Fort Detroit 20 Aug: 1796 Sir I have been honour'd with your of the 5 Ult: I dare say you must Some considerable time ago have address'd letters from [undecipherable] from Fort Washington and then Stated the necessity of procuring money at that time to purchase many articles required by the Commander in chief, and to aid our means of Transport and I believe to which I was directed by Gen Wayne to procure twenty thousand dollars which would be most necessary at this place, and the procuring of which here I then could not be relied on for those purposes. I drew bills on you of which I gave you the earliest information and had them negotiated in Kentucky. If this had been done a considerable time previous to the receipt of your letter. I expect the money I have drawn for will more than supply the expenditures for the months of July, August & September. It was impossible for me previous to my drawing to form an Estimate of the Items for which money should be wanted for the following reasons Viz 1^st. because I will be obliged to make up many accounts of the Department previous to the 1^st of July 2^d. the Expenditures on the latter I could by no means judge of until I arrived here. 3^d. Such transports of Provisions on the latter have hitherto been done by the [undecipherable] Department and whenever the Contractor or Contractor or fails in performing it; which he has as yet altogether done we are obliged to do it, which renders our accounts of expenditures for transport very uncertain. We have been ordered by the Commander in chief to pay the expenditures in the Indian Department of which I can form no estimates. The Expenditure of the money for which I have drawn will be chiefly applied to the following objects. The pay of Assistants in the Department The wages of Waggoners, Artificers, boat men, Pack horse men, Pilots, Indian Interpreters &c There is a considerable expenditure in the Indian Department which the Commander in chief Direct the [undecipherable] to pay: The Chartering of Vessels. The hire of Teams. The Repairing the Barracks, store houses, Stables, at Detroit. The procuring materials for the repair of the Garrison & Stockade at Detroit. The wages & Subsistance for the [undecipherable] men of the Shops at Detroit. For the purchase of Corn, Mortar for occasional [undecipherable] Services &c — And there has been a considerable accounts contracted at this place, previous to my arrival which I will have to make up. I will inform you Soon of the particular expenditures of the Department, & transmit an account of the payments as have taken place. am Sir, with the greatest Respect Your most obed^t Serv^t [undecipherable: probable reading Jo: O'Hara] [undecipherable: probable reading D: Q M General] [to the Hon^ble James M^cHenry Sec^y of war.]