[Endorsements on wrapper: Nehemiah Freeman's / Rec'd 29 Octo 96 / Ans'd same day] West Point October 21^st 1796 Sir I have communicated to Captain Staats Morris the contents of your letter to me of the 12^th instant, and he has in consequence wrote me in the subject. His letter I herewith inclose to you. Lieutenant Hale has returned from New York and paid into my hands the Amount of the pay for the Corps for August 1796 agreeable to the Amount you transmitted to Nicholas Fish, Esquire. I hand you for inspection a demand of one Dollar against the United States. With Respect I am Sir Your Very humble Serv^t Neh. Freeman Lieut & Temp. P.M. Corps of Art & Eng.^s William Simmons Esquire [Enclosure — address leaf: Lieut N. Freeman / Temp Pay Master / to the Corps of Art.] Sir West Point Oct.^r 20^th 1796 I have received your notice that the Accountant had deducted ten Dollars from my account for bringing up the money for the payment of the Corps and of Lieut Vescher's Detachment of Infantry, for the months of June & July last. I can not conceive upon what principle it is, that the deduction has been made. If three different persons has been sent for the three several sums, I brought up on that occasion, I am safe in presuming the Accountant would have had no hepitation in allowing each ten Dollars. Dollars. At your desire I waited in New York at a heavy expense for the July pay after the arrival of that for the month of June, which I conceive was no part of my duty as an officer, nor was it any part of my duty to waste my time, at my own expense in search of such denominations of money, as was required to facilitate the payment of the Regt. and I conceive it no part of my duty to make myself personally responsible for so large a sum of public money, to convey such a distance when an accident might be attended with ruin to my reputation, without further compensation than ten Dollars. It was your opinion the charge of 20 Doll.^s was moderate, and it is my opinion I am justly entitled to it, and if the Accountant should not think proper to allow it, I shall decline receiving any part from him, and to enable me to seek it from another source, I request you previous to my returning the amount to obtain my account from him which has been receipted and which will not be required in that case as a record in his office. — I am respectfully Sir Your obed. Serv.^t Staats Morris Lieut N. Freeman Temp P.M.