Dumfries Nov. 5^th 1796 Sir As I shall not be in Philadelphia before the Month of Dec. it will be very convenient to me to receive my pay & Subsistence here previous to my removal. I take therefore the liberty to request you to remit me my pay from the 31 [undecipherable: of Sept.] to the 1^st of the Current Month & my Subsistence from the 1^st of May past — as I have no Account on Acc^t. of it from that period — Your Attention to this Request will Oblige me much. I am respectfully Sir. Y^r. ob. Ser. R. J. Blackburn [address panel:] M^r. William Simmons Accountant War Department Philadelphia [notation:] R. J. Blackburn Nov. 10 — rec^d. — 11