West Point 22^d. Oct. 1796 Sir I was not as you suggest, comman- :dant of either of the Detachments which were add'd to West Point by Newport - but acted as Q^r master to them; and have charg'd no expence which I incur'd except that at Newport were I was detain'd to adjust the accounts of the Contractors this expence I think myself fully entitled to, as I was acting in alone which my duty did not compel without compensation - the money paid for pursuing Deserters did not occur at that time but while I was on furlough - they were recruits of Lieut. Stale, and you have denied me on no one instance to refund me all such expences and have done it in three or four instances before, you [strikethrough: might] with as much propriety make me answerable for the expence of ap- :prehending deserters as refuse to refund money advanced by me for their pursuit - The receipt of Kirby ought to have been 16 instead of 15 Dollars as he was a discharg'd Soldier from the Western army this fact was ascertained by Officers who had serv'd with him — I am very far from wishing to give unnecessary trouble to any public Officer by introducing into my Act. charges which are not strictly legal, and presume it can- not be your wish, as the intention of the United States that Officers should expend their pay for public benefit without a ref[undecipherable] Yf after this set statements you should believe justice requires on the U. S. Laws enforce the deduction you mention I must submit to the loss - I will thank you to transmit to this place such ballance as shall be found due upon a final adjustment with a discharge from your Office I am Sir your H^ble S^t G. W^m. Loucks Adj^t Cap^t of A. Rh W^m Simmons Esq^r [address panel: William Simmons Esqr / Accountant of the / War Department / Philadelphia] [marginalia, upper right of address panel: [undecipherable] / West Point / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable]]