining in your hands you will please to pay the Corps the whole amount of the money you received for their pay and forage, agreeably to the Pay Rolls examined here; Then any balance remaining in your hands is to be refunded to the Treasurer of the United States through this Office, where only you are to consider yourself accountable therefore.

I have written to Col. Rochefontaine fully as to my idea 435

of your duties as Pay Master - which differ materially with his - I am sorry that a difference of opinion should exist

However to prevent confusion in the Office. I am determined to pursue the same rules and regulations as has been the custom heretofore - with the Regimental Pay Masters of the Army - The Pay Master there is chosen by the Officers of the Regiment in behalf of themselves’ & Soldiers and approved by the commander in chief who pronounces the same in general orders - The Pay Master then receives the Pay, subsistence, and forage of the Regiment on will authenticated Muster & Pay Rolls, and he is furnished with instructions how to apply the same he receipts to be accountable to the Accountant of the War Department and is held accountable on the books of this Office accordingly - agreeable to those regulations I furnished you with Instructions - It was proper that they should be attended to on your part - which has been done agreeably to my wishes in your accounts rendered here - The old Rules have been found by experience to be good ones, and I see no cause for alteration, and have mentioned it to Colo. Rochefontaine to be my determination to pursue the same line of conduct as has been custom heretofore – The difference of opinion I hope will be done away with before long and that you will be able to pursue your duties as Pay Master without any of the disagreeable circumstance which have heretofore attended things.-

I am Sir (indecipherable) William Simmons