printed; you will refund to Isaac Craig, taking his duplicate receipts therefor, one of which, you will forward to this Office for your exoneration. The Receipt tells you mention to have forwarded a long time since for pay of yourself and detachment for March, April & May was duly received & entered to your Credit. Of the receipt thereof Informed Major Craig. I am &c. W^m Simmons Acct Caleb Swan Esq^r Accountants Office P. M. G. Dec. 30, 1796 Head Quart. of the Army Sir I wrote you on the 16^th a duplicate of which (see Page 290) you have herewith, since which I rec.^d your letter of the 20^th [undecipherable] to the contents of which I shall attend. On the Payments you have made for the double & in some instances treble, pay & forage to Officers doing the duty of Adjutants, Pay Masters & Quarter Masters, I shall not deem myself authorised to admit without previously taking a question on the subject from the Heads of the Department, as I dont conceive they come strictly within the Letter of the Law — It cannot be conceived that one Officer is capable of doing the duty of three or four appointments, he consequently ought not to receive pay for them. — I am glad to find you have obtained the accounts of most Pay Masters — which you no doubt will forward as early as may be to this Office. — Would it not be well to apply to the commanding Officers to give his orders for Officers to deliver their Accounts & Vouchers, if they refuse to comply on your application. — the necessity for all unsettled Accounts which can with practicability be adjusted, is great, and you are particularly requested to use your further endeavours to accomplish this object. When Officers apply at this Office for any arrear of Pay or Subsistence, the necessary Certificate from the Pay Master — I cause them to attest to their accounts — before payment is made.